Does wearing a necklace for the back up reg make it prone to freeflow?

[slackercruster]

Does wearing a necklace for the back up reg make it prone to freeflow since the mouthpiece is not held down?

 

[deepstops]

Does wearing a necklace for the back up reg make it prone to freeflow since the mouthpiece is not held down?

Not at all.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

It is actually less prone to freeflow as it can't come out of it's clip or holder and drag on the bottom.

 

[JeffG]

It is actually less prone to freeflow as it can't come out of it's clip or holder and drag on the bottom.

except when it gets hit with the back wash of a scooter.

 

[Tigerman]

Dragging the reg on the bottomn isnt the only way to make it freeflow, nor the way in question here. As I understand it its the problem with the mouthpiece turning towards the surface and freeflowing for that reason thats the issue in question here.
I generally see that issue when people go into the water though and havent seen regs freeflow very often regardless of how theire attached to the rest of the gear once people have descended.

 

[siikik]

I have a Sea Elite for a safe second and use a plug to secure it to my BC. It will freeflow 100% of the time if I get in the water slowly, as in walking down stairs, a ramp or a slope. The worst part is that I can't get it to stop freeflowing while it is plugged, which means, taking it off, gently letting it fill and then re-inserting the plug. And if it comes out of the water and drains, it will freeflow again when going under.

If I'm able to do a giant stride entry, no problems. Apparently, it likes the shock. It has a rudimentary flow control, but not anything sophisticated as a dive/pre-dive setting to help with freeflow.

I wanted you to know because my experience is contrary to previous posts. I will say it is probably limited to this model, because I've never had other regs behave this way... not that I remember anyways.


Ken

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Why would you have a plug in it? Wouldn't that make it hard to access hands free and largely defeat the reason for having your back up on a bungee necklace?

Also, if the reg can't flood the diaphragm will be impacted by pressure changes with changes in depth and freeflows will occur. Once any reg is fully flooded, it is much less prone to freeflow and will usually only freeflow if the purge is depressed, or as Jeff suggests the diaphragm is impacted by backwash from a scooter.

 

[shoredivr]

I have a Sea Elite for a safe second and use a plug to secure it to my BC. It will freeflow 100% of the time if I get in the water slowly, as in walking down stairs, a ramp or a slope. The worst part is that I can't get it to stop freeflowing while it is plugged, which means, taking it off, gently letting it fill and then re-inserting the plug. And if it comes out of the water and drains, it will freeflow again when going under.


Ken

Has it been serviced recently? The only times I've had this kind of thing happen was when a reg was recently serviced - and tuned incorrectly.

Otherwise I'd be calling Sea Elite and asking for a refund.

*Edit* Are you talking about the ScubaPro (I think) type of octo/stage holder that pops into the hole in the second stage reg where the mouthpiece attaches and where you breathe through? Only dived this kind of stage-securing device once in tropical waters, and there was NO freeflow at all despite slow, fast, wave-swept or jump down 10 ft type of entry.

For the OP: no, I've not had a freeflow problem with neckaced regs if they were tuned properly. And this is in cold water (32F plus....) and in cold water with current. Though I can see how a scooter prop wash could trigger a freeflow.

 

[shoredivr]

Hey, Allenwrench, for someone who asks so many questions, it might help for those answering if you filled out your profile a bit more.

 

[Heavy D]

Mine has never free flowed. Probably because even if the mouthpiece turns up, it is still at a slight angle.