Zeagle Tech-50D Breathing

[CharleyT]

I have a question for all you Zeagle / Apeks fans...

I have an older (1996) Tech-50D (Apeks TX50 I believe).

While diving in Larry's pool the other day, I decided to lie down, and try to blow air rings (I had seen an Instructor do it at Blue Dolphin and thought it looked cool).

After rolling over, I noticed the regulator was much more difficult to breath from. Although it delivered air, there was a marked increase in the amount of "work" I had to do to draw in. Is this normal?

I had the regulator set serviced this year (07/22/04) ($123.41).

I was set to "Dive" and used the variable adjustment both all the way in, and out. That made a difference, but I was still never comfortable.

During normal dives (normal maximum depth 25’ – 30’, 1 time maximum depth 100') I use the "Dive" setting, with the variable out all the way, and back 1 turn.

Charley

 

[Greg Barlow]

This is completely normal, and is a result of the increased water pressure on your lungs. The lungs are in deeper water than the regs' diaphragm, and this creates a pressure differential. This is the same principle as why double hose regs free flow when a diver rolls over onto their back.

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

 

[CharleyT]

Thanks Greg, had no idea it would make the much of a difference. I'll stay belly down from now on.

Charley

 

[SDAnderson]

Thanks Greg, had no idea it would make the much of a difference. I'll stay belly down from now on.

Charley

It makes a lot of difference at 8 feet, less at 80...but worth remembering.

 

[84CJ7]

So did you manage to blow the bubble rings?

How in the hell do you do that anyways?

 

[CharleyT]

So did you manage to blow the bubble rings?

How in the hell do you do that anyways?

Kind of. You make a fish pucker style (for lack of a better term). I'll have to try it again some time.

Charley

 

[SDAnderson]

Hopefully, you're not a smoker, in which this advice won't be any help at all, but it's just like blowing smoke rings, only slower and on your back. I've never been able to do it in fresh water, something about the viscosity, I suppose. Don't drown yourself learning to do this, please.

 

[CharleyT]

Hopefully, you're not a smoker, in which this advice won't be any help at all, but it's just like blowing smoke rings, only slower and on your back. I've never been able to do it in fresh water, something about the viscosity, I suppose. Don't drown yourself learning to do this, please.

Naw, I stopped after 20 years (got bored with it, although I do have a cigar every month or so chuckle).

Yeah, about the same thing. I almost had a few nice ones. The Instructor was kicking them out like they were going out of style.

Charley

 

[rescuediver009]

Sorry to go back on it guys, but I disagree with Greg. The reason that any reg will breathe harder when on your back is this.
when you are on your back and trying to inhale you are trying to pull the air in the diaphragm downwards. Everyone knows that air under water wantd to go up. So you are trying to do the opposite. When you are on your back however, there is water underneath the diaphragm pushing the air up or into your mouth. This effect is neutralized when you are vertical.
If Greg was right, about your lungs being lower than the reg, this would happen when you are vertical in the pool. Notice that it does not.