Aqua Lung Titan free-flow

[Chris Richardson]

That is correct. I usually flick to + when I begin my descent, then leave it there. I’ll only switch back during the swim back to the boat if my reg free flows.

cheers Brian

 

[John C. Ratliff]

It therefore was below 50 degrees F, and got warmer as you ascended. It really looks to me to be an icing problem.

Let us know how the servicing went.

SeaRat

 

[Chris Richardson]

£150 worth but all good in the end

 

[rick00001967]

sounds like it was a good thing you got them serviced

 

[Centrals]

Should consider to replace it with cold water compatible reg diving in frigid cold water in UK.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

I had one freeze open at about 17M, in cold water (8C); I knew it was not rated for this but my son was using my Apeks DS4 and we were trying to get some training dives in for him prior to a trip. It is NOT good in cold water nor rated as one. I found the IP was a bit high after the event, adjusted it and it worked flawless down to 25M in the Caribbean.

 

[rick00001967]

divers need to realize that when diving in extreme conditions, they need to be using proper precautions.
- use the right gear for the conditions (use good quality sealed regs rated for cold water for example)
- make sure your gear receives regular, high quality service (if anyone read the service report on these regs it look like they were long over due)
- it is important to understand how to use / handle your regs in AND out of the water (when ice diving there are protocols to be followed BEFORE AND AFTER you are in the water for example)
- how to breath the regs can also have an effect on how they perform (over breathing them while diving in low water temps for example)
- ensure both dive buddies have discussed and understand how to handle a minor or severe free flow event at depth (i have seen minor issues turn into dangerous situations simply due to a lack of communication between divers before the dive)

 

[shurite7]

divers need to realize that when diving in extreme conditions, they need to be using proper precautions.

- ensure both dive buddies have discussed and understand how to handle a minor or severe free flow event at depth (i have seen minor issues turn into dangerous situations simply due to a lack of communication between divers before the dive)

Agreed. The vast majority of new divers going through the basic open water course learn to breathe through a free flowing reg for 30 seconds, but don’t learn what to do if it happens. I changed how I teach free flow by making the students go through the steps necessary to deal with it.

 

[Centrals]

I could not remember my OW course mentioning the risk of free flow because of cold water. The teaching manual(25 yrs ago) only briefly talked balance and unbalance reg. No idea about the latest version.

 

[bobfmdc]

I have an Aqua Lung Titan (bought second-hand so unsure of year of manufacture) that went into free-flow @ 33m. What would cause this to happen? The octo was fine @ this depth though so was it a setting on the dv that caused this? What exactly does the little adjuster do on a second stage and what is the ideal position for it? Cheers

It looks like the diagnosis here evolved pretty much to Chris having a freeze up. Additionally, his service report found some bad hoses and hose valves.

Here is a recent related story for you warm water people. My daughter (~35 OW dives) had a major 2nd stage Titan Aqua Lung free flow event on our first dive in Cozumel in June 2021. It is an old Titan rig, but had just been serviced. Water depth was about 60 feet at the time; water temp about 84 degrees F.

I was watching her pretty closely when it happened b/c this was her first dive in 2 years and she is not yet a comfortable diver. I saw her fiddling with the knob on the left side of the reg and assumed she was a little uncomfortable with her air supply. Then suddenly her reg just exploded in a full-on free flow and was blown out of her mouth.

To her credit, she did not panic and shoot to the surface. She was trying to get her octopus loose when I got to her and shoved my reg in her mouth. In the next few minutes, I tried to take stock of what had happened. #1 was that her primary stopped free flowing. #2 was that there were no leaks anywhere. #3 was that her octo was working fine. #4 was that she slowly got herself back in control. At that point, I was skeptical about the regulator itself. The tech who serviced her reg has done a lot of them for me over the years; currently, he does Titan service for several shops in my area. Nevertheless, I also have had a lot of bad service from other people.

We floated along at depth for 10 minutes or so while she calmed down and I tried to think this through. Eventually, I put her octo in her mouth. Then a few minutes later, I turned her over to the dive guide to watch as she continued the dive on her octo.

For the rest of our trip, I let her use my Atomic reg and took her Titan. I did everything I could think of to make the Titan malfunction over the next 12 dives and could not get another free flow. The only thing that did cause it was to put my face down horizontally (i.e., mouthpiece up) and let the mouthpiece slip slightly out of the side of my mouth as would be caused by not keeping my mouth firmly engaged around the flange. Doing so caused an explosive free flow even though, technically, the regulator was still in my mouth. That was my final diagnosis. She was playing with that knob on the body of the second stage, got the mouthpiece cocked sideways in her mouth with her head down and it just blew up.

Now I know I am telling this story to a bunch of really experienced divers, but, to me, there is a moral. While we would all know what is happening, or figure it out quickly, a novice diver like my daughter might not--and that could have disastrous consequences if the diver bolts for the surface. I personally am going to run my entire family through this experience on our next trip so they all understand how this can happen and what to do to avoid sudden panic. No doubt I am going to take a lot of grief from my wife who has over 500 dives, but I am going to insist that she do it also--maybe.