Free flow at 90 feet

[wfmiller]

Good thing you stayed calm, nicely done.
How lond did you have the freeflow? Do you know what your pressure was at the time it started?
Do you think it would have been possible to turn off your own valve and feather it on and off as required to breath until it thawed out?

I probably had over 2000 PSI before the freeflow. The lenght of time of the freeflow was "to long". Actually did not seem long at all. Don't know if I could have "feathered it". That was not an option at the time. I took the safest option of going up with the instructor on his alternate.

Even had the instructor not been there I would have done the same thing but with my diving partners alternate.

 

[dherbman]

Not being critical, just exploring the possibilities. Allowing my back gas to escape seems less than ideal.

 

[cerich]

sounds like the service was the problem.

Do yourself a favor and never dive with a reg that has a problem you are aware of (the first stage leak)

 

[wfmiller]

Not being critical, just exploring the possibilities. Allowing my back gas to escape seems less than ideal.

My gas was turned off. The main reason that I would want my gas turned off was I did not want to drain the tank. Especially since this is one of my new tanks.....

 

[roakey]

sounds like the service was the problem.

Exactly what I was working my way towards.

We had a poll here on the board years ago, and EVERY SINGLE REGULATOR FAILURE REPORTED was immediately after the reg was serviced.

In other words an LDS is more than willing to spread FUD about "life support equipment" but in actuality they don't treat it as such.

And they get offended when you call them "shop monkeys". Test my gear before you give it back to me (that means at minimum getting in the pool with it, not bench breathing it) and I'll take you seriously.

Never trust a regulator just back from service.

Roak

 

[cerich]

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=140137&highlight=cerich

Exactly what I was working my way towards.

We had a poll here on the board years ago, and EVERY SINGLE REGULATOR FAILURE REPORTED was immediately after the reg was serviced.

In other words an LDS is more than willing to spread FUD about "life support equipment" but in actuality they don't treat it as such.

And they get offended when you call them "shop monkeys". Test my gear before you give it back to me (that means at minimum getting in the pool with it, not bench breathing it) and I'll take you seriously.

Never trust a regulator just back from service.

Roak

I have strong views on it as well.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=140137&highlight=cerich

 

[Fotoz4FX]

I would first and foremost like to congratulate you on your ability to remain calm under this unfortunate but not uncommon occurance at depth with equipment that is set up so close to IP pressures for ease of breathing that sometimes the simple act of applying external (deep) pressure gives the regulator the impression that you are trying to get a breath... an invitation to freeflow.
Some say it is a positive thing that your regulator 'fail safe' is a free-flow but as you can see that, by the time you had shut it off a pressure of 188psi was not enough to save your butt.
Thankfully, you did have someone nearby who you could rely upon in this emergency (one more justification for buddy diving) but remember too that it gave you pause to reflect on your backup system... a pony bottle or an independant second tank/stage in the event of such failures. One of the nice things about being a North Atlantic Diver is that we do practice redundancy... it is too easy to get separated from your buddy in waters that are very low visibility (over 10 feet is considered incredible) and since most of our (my) diving is wreck, I can't afford to rely on someone else being there.
Get that backup and you will be a more prepared diver. I don't profess Solo Diving nor will I suggest it but the fact is that more often than not, you might find or feel that your buddy is less of an asset to you than a liability. Buddies are great for getting help but you need to rely on your own self-survival skills first and foremost.

Hearing your story tells me that I'd be proud to dive with you...

 

[ShakaZulu]

I had a similar problem after a reg service, these monkeys......took it to another tech and he set it correctly.

 

[DiveBandit]

I saw this happen once as well, to my 13 y/o son on his OW check out dive. While practicing buddy breathing and believe it or not, free flow drills, in 27 feet of water his reg stuck open. He was with the instructor who tried to fix it but couldn't. They both ascended safely with my son buddy breathing off the instructors octo. The instructor was so calm and quick in his reaction to this that I didn't realize it was a "real" free flow emergencey until I surfaced and my son excitedly asked me if I had seen that.

The big important lesson that the incident drove home to both my sons was that 1.) equipment fails, carry back-ups, and 2.)This is why diving with a buddy is as important as not holding your breath. Needles to say, my boys never stray to far from me or each other when our 3 man buddy team splashes down.

 

[wfmiller]

Took the reg back yesterday to the LDS (by the way they did not do the service on my reg but had sent it out to someone else). Let them know what happened and they tweaked the IP down a bit. Gave it back and said here, see if that works.


Gotta love it !!!