How do YOU avoid free flow?

[whathedeuce]

I'm thinking mainly in octos, but are there any tricks to avoid it? thanks

 

[redacted]

I use a high performance user adjustable octo which I detune when not in my mouth.

 

[battles2a5]

Well my primary and backup second stages are both adjustable, air-balanced. So on my backup I crank the cracking pressure all the way down and shut the venturi-assist off. Never had an issue w/ my back-up free flowing. On my primary, I adjust the cracking pressure throughout the dive depending on depth. I can tell if I need to crank it down a bit when I can feel it trying to give air when I stop inhaling. So if I am doing air-sharing or OOA drills, it won't freeflow when I take the reg out of my mouth. In terms of preventing a REAL freeflow, I have environmentally sealed first stages so I just make sure they are nice and dry and I will crack the valves on the tanks before I set up to blow any moisture off of the valves. Simple stuff and I've never had a freeflow. If you are talking about just a normal, non-balanced non-adjustable "octo", they really should not freeflow. If you are having issues with it freeflowing you may want to have the IP checked on the 1st stage. And make sure the diaphragm/ lever assembly in the second stage is working properly.

 

[scarefaceDM]

avoiding free flow...keep your octo out of the dirt. keep it clean a service it yearly or when ever you get it checked...prior to diving visually inspect it for dirt etc..

if you do have one that can be tuned on the fly then detune it until ready for use as stated by awsp...

 

[redacted]

If your octo is not adjustable, you must be careful not to enter the water with the mouthpiece facing upwards. The mouthpiece need to face downwards and then be slowly rotated to fill the inside with water without trigering a freeflow. While having the tech detune the octo to reduce free flow is possible, it is not a cure all and it leaves you with a harder breathing octo. Best solution is to tune for adequate performance and control the orientation during entry.

 

[Doc]

avoiding free flow...keep your octo out of the dirt.

That's the most important thing. For all the preaching that is done about the triangle positioning, most divers let it trail off behind their port side.

Wear it right under your chin. Tucked up and out of the way.

 

[hunter991]

Some regulators have an adjustment knob on the side that the owner can adjust. For those divers it is easy to detune it when it is out of your mouth so even upside down it probably won't freeflow. Other regulators have a dive/predive switch that helps.

Keeping the mouthpiece turned down when it is out of your mouth helps a great deal. When you are having your regulator serviced you can talk to your service center and tell them if you want it to be a little more difficult to freeflow than usual. There is an internal adjustment that they can manipulate. Generally the more resistant to freeflowing a regulator is the harder it is to breathe on. You and your service center should be able to find a happy compromise. On divers that I know well I always ask them how they want it to breathe. On other divers I generally set it so that it is less likely to free flow.

XS scuba has a shutoff that is inline with the hose that you can turn your second stage off, so that it will not freeflow, and you have to slide the switch to turn it back on.

Brent

 

[SparticleBrane]

Learn to pass the primary and keep the backup reg bungied around your neck. Get in with the mouthpiece down to avoid freeflows. If you need to donate air, pass from your mouth and you go on your backup. When taking the primary out of your mouth, turn the mouthpiece down.

 

[redacted]

Learn to pass the primary and keep the backup reg bungied around your neck. Get in with the mouthpiece down to avoid freeflows. If you need to donate air, pass from your mouth and you go on your backup. When taking the primary out of your mouth, turn the mouthpiece down.

And don't remove the primary from your mouth as you are inhaling. Take a breath (if you must) and pause before removing it from your mouth.

 

[ReefHound]

And don't remove the primary from your mouth as you are inhaling. Take a breath (if you must) and pause before removing it from your mouth.

Ha ha! That sounds so intuitive but I sometimes have to remind OW students when practicing reg/snorkel exchange to be sure to make the switch on a slow exhale.