To what setting do you dial your dry suit dump valve?

[BassO]

And when? And why? I recently finished my PADI Dry Suit certification and the use of the automatic setting on the dump valve really didn't get much air time. So I'm left curious: What setting do you use, when do you change, what do you change it to and why do you do all this?

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I leave mine wide open. If I need to dump any air, I lift my left arm a bit.

 

[Brett Hatch]

Congrats on your course, hope you learned a lot.

My drysuit has an Apeks low-profile valve. I leave mine completely open throughout the dive, and usually open at the surface swim as well, have never had any leaks. Sometimes it's nice to have extra air on the surface for mobility's sake, so I'll close it then.

It's my understanding that some valves will leak when fully open -- if I had one like that, I'd try to find the furthest open it can be without leaking, and dive it like that.

 

[fisheater]

I leave mine wide open during the entire dive. When I return to the surface, I close it and add a bit of air to insure positive buoyancy.

 

[JBFG]

Wide open, always.

 

[BRT]

Usually a few clicks closed. Unless I'm heading up and I open it more. Or on the surface I close it more.

 

[rhwestfall]

Really cold? Closed down to carry more air. Other than that, wide open.

YMMV

 

[_Ralph]

Wide open ... Use your BC/Wing for buoyancy.

On occasion I'll close it a few clicks depending on trim position (filming/overhead) while on CCR .... or it's really cold, I'll take a little extra loft, and open it back up during ascent.


_R

 

[lexvil]

Usually open unless I’m doing something that will cause it to vent when I don’t want it to, like doing rolls with sea lions but open when I have to quickly head to shallower water for the Mola Mola who had escaped those sea lions.

 

[broncobowsher]

Wide open most of the time. Close 2- clicks for a little more warmth. If bobbing on the surface a flick closed and you can add a lot more air into the suit on the surface. Makes floating on the surface a lot easier.