Freeflow at 140'

[HappyFunBoater]

When you have a regulator "O2 cleaned" it's usually for 100% O2. Some divers O2 clean their regs for 50% as well. Either one of these are deco gasses. 20-10 feet is the proper range for using 100% O2. That doesn't mean the diver hasn't previously made deco stops with another gas he/she may be carrying.

Thanks, RH. I appreciate you taking the time to explain that. Obviously I'm not a deco diver.

 

[Ayisha]

I recently mentioned (on a local board) some of the techniques outlined here for handling a freeflow rather than the standard breathing off a freeflow that many of us were taught.

What I stated was:

Switch to an alternate air source (your buddy's or your extra set of regs, whether on the same tank or another), turn off the freeflowing reg, and begin to ascend or make your way to your up-line. After a few minutes (to let the reg thaw out), turn the reg back on and it may work again, giving you plenty of air to ascend safely, complete the safety stop, and not damage your tank by draining it.

I've recently learned that cycling or feathering the tank valve can work too. This is turning the tank on and off between breaths, and then the freeflowing reg may stop freeflowing.

It is simply:
1. Switch to an AAS
2. Turn off tank
3. Begin ascent
4. Turn on tank
5. If working, switch to own primary reg

What do you guys think of these responses that I got? Did I not outline them correctly or is there validity to their arguments?

Turning off a Free Flowing regulator underwater will most likely FLOOD IT and now you want to turn the air back on. That regulator, now instead of a check and tune, if it has been serviced recently now needs a COMPLETE OVERHAUL.

and

ITS ABSOLUTELY STUPID. When a reg FF's, it does so for a specific reason (as explained earlier), switching to your buddies octo and putting greater demand on their first stage, drastically increases the chance of BOTH of you ending up FF'ing.

and

In that situation, you should ascend as much as possible FF breathing. I wait until I get down to about 500 psi - then I close her down and switch to my buddies Octo. By then, we should be in shallower water and less likely to have both our regs FF. I like leaving 500 psi for emergency in case something unforeseen occurs and I need to switch back to my FF'ing primary. Also, usually during the SS, the reg (as you mentioned) thaws, and the remaining air in my tank allow me (and my buddy) to do our own exits separately with our own air.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

In that situation, you should ascend as much as possible FF breathing. I wait until I get down to about 500 psi - then I close her down and switch to my buddies Octo. By then, we should be in shallower water and less likely to have both our regs FF. I like leaving 500 psi for emergency in case something unforeseen occurs and I need to switch back to my FF'ing primary. Also, usually during the SS, the reg (as you mentioned) thaws, and the remaining air in my tank allow me (and my buddy) to do our own exits separately with our own air.


That sounds similar to what someone else said, a while ago.

 

[TheRedHead]

Turning off a Free Flowing regulator underwater will most likely FLOOD IT and now you want to turn the air back on. That regulator, now instead of a check and tune, if it has been serviced recently now needs a COMPLETE OVERHAUL.

Nonsense. Technical divers turn valves on and off regularly as part of valve drills.

ITS ABSOLUTELY STUPID. When a reg FF's, it does so for a specific reason (as explained earlier), switching to your buddies octo and putting greater demand on their first stage, drastically increases the chance of BOTH of you ending up FF'ing.

If your and your buddy are not diving with regulators that can deliver air for both of you at depth without free flowing, then you need new regulators. How can you share air if you expect your buddy's reg to FF?

In that situation, you should ascend as much as possible FF breathing. I wait until I get down to about 500 psi - then I close her down and switch to my buddies Octo. By then, we should be in shallower water and less likely to have both our regs FF. I like leaving 500 psi for emergency in case something unforeseen occurs and I need to switch back to my FF'ing primary. Also, usually during the SS, the reg (as you mentioned) thaws, and the remaining air in my tank allow me (and my buddy) to do our own exits separately with our own air.

500 psi rears its ugly head again. Again, there seems to be the fear that shaing air will cause a free flow. That is just patently unsafe.

 

[lamont]

excuse me, i'm going to go outside and hug my doubles...

 

[MikeFerrara]

I thought the purpose of the hanging tank was if you ran out of air. But perhaps I misunderstood the poster's point. It sounds like you're talking about the tank being there for a pre-determined decompression stop. If so, I agree that you shouldn't count on finding the tank. Sorry for the confusion.

Even if the hang tank is for low on gas situations, think about it. We should have a predetermined turn or ascent pressure. When we hit that we go up (in OW). What makes you think that you are going back to the line? Each diver should have enough gas reserved to get a buddy to the surface. It seems odd to me that agencies would teach this hang tank stuff and not bother teaching gas management which renders the hang tank a moot point.

The very idea of the hang tank seems to imply that we think there is a chance that we are going to over-extend out time on the bottom breaking gas and/or decompression limits and still make it back to the line where we have a hang tank. It doesn't make much sense. Certainly, problems may cause us to overstay but we still need the contingincy gas to cover that with us and it's built right into our gas management. Again, not that the agencies teaching this hang tank junk fail to teach the gas management.

Commonly used equipment and procedures nicely covers our needs....well maybe not so common in the context of the recreational agencies. Correct gas management and an appropriate level of redundancy for the dive does the trick.

 

[HappyFunBoater]

Yep, I get it now. If this tank is a required part of the ascent, then you definitely can't assume that you'll find it on the ascent. I thought it was a secondary backup to what you already had strapped on.

 

[scubafool]

excuse me, i'm going to go outside and hug my doubles...

That's the the SECOND SB group hug of this thread........

 

[JEScholz]

Lamont, Is your profile correct? You provide all this advice and are not a certified diver?

 

[jeckyll]

Lamont, Is your profile correct? You provide all this advice and are not a certified diver?

His profile isn't correct