bubble diverter?

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kirwoodd

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Location
Boston Ma
# of dives
25 - 49
I am an new diver, been diving for roughly one year, 28 dives so far.

Here's my problem...
Occasionally my exhaled bubbles hit my ears, they get inside my hood a little and irritate my ears. Is there such a thing as a bubble deflector? or SOMETHING to keep the bubbles out of my ears.
 
Sure. Other than going Historical Diver and using a double hose reg... they exhaust out the back at the first stage, there are some things to do.

I needed a rearward exhaust system because I wanted to get closer to critters that were spooked by the sight of all of those startling bubbles.

Take your second stage to the local hardware store and head for the plumbing department. Take a look at the selection of plastic hose, I like the clear PVC kind that is usable for drinking water, but whatever you find will do- size is the key. Look at the 1.5"+ range of diameters.

Find a diameter of tubing that will slip over the exhaust "snoods" of your first stage. A lot of them nowadays have very short, almost nonexistant exhaust vents, but many do have at least 1" sticking out and some longer. Find a piece of hose that fits over the snood easily or even if you have to push a bit with some lubrication.

Once you get the hose on the exhaust snood, (Now, here's the horrifying part!) drill an 1/8" hole through both the hose and the snood. Slip a cable tie thru and your all set. It doesn't have to be air tight, not even close. Exercise some caution not to drill through and of the mechanicals of the regulator~ I don't know how you could do this, but for the totaly inept or horribly unlucky, it is worth mentioning.

The hoses have to be "tuned", I had a pair that were about 12" and curved around the back of my head. Great idea in theory, but the excessive length caused enough back pressure that the reg free flowed. Yet another use for a dive knife- I hacked them back to a length that didn't free flow.

I have built some others in which I couple "pumice" like stone, much as an aquarium filter, that diffused the bubbles to make them less detactable.

I did this to divert bubbles to get close to critters. I'm not sure if I can get the bubbles in the ears thing, but at least there's a solution that might work for you.
 
Excellent.
Thanks for the reply!
Your thorough answer gave me some keywords to google on. :D

I came up with the mistral
http://www.aqualung.com/products/mistral_ltd.html
looks like it may solve my problem. I don't mind buying new (or used) because my 19 year old wants to dive, so I can pass my gear down to him and get new. :D
 
I strongly suggest that you test the new Mistral before buying. It’s definitely not for everyone. I was interested in the “new” Aqualung Mistral in order to go more “bubble free”, but didn’t like the experience one bit :shakehead. An alternative could be the Aqualung Kronos, which I am currently thinking of getting as my next regulator.

http://www.aqualung.com/products/kronos.html
 
Some people poke some holes in the top of their hood with hot nails in order to let air get out. Personally, I wear a "beanie" style hood underwater, and I just pu**** back down a few times during the dive, pushes all of the air out....I don't mind it too much though. Never bothered my ears....

You could try putting mask on over the hood if you haven't yet, that'd keep the hood held down tighter, might keep bubbles out.


Or go with the Mistral. I would, just because it's not your everday regulator, but I don't have the cash :) Right now, I'm diving with Scubapro R380, which has "nonexistant" exhaust snoots, and I've not had much of a problem with bubbles in my vision or anything, which I thought would be a problem....
 
Some regulators you can replace the portion that diverts the bubles. I know Sherwoods come with a wide exhaust t that adds an extra inch and a half on each side.
 
There was a thread started where some divers were experimenting using bicycle inner tubes to vent the air behind their heads. They were down to figuring out the placement and number of holes in the tube to be effective. I looked but it appears that thread may have been a casualty of the hard drive crash.....
 
If you're getting bubbles inside your hood, they are probably coming from your mask not your reg. When you exhale out your nose, bubbles are gonna come out under the skirt of your mask, and if that's tucked under your hood, the bubble will end up in there.
 
phunk:
If you're getting bubbles inside your hood, they are probably coming from your mask not your reg. When you exhale out your nose, bubbles are gonna come out under the skirt of your mask, and if that's tucked under your hood, the bubble will end up in there.

Nope.
Definitly coming from my reg. I can turn my head and it goes away. Also, when I breath out my nose I can feel my mask leave my face, and that isnt happening, AND when I exhale out my nose it fogs my mask. :)
 

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