Breathing through a regulater upsdie down!

[elmagnoon]

I would like to know whey when I put the regulator in mouth upside down and breath through it I get water but when I use it right side up and dive upside down I don't get any water coming in? I did it a couple of times, accidentally, and grabbed my apeks tx50 the wrong way and as soon as I started breathing through it, water leaked in somehow. Just curious..........

 

[wunat]

Technically, I don't know why (I will leave the technical aspect to others who could) but breathing through an up-side-down regulator, that's what will happen. For that reason, when we teach divers to make sure they are up right (with the exhaust tee on the bottom) before putting them into their mouth.

 

[diebeste]

I don't have that problem at all. There must be something wrong with you reg. Or maybe it's because I use a Poseidon Cyklon side-exhaust reg

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The problem occurs because the exhaust valve is now on the "top" and some water will leak past it as the air bubbles out. The water then collects in the "bottom" of the upside down reg where it easily runs or is blown into the mouthpiece during inhalation.

This is not an issue when the reg is right side up, as gravity prevents much water from coming up through the valve and any water thyat does enter falls to the bottom of the case where it goes back out the valve during the exhalation or at worst during the next exhalation.

With a side exhaust reg like the Poseiden, Oceanic Omega or Dacor Viper, breathing upside down is not a problem as things are located in esentially the same positrion they are in when right side up. However if you roll 90 degrees onto your right side, they will be prone to breathe wet as the side exhaust valve is now on the top.

 

[elmagnoon]

The problem occurs because the exhaust valve is now on the "top" and some water will leak past it as the air bubbles out. The water then collects in the "bottom" of the upside down reg where it easily runs or is blown into the mouthpiece during inhalation.

Thanks but I still don't understand then, why is it when I put the regulator in my mouth correctly( exhaust valve on bottom) and then decide to swim upside down (exhaust valve now should be on top) , I do not get water leaking in?

 

[DougNR]

Thanks but I still don't understand then, why is it when I put the regulator in my mouth correctly( exhaust valve on bottom) and then decide to swim upside down (exhaust valve now should be on top) , I do not get water leaking in?

This is a good one! I could only make a guess, but that guess would be that you may not be as completely 'head down' as you think you are as opposed to having the reg upside down. I'm assuming you're in a vertical position for the comparison of course.

 

[Hemlon]

My reg breathes just fine while I am head down.

 

[Daner]

The problem occurs because the exhaust valve is now on the "top" and some water will leak past it as the air bubbles out. The water then collects in the "bottom" of the upside down reg where it easily runs or is blown into the mouthpiece during inhalation.

This is not an issue when the reg is right side up, as gravity prevents much water from coming up through the valve and any water thyat does enter falls to the bottom of the case where it goes back out the valve during the exhalation or at worst during the next exhalation.

With a side exhaust reg like the Poseiden, Oceanic Omega or Dacor Viper, breathing upside down is not a problem as things are located in esentially the same positrion they are in when right side up. However if you roll 90 degrees onto your right side, they will be prone to breathe wet as the side exhaust valve is now on the top.

Does gravity even come into play underwater? I thought it was pressure and density that determined what goes up (positive bouyancy) or down (negative bouyancy).

 

[Luis H]

Thanks but I still don't understand then, why is it when I put the regulator in my mouth correctly( exhaust valve on bottom) and then decide to swim upside down (exhaust valve now should be on top) , I do not get water leaking in?

When you put it in your mouth right side up you are able to purge / clear all the water out of the regulator. Then you turn up side down.

Trying to purge all the water out of an upside down regulator with the exhaust valve at the top is almost impossible (for many regulator, if not most). You would have to create enough air flow velocity to carry the water at the bottom up. You may be able to do it with your purge button in some regulators, but not all regulators.

If you first purge it and then turn up side down, it will probably take a wile for enough water to leak in to be annoying.

Just my opinion.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Yea guys just has to do with the exhaust ports on the reg.

And gravity does come into play just like it does above water, For instance a healium baloon is less dense than air and is more "buyouant" in air, but gravity certainly still comes into play.