85+ Feet, 39*-- Which Reg?

[Rec Diver]

My wife and I have been having free flow issues(freeze ups) with our current regs below 65 feet in Lake Michigan.

What regs have you personally dove with no freeze problems below 85' and colder than 40* for any length of time?

Please no recommendations, only your experience as I do not want to turn this into a which is best.

We'll be buying new regs to correct the problem and would like to know what people are using.

Thanks!

I use a Zeagle environmentally sealed first stage and second stage regulator system, DSIV. I dive Lake Michigan as well, 32 degrees at 50 feet for 40 minutes. I have also been to 93 feet in 41 degree water, Lake Superior, for approximately twenty minutes. NO FREE FLOWS. I hope this helps

 

[Captain CaveMan]

i have the apex atx 50 with the ds4 and i had to 50deg and it never free flowed but i didnt have it down there long enough. but so far i realy like it.

 

[ScubaSarus]

I've used the Sherwood Blizzard at 34 F. A suggestion is if you are cold water diving don't test the reg until just under the water if the air temp outside is near freezing. Some may have their regs tuned for cold water diving in the winter and tuned for warm water in the summer.

 

[Greg Barlow]

If you are experiencing regulator free flows from cold environments you need to address first the procedure and then the regulator.

Make sure you are not inflating and inhaling on the reg at the same time. This has a tendency draw too much flow from the 1st stage causing a drop in temperature. (Joule-Thompson effect). Make sure you do not "purge" the regulator always exhale into it to clear it. Do not use the primary or octo to fill lift bags, use a seperate inflator tool.


I have to agree with Joel on the issue of cold water diving techniques. Over the past 30 years of diving in cold water I have yet to experience a free flow from any of my regs. The only first stages that I use for temps below 50 degrees are those of a diaphragm design. All of my first stages are without environmental seals other than my Apeks DS4.

High flow balanced piston designs are typically notorious for icing in the open position. When you have vast amounts of gas flowing through a first stage it drops the interior temps down to a point where ice can literally form in seconds. Sealing such designs with an environmental cap is messy, and will often leak a small bit through the cap. Still, when used with proper techniques there are several divers who have success with the balanced piston designs.

Greg Barlow
Former Science Editor for Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine

 

[Squalus]

I use the MK25 first stage and a scuba pro G250 in cold water all this past year. Just came back from diving in Tobermory, Canada where the water temps were in the low 40's. No issues were noted during the dives with the scuba pro regulators that were used during this trip.

 

[bobmaggi]

I dive year-round in the Great Lakes region (just south of you in fact, St Joe MI!) and have been successfully using DS4/ATX50 combo w/o any freeflows. This is based on 40 to 60 minute dives in 34 degree water!

Bob