Disregard Manufacturer warning!

[elmagnoon]

I just bought an Atomic Z2 regulator and in the manual there was this :

" :icosm12: Warning

For Diving in extreme cold waters below 50 F (10 C) , we recommend having the first stage sealed with the installation of the optional anti-freeze kit..............."

I dive in Vancouver,BC where the water temperature ranges between 6 - 10 C.
I brought this up with the dive shop who sold it to me and was told not to worry about it and that the warning was really meant for much colder conditions.

I'm generally new to diving and after having been told repeatedly to always follow manufacturer recommendations, by the same dive shop, I find this quite disturbing.

Is my concern unfounded? Does this contradiction happen often with dive equipment ?

 

[Tristessa]

I think you should personally contact the manufacturer and get the facts straight. Better safe than sorry!
Billy

 

[MarkH]

I just bought an Atomic Z2 regulator and in the manual there was this :

" :icosm12: Warning

For Diving in extreme cold waters below 50 F (10 C) , we recommend having the first stage sealed with the installation of the optional anti-freeze kit..............."

I dive in Vancouver,BC where the water temperature ranges between 6 - 10 C.
I brought this up with the dive shop who sold it to me and was told not to worry about it and that the warning was really meant for much colder conditions.

I'm generally new to diving and after having been told repeatedly to always follow manufacturer recommendations, by the same dive shop, I find this quite disturbing.

Is my concern unfounded? Does this contradiction happen often with dive equipment ?

There are plenty of people that dive un-sealed regs in B.C. and I've never met anyone that has ever had a problem. Most freeze-up horror stories are from the great lakes so fresh water probably has something to do with it.

 

[MarkH]

There are plenty of people that dive un-sealed regs in B.C. and I've never met anyone that has ever had a problem. Most freeze-up horror stories are from the great lakes so fresh water probably has something to do with it.

By the way, I've been diving a non-modified Conshelf 14 (which I believe is not environmentally sealed) for over 8 years with no problems.

 

[Blackwood]

You'll probably be fine.

Atomic puts that there for a couple reasons:

1) To get you to buy something more expensive
2) To be able to say, "you didn't listen to our clear instructions, so you're on your own" in the unlikely event something happens.

 

[Scottri]

I've used my Atomic in those conditions for 8 years and it has never frozen. Not to say it isn't possible but it's unlikely. Sealing them is a messy job since it's a piston first stage and it makes for extra cost in servicing them. The only time mine ever froze was when I took an ice diving class but that was mucccch cooooolder!

 

[Goose75]

When I lived in Seattle, everyone I knew (including myself) dove with unsealed regs. I dove several at temps around 6C. Speaking from an engnieer's perspective, manufacturers tend to build a little safety margin into their warnings to cover wide ranges of potential failures (such as sudden temp change). If you go out of "reccomendation", they are telling you that they are not responsible for equipment malfunction due to that condition.

 

[Web Monkey]

This depends on how much air you're sucking and the water you're in (salt or fresh).

The temperature inside the first stage is proportional to the pressure drop across it and volume of air that moves through it.

In 80 degree water, it's extremely difficult (most likely impossible) to form ice in the first stage. At 32 degrees in fresh water, it's very easy to form ice. Everything in between is a case of "it depends . . ."

A sealed first stage keeps water from coming in direct contact with the cold parts, which should stop it from icing up.

6 degrees C is cold enough that I'd probably want a sealed first stage. Even if it doesn't freeze up during a normal dive, there's a good chance that it would freeze up if you went deep and/or were sharing air with your buddy, both of which increase the airflow though the first stage and increase cooling.

Since this is exactly where you don't want a freeflow, I'd go for the "anti-freeze kit".

Also, if you're diving in 6 degree water, I'm not certain exactly what "much colder" conditions the shop is thinking of, since you're only 7 degrees away from needing a hole saw to go diving.

Also, before all the nit-pickers jump in, I am aware of the specific heat of water required to cause a phase change from 0 C water to 0 C ice.

Terry

I just bought an Atomic Z2 regulator and in the manual there was this :

" :icosm12: Warning

For Diving in extreme cold waters below 50 F (10 C) , we recommend having the first stage sealed with the installation of the optional anti-freeze kit..............."

I dive in Vancouver,BC where the water temperature ranges between 6 - 10 C.
I brought this up with the dive shop who sold it to me and was told not to worry about it and that the warning was really meant for much colder conditions.

I'm generally new to diving and after having been told repeatedly to always follow manufacturer recommendations, by the same dive shop, I find this quite disturbing.

Is my concern unfounded? Does this contradiction happen often with dive equipment ?

 

[m7scuba]

I saw a link to this web site from another post today and he has an article about regulators. May be worth looking at, but I don't know enough to make a value judgement on what he is saying.
http://www.inspired-training.com/deepdiveregulations.htm

 

[Web Monkey]

I just looked at the page, and at least concerning the Atomic regs, he's clueless.

The goo in the environmental seal kit (Chrystolube, I beleive) transfers the ambeint pressure just fine. It prevents icing by not being a liquid that freezes at those temperatures. No freeze=no ice.

Terry

I saw a link to this web site from another post today and he has an article about regulators. May be worth looking at, but I don't know enough to make a value judgement on what he is saying.
http://www.inspired-training.com/deepdiveregulations.htm