2nd stage free flow control device

[chironomidkraut]

Any thoughts on a 2nd stage or octo free flow control device or "isolator valve" as some call it.... I dive in cooler water and am worried bout free flow from regulator or octo... My reg setup is the Oceanic FDX10 1st stage(enviro sealed), Oceanic EOS 2nd stage and alpha 8 octo..... I read on here that in a free flow situaton some people kink the hose, i think that would be a last resort for me, i believe that the "isolator valve" would be a wise thing to get, has anybody used them or have any opinions bout them.... please help

 

[Peter_C]

Wouldn't the typically reason for a free flow to occur in cold water be because the first stage froze? Cutting the flow to one reg would just force more air out the other, and possibly into your BC by overcoming the inflator valve or the drysuit valve.

Personally I wouldn't want anything that could accidentally cut of my air supply, other than the tank valve.

Double tanks give you the redundancy as does your buddy.

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

Any thoughts on a 2nd stage or octo free flow control device or "isolator valve" as some call it.... I dive in cooler water and am worried bout free flow from regulator or octo... My reg setup is the Oceanic FDX10 1st stage(enviro sealed), Oceanic EOS 2nd stage and alpha 8 octo..... I read on here that in a free flow situaton some people kink the hose, i think that would be a last resort for me, i believe that the "isolator valve" would be a wise thing to get, has anybody used them or have any opinions bout them.... please help

An isolator valve is for use with doubles...

 

[Peter_C]

An isolator valve is for use with doubles...

I believe what they are talking about is one of these, correct?
Highland Millworks Inline Shut Off Valve

 

[fnfalman]

I don't have an aversion toward adding gadgets, but I must ponder how this inline valve suppose to work in case of 2nd stage freeflow.

If the 1st stage were to fail and cause free flow, then this check valve is worthless. The free flow is going to be coming out of both the octo and the main 2nd stage.

If it's just the second stage free flowing (either main 2nd stage or octopus) because of the cold temperature then it's time to terminate the dive anyway. Free flowing from frozen second stage usually comes from breathing through it and cause it to freeze. You're not breathing off your octo, so there's no reason for it to free flow because of the cold. I can see that you equip your main 2nd stage with this valve for just in case it freezes and free flow then you can shut it off to conserve gas and switch to your octo to get to the surface (or continue the dive if one were to be that bold).

 

[JeffG]

Any thoughts on a 2nd stage or octo free flow control device or "isolator valve" as some call it.... I dive in cooler water and am worried bout free flow from regulator or octo... My reg setup is the Oceanic FDX10 1st stage(enviro sealed), Oceanic EOS 2nd stage and alpha 8 octo..... I read on here that in a free flow situaton some people kink the hose, i think that would be a last resort for me, i believe that the "isolator valve" would be a wise thing to get, has anybody used them or have any opinions bout them.... please help

Its not required.


Kinking the hose is a silly idea.

Free flow from a frozen reg is rare. (ice diving...not as rare)

Having regs adjusted properly solves 99.9% of the problem.

 

[j yaeger]

great concept...until that also freezes up!!!!
32* fast moving water-free flowed air 2...disconected
shut down primarary scuba pro 2nd stage...still free flowing
feather with in line shut off...wouldnt shut down
this was after 30 mins@ 5o '
exteme situation
also extreme circumstances
best bet is to use equipment designed for the type of diving you will be doing
while i have used these,i would not advise them
personel thoughts
yaeg
ps...
i have kinked my primary hose until i was able to feather with my tank valve-not a milflex!

 

[muddiver]

Why would you want an extra valve on your secondary gas supply? What if you need it and that little thing is closed? Higher goes the stress level over an non-standard addition to a basic scuba setup.

What I have been using for years is the ScubaPro secondary regulator holder that has a built in plug for the mouth piece. That prevents free flow from the secondary regulator on any dive.

 

[chironomidkraut]

thanks for the imput, my reg is setup for cold water it has the eviro kit on the first stage , i was just looking through a website and came across this product and wanted opinions, thanks muddiver your setup was gunna be another option for me, but when you took the plug out in an emergency would it not free flow then??

 

[Crush]

I have had my regs free-flow. In open water and ice diving it isn't much of an issue:

• You can try to solve it underwater by turning off your tank, breathing off your buddy's octo, and swishing the first stage around in the water - in a few tens of seconds the water should melt the ice which is causing the flow in the second stage;
• In ice diving the hole is rarely more than 100 feet away horizontally - abandon your dive and swim back to the hole while breathing off the flowing reg;
• Open water diving, call the dive and surface normally while breathing off the flowing reg

Cave divers may use such isolators because often they can't simply surface.

What I have found helps to prevent free-flowing is to not breathe from the regs while above the water in sub-zero air. Also, if you can adjust the cracking pressure on your second stage, tune it down to increase breathing resistance.

Planning to dive Minnewanka?