average sac rate

[akscubaduck1]

I've noticed that when solo diving my sac rate is around .4cf to a .5cf . When working with a O/W class or unknown buddy it goes up to .6cf to a .8cf .
I was wondering if anyone noticed less air consumption solo verses diving with a buddy your not sure about?
What's your average sac rate solo verses diving with unknown buddy?
Thanks
Terry

 

[Dive-aholic]

My solo RMV is always less than my non-solo RMV. Usually, when I'm solo, I'm in the .3-.4 range.

 

[Interceptor121]

It is not about solo is that teaching is stressful so you use more air

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I have noticed a similar effect. When solo I don't have to focus on anyone else, turn to keep them in sight, or swim at any speed other than the one I am most comforable and efficient with.

That adds up to a lot less muscle movement particularly the large muscles oin the trunk of the body.

When solo, you can also relax to a much greater extent.

I also have noted that when I am cave diving and using lung volume for precise buoyancy control, my SAC also goes up compared to OW where the bottom may be flat and where frequent bouyancy changes are not needed and/or an extreme degree of control is not needed.

When you add it all up, it equates to a much lower sac rate in solo OW situations.

 

[carrielsal]

Same here. My SAC ratic rate is normally about .38-.41 when I am either by myself or my normal dive buddy, but increases drastically if I am with a new dive buddy or OW class. I can see a direct correlation with how relaxed I am.
Carrie

 

[Atomic_Diver]

for me its kinda diffucult one day in a pool it took me 50-55 mins to go from 3000psi to 2500psi in an AL 80...but one day i spent about 31 mins between 95-110' with an AL 80 and only burned 2000psi, ending the dive with 1000psi left...my SAC rate falls around 8-17psi per min, not sure in cu ft, but i do know i have a "weird" way of calculating my sac some divers say...but it has always worked for me....

 

[derwoodwithasherwood]

i have a "weird" way of calculating my sac some divers say...but it has always worked for me....

Actually, PSI per minute was the way that I (and many others) were taught to calculate SAC too. Cu. Ft. per minute is more precisely referred to as Respiratory Minute Volume.

So you're not weird.

 

[scubadada]

SAC rate should be in cu ft/min (or L/min) to make up for cylinder volume and working pressure. My SAC on easy wall dives is about 0.4 cu ft per minute whereas on drift dives it is more like 0.375 cu ft per minute.

Good diving, Craig

 

[Dive-aholic]

It is not about solo is that teaching is stressful so you use more air

I don't see it that way. My air consumption isn't much different when I'm teaching. And I don't see teaching as being stressful either. When that happens, I'll stop teaching.

As for the SAC v. RMV debate, SAC is expressed in psi/min while RMV is expressed in cf/min. SAC is cylinder dependent. RMV is cylinder independent. SAC is usually expressed in whole numbers while RMV is expressed in decimals.

 

[Atomic_Diver]

Dive-aholic:

thanks for the tip on the sac v.s. RMV thing...that helped to clear a lot of things in my brain