Breathing off a Free-flowing reg

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kidspot

kidspot

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
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Location
Moses Lake, Washington
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Just watching my OW Padi video (yes, I'm just a lil' bit bored) and noticed they were breathing off a free-flowing reg by "sipping" the air off to the side (just as the book says)

I've practiced breathing off a free-flowing reg a few times and found that I don't need to "do" anything (except ignore the bubbles) ... the air just vents out the exhaust valve continuously... so what is the reasoning behind Padi's "sipping" technique?

Anyone have other ways of dealing with that type of situation (feathering valves etc..) ???

btw - it's fun to let the freeflow vent out your nose too ... feels kinda wierd but it does work...

Aloha, Tim
 
kidspot:
I've practiced breathing off a free-flowing reg a few times and found that I don't need to "do" anything (except ignore the bubbles)Amen ... the air just vents out the exhaust valve continuously... Amen, again.so what is the reasoning behind Padi's "sipping" technique?Dunno.

Anyone have other ways of dealing with that type of situation (feathering valves etc..) ???

btw - it's fun to let the freeflow vent out your nose too ... feels kinda wierd but it does work...
yup.

Aloha, Tim
Click to expand...

I never could figure out what the big deal was, either.
 
They just don't want people trying to cram a free flowing reg in there mouth and causing baro trauma. Besides, you cant exhale when it's free flowing anyway. Sipping takes care of these problems. Like most things PADI, it may not be the best way but it is there way.
 
i remember the last time i tried this, that the full force of the blast on my face
made it hard to breathe

putting my face to the side helped

actually, i'm glad this came up .... i'll have to practice this skill again and see how
it goes
 
During my 2nd OW dive my son's (also my dive partner) went free flowing. While he was breathing on my 2nd reg, the instructor wrote on his slate for me to "try" to sip from the free flowing reg, my son then attempted the same. Having practiced this at 35ft makes both my son and I more comfortable that we know how to handle the situation if it comes up again.

Yes the instructor held onto us when we did it and I was quite happy neither I or my son were that nervous about it........
 
cgvmer:
During my 2nd OW dive my son's (also my dive partner) went free flowing. While he was breathing on my 2nd reg, the instructor wrote on his slate for me to "try" to sip from the free flowing reg, my son then attempted the same. Having practiced this at 35ft makes both my son and I more comfortable that we know how to handle the situation if it comes up again.

Yes the instructor held onto us when we did it and I was quite happy neither I or my son were that nervous about it........
Click to expand...
Of course, a better instructor would probably get you back to the surface considering the rate a free flowing reg will empty a tank at.
 
Wildcard:
They just don't want people trying to cram a free flowing reg in there mouth and causing baro trauma. Besides, you cant exhale when it's free flowing anyway. Sipping takes care of these problems. Like most things PADI, it may not be the best way but it is there way.
Click to expand...

Maybe it's just my reg then, as I can still easily exhale with it in my mouth ... dunno.

That would make sense though, if that is the way most regs perform in a freeflow situation. - Thanks WildCard

btw - I wasn't trying to discredit Padi's way, just curious about why it is that way, and if there are other options to the same senario.

Aloha, Tim
 
kidspot:
Maybe it's just my reg then, as I can still easily exhale with it in my mouth ... dunno.

That would make sense though, if that is the way most regs perform in a freeflow situation. - Thanks WildCard

btw - I wasn't trying to discredit Padi's way, just curious about why it is that way, and if there are other options to the same senario.

Aloha, Tim
Click to expand...
YOu mean you keep the regulator in your mouth while it's freeflowing? I didn't think you could do that. Doesn't it force the air down your lungs?
 
There are numerous ways to deal with FF reg. I teach, to take a breath from the reg and then hold the reg away from your face and then replace the reg as needed to take additonal breaths. Some teach to bite one side of the mouthpiece and there are a couple of other common ways. PADI has certain ways that they show how to accomplish a skill in the books and videos but as a PADI instructor you can teach other methods, you do not have to use the methods they show in the books and vids. Feathering the valve is certainly do-able but a usually a normal ascent will get you to the surface with air to spare, additonally in that FF reg is a "OOA", your buddy should be close at hand to assist if needed
 
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