I recently did 4 dives at Clear Lake, OR. I was using my own equipment (clean, new, taken care of) and my buddy was using rental gear from a reputable cive shop. At about 10 min in and at 35 feet, my buddy's reg freeflowed and we couldn't get it to stop. I got him on my tank, we ascended and then shut off his tank. upon opening the valve again, the freeflow didn't occur for the rest of the surface swim back(he lost all but 1000lbs) this happened on my gear or his on 3 of 4 dives (2 each on 2 seperate weekends) the dive shop said it might have had something to do with the cold water (40-44deg) but that it is uncommon for this to happen this frequently. I was wondering if any of you have had the same problem or know why this would be happening.
Free flow mania!
- Thread starter nwfellah
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What were the brands/models? When were they serviced, I know this is a wildcard on the rental. I infer it was the primary second stage that free-flowed and that the alternate stayed quiet?
Pete
Pete
Some regs just don't do well in cold water. In general I'd have to say that free flows ARE fairly common in cold water expecially on deeper dives.
jlayman800
Contributor
nwfellah:
Next time, I recommend a dive shop. Sometimes those cive shops put out bum gear.
Seriously though, 44 degrees is no where near freezing and the cold water should not have been the reason for the free flow. I have over 300 dives in water near freezing and am a certified ice diver. I have never seen a reg stick open because of water temperature above about 35 degrees. Your buddy just got a bum rental regulator and he should not rent from that cive shop again.
Yes, it is possible to freeflow in the low 40s, if there is too much draw. Been there, done that, with a good cold-weather regulator (Sherwood Maximus), only a month old, absolutely fine condition, checked afterwards to reverify it was fine. Operator error -- I hadn't detuned it properly, and was drawing air fast (newbie).
New divers tend to operate at a higher stress level (= higher consumption = more O2 cooling). If you don't think this can happen, try doing a fast-drain on a tank -- crank the valve open and watch ice form, in room temp air.
(actually, don't do it, since the water vapor condensation isn't a good thing)
New divers tend to operate at a higher stress level (= higher consumption = more O2 cooling). If you don't think this can happen, try doing a fast-drain on a tank -- crank the valve open and watch ice form, in room temp air.
(actually, don't do it, since the water vapor condensation isn't a good thing)
abitton
Contributor
My GF had her 2nd stage freeflow at about 100' in 42 degree water...
The octo was fine, though. Made it up safely on my air.
We tried it again a few days later. It seemed that when she felt it begin to freeflow, just going up a few feet to warmer climes did the trick. Guess we'll have to tighten that up (no double entendres intended)
A.
A.
The octo was fine, though. Made it up safely on my air.
We tried it again a few days later. It seemed that when she felt it begin to freeflow, just going up a few feet to warmer climes did the trick. Guess we'll have to tighten that up (no double entendres intended)
A.
A.
ScubaSixString
Contributor
nwfellah:
Might be a long shot, but how clean was the water? Stuff can, on occasion, muck up a reg and cause a free flow....
Free flowing regulators can be caused by a number of sources including cold water. If you are diving in water that is still 44 degrees at 36 feet in August you need a cold water regulator. A cold water regulator has an environmental kit that basically put an antifreeze oil between the cold water and your first stage. Overbreathing, filling your bc or drysuit at depth rather than in small bursts or a combination of the two can also increase the chnaces of a free flow at the air under preasure gets colder when released.
A free flow can also be caused by poor equipment, poor maintenance on good equipment and abuse such as dragging the second stage through the sand. If it is only one second stage it is less likely the cold. If it is both second staes them it is more likely a freeze up of the first stage.
A free flow can also be caused by poor equipment, poor maintenance on good equipment and abuse such as dragging the second stage through the sand. If it is only one second stage it is less likely the cold. If it is both second staes them it is more likely a freeze up of the first stage.
I'm betting it froze up. That is a very cold and clear lake. Most rental regs are not really well suited for water that cold.
84CJ7
Contributor
I had a used rental reg that I bought (ya I know, I don't have it anymore) that was a very decent breathing cheap reg, but that was because the shop owner had tweaked it so close to the borderline that tipping it over underwater with bubbles in it caused it to freeflow every time as did giving it a good shake underwater, the octo was just as bad, it had almost no resistance. You had to turn the mouthpiece down and hit the purge button to stop it. I ended up giving it to my friend to get him into diving and told him to have it slightly detuned (at least the octo) so it would be less touchy.
Maybe the rental stuff wasn't set to factory specs, once it got into a full blown freeflow it probably did ice up at that point.
Theres always the garden hose trick btw, just fold the damn hose over and hold it kinked, never actually tried it, but id imagine it would work until the situation could be sorted out
Maybe the rental stuff wasn't set to factory specs, once it got into a full blown freeflow it probably did ice up at that point.
Theres always the garden hose trick btw, just fold the damn hose over and hold it kinked, never actually tried it, but id imagine it would work until the situation could be sorted out
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