How cold does it need to be for a Cold Reg?
- Thread starter stever2002
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
bdshort
Contributor
I have a regular Aqualung Titan. Last week I dove in salt water that was about 45* and didn't have any problems. This weekend I'll be diving in the same water. Air temp is supposed to be in the mid 20's!! (BRRR!), so I hope I don't have problems with freeze up. I guess I'll just buy the Apeks ATX 50 setup I have my eye on if I do... 
Brian
Brian
Catt99
Registered
Resurrecting an old thread instead of starting a new one.
I'm just starting a slow search for a regulator and have questions regarding the needs for a cold water reg. This older thread was really useful, and just want to do a reality check and/or encourage additional responses / experiences.
My diving would be both California coast and tropical / vacation diving. I don't see myself diving in waters (SW) below 40F at any time in the foreseeable future, and realistically would not likely see temps below 45F in the vast, vast majority of circumstances. Will not likely do any fresh water diving, and if I did decide to dive cold fresh water (like Lake Tahoe, for example) I would be comfortable renting an appropriate reg if my own reg was not suitable. I'd like to at least become trained and competant deep driving to rec limits in my local environment which means my reg choice needs to take into account the greater air flow in these temps, at least on some small subset of dives.
It sounds like from the above discussion from a few years' back and other internet research, anything colder than 50F is considered "cold water" and my local diving needs would dictate choosing a cold water reg, probably enviro sealed? And given the desire to have a reg perform in these temps at deep rec depths without worrying too much, that sounds like an added reason to buy for cold water. On the other hand, local ambient air temps are generally a lot warmer than it sounds like other "cold water" regions experience, and there are an awful lot of local divers diving regs that are not specifically cold water regs (including tons of rental regs).
I'm slowly talking myself into shopping exclusively for cold water regs, but at the same time I don't want to spend for features or performance that I don't realistically need -- cost isn't an issue in that it will determine my choice, but'm not particularly fond of paying more than necessary / appropriate for gear, especially as this would be my first regulator purchase (have always used rental regs, almost all in warm water, and haven't ever scrutinzed performance - they've all been fine for easy Carib dives, even at deep rec depths). So just interested in experiences / advice on whether limiting myself to cold water regs makes sense or may not be necessary. Thanks in advance, and thanks to those who provided some great info in this thread two years ago.
I'm just starting a slow search for a regulator and have questions regarding the needs for a cold water reg. This older thread was really useful, and just want to do a reality check and/or encourage additional responses / experiences.
My diving would be both California coast and tropical / vacation diving. I don't see myself diving in waters (SW) below 40F at any time in the foreseeable future, and realistically would not likely see temps below 45F in the vast, vast majority of circumstances. Will not likely do any fresh water diving, and if I did decide to dive cold fresh water (like Lake Tahoe, for example) I would be comfortable renting an appropriate reg if my own reg was not suitable. I'd like to at least become trained and competant deep driving to rec limits in my local environment which means my reg choice needs to take into account the greater air flow in these temps, at least on some small subset of dives.
It sounds like from the above discussion from a few years' back and other internet research, anything colder than 50F is considered "cold water" and my local diving needs would dictate choosing a cold water reg, probably enviro sealed? And given the desire to have a reg perform in these temps at deep rec depths without worrying too much, that sounds like an added reason to buy for cold water. On the other hand, local ambient air temps are generally a lot warmer than it sounds like other "cold water" regions experience, and there are an awful lot of local divers diving regs that are not specifically cold water regs (including tons of rental regs).
I'm slowly talking myself into shopping exclusively for cold water regs, but at the same time I don't want to spend for features or performance that I don't realistically need -- cost isn't an issue in that it will determine my choice, but'm not particularly fond of paying more than necessary / appropriate for gear, especially as this would be my first regulator purchase (have always used rental regs, almost all in warm water, and haven't ever scrutinzed performance - they've all been fine for easy Carib dives, even at deep rec depths). So just interested in experiences / advice on whether limiting myself to cold water regs makes sense or may not be necessary. Thanks in advance, and thanks to those who provided some great info in this thread two years ago.
sschlesi
Contributor
Assuming you have a sealed first stage, the water freezing inside your first stage is coming from the air in your tank and is going to be fresh water. Hence salt shouldn't be a factor to the internal freezing. It would make a difference to freezing on the outside of a 1st stage, or in a second stage.
Does that sound reasonable, or am I missing something?
MasterGoa
Contributor
Post 17 is awesome!
Similar threads
