Ease of breathing adjustment

[Twiny]

Hi guys,
I recently tried different adjustment of my (balanced) second stages.
It turned out that on my Dive Rite regs if I want a perfect ease of breathing I need to adjust the second stages so that they slightly freeflow when the knob is fully opened. While diving I just need to turn back the knob a bit to stop this gentle freeflowing and this way only my regs are super easy to breathe ... when diving sidemount, it also means that I need to turn back further the knob when swapping regs.
How do you guys adjust your second stages ? Are they gently freeflowing in full open position ?

 

[NitroxSam]

Just the way you described with my G250's.

 

[mr_v]

I adjust my bailout regulator the way you described - slight free flow when fully open. The free flow stops once I close the adjustment knob 50%.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Just the way you described with my G250's.

Same for me on my trusted SP 109s (converted to BA, of course).

 

[rsingler]

Although mfrs don't specify that any more, that's a perfectly legitimate way to minimize cracking effort, as well as decrease seat wear between dive trips.
Sherwood used to specify that 30 years ago, but we've dumbed down diving a lot in recent decades.

Keep in mind that with whisper-light breathing in the standard diving position, your reg may gently freeflow when you look straight down, because that places the diaphragm in the lowest position in the water column, and likely more than 1. 25" lower than the top edge of the exhaust valve. In that position, the extra 1.25" of ambient pressure will have the valve open, and the exhaust valve will not be low enough in the water column to keep gas from bubbling out. You may not even notice it unless you're still in the water, and it will go away as soon as you look up a little. But that's "case geometry fault".
If you like looking down a lot, just add a half turn on the knob...

 

[gmerick]

"

the extra 1.25" of ambient pressure will have the valve open,

But is that 1.25 water inch differential enough to open the exhaust valve? Likely not. Depending on the preferred ease of inhalation, the dive knob can be opened almost to the point the exhaust valve will fail to close. Of course the reg will then absolutely free flow when not in the mouth.

 

[Nemrod]

How do you guys adjust your second stages ? Are they gently freeflowing in full open position ?

Yes.

But only just barely so. When I first set up a new seat in a second stage it might not freeflow with the knob fully out but once the seat takes a set to the orifice they typically begin to slightly free flow. If a customer regs were set this way they would be bringing them back complaining. Not realizing it was done on purpose. But I have not done a regulator for anyone but my wife and I or occasionally a dive buddy in like, oh, close to 40 times around the local star.

In use I will turn the adjustment knob in a half turn or so to start, and then adjust to my satisfaction in the water. Once done with the dive I then turn the knob back out which is sort of, if you think about it, a seat saver function as this relieves most of the pressure of the seat on the orifice.

 

[fred32176]

My second stage will free flow with the adjustment twisted all the way out and the Venturi switch on. I store my second stage with adjustment twisted all the way out.

 

[Twiny]

Yes.

But only just barely so. When I first set up a new seat in a second stage it might not freeflow with the knob fully out but once the seat takes a set to the orifice they typically begin to slightly free flow. If a customer regs were set this way they would be bringing them back complaining. Not realizing it was done on purpose. But I have not done a regulator for anyone but my wife and I or occasionally a dive buddy in like, oh, close to 40 times around the local star.

In use I will turn the adjustment knob in a half turn or so to start, and then adjust to my satisfaction in the water. Once done with the dive I then turn the knob back out which is sort of, if you think about it, a seat saver function as this relieves most of the pressure of the seat on the orifice.

Thanks to you and the others for your answers.
One thing to clear up : when you all say that the reg is freeflowing just a bit when the knob is fully open : when is it ? Is it when you adjust your reg at home ? (Or only when diving with it). I plan to dry adjust my regs with a slight freeflow when fully opened, all good ?

 

[Nemrod]

Thanks to you and the others for your answers.
One thing to clear up : when you all say that the reg is freeflowing just a bit when the knob is fully open : when is it ? Is it when you adjust your reg at home ? (Or only when diving with it). I plan to dry adjust my regs with a slight freeflow when fully opened, all good ?

When I install a new seat I set the second stage not to free flow, but just barely, so that when it breaks in it will begin to leak. If that makes sense. However, sometimes a minor adjustment might be needed to get the second stage exactly how I like it to be once the seat is broken in.

So, yes, when dry adjusting with a seat that has a few dives on it (or I watched a movie breathing down a tank), I readjust for a barely, and I mean barely, audible leak with the knob fully out.

Edit to add, some will set hotter than what I described but I find no practical advantage to doing so and the regulator may become too jumpy. I want to dive and take pics, not fool around with a too hot reg.