An Experiment & A Question

[beachnik]

The Experiment
1. Inhale, now exhale through your mouth.

2. Inhale, now exhale through your nose.

3. Inhale, now - just as you begin to exhale through your mouth - put your hand tightly over your mouth and continue to attempt to exhale through your mouth.
(you probably noticed - but just in case - not only did your cheeks puff out a little, but the air that you're trying to force out of your lungs was not able to escape through your nose)

OK, now that you've made that observation...

The Question(s)
On a recent trip to Cozumel, I took off swimming alongside a turtle and followed along with him for a while. After a bit, I stopped to catch my breath. I was breathing heavily by the time I stopped, and here's what I thought I observed: the amount of air I was exhaling was greater than what my regulator (USD SE2) could accommodate -- and the excess was forced out through my nose and then under the mask skirt. I could have sworn that I was simultaneously exhaling through my mouth and nose. But it doesn't seem that your body allows you to do that. Is it possible? Something to do with depth? I was probably at 50 feet. Not terribly important, but interesting. I probably imagined the whole thing.

Here's a more important question: have you found that you can exhale a volume of air that is greater than what your regulator can accommodate? It's kind of a drag. There must be a name for this.



Thanks

 

[marchand]

Yes, you can exhale though both you nose and your mouth at the same time.

this is how the exhaust valve works. there is a rubber flap that covers the exhaust port. when you breath out it gets pushed out of the way. when you inhale it closes.

I don't see how that could have a max amount of flow anywhere near what your lungs could produce.

 

[beachnik]

Yes, you can exhale though both you nose and your mouth at the same time.

Aaah, you're right. I was a little too hasty.

I don't see how that could have a max amount of flow anywhere near what your lungs could produce.

That's what I would think.

By the time I started thinking about this, I was back at home. It occurred to me that this might either be a characteristic of the SE2 that I hadn't previously noticed, or that the exhaust valve was hanging up (you may have noticed that I have a separate post about this reg - it's making a 'honking' noise). But by this time, all I could do it to pick up the regulator and exhale hard into it. I thought I might notice some obstruction or hear something peculiar - but nothing. No matter how hard I exhale into it, it doesn't restrict my breath - it doesn't make any unusual noise. But then, I don't have it connected to a tank and I'm not 50 feet underwater. I wish I'd thought to attempt to duplicate this thing while I was still on the dive trip.

Anyway, thanks for your comments.