Me or the Reg?

[ScubaCatgirl]

I know this is a strange place for me to be asking this question, but I'm almost certain that the cause of my problem is the new regulator.

I've always had the ability to use very little air thus having long bottom times, even when I was a new diver, and as I gained experience and got more comfortable in my skills my air consumption, naturally became even less.

Now, all of a sudden, I'm going thru air like a mad women being chased by a possee of wild indians. I havn't done anything different other than quitting smoking, working out six times a week, and getting a new regulator. I would think with the breaking the smoking habit & working out on a regular basis would increase my bottom time, not decrease it, so I'm thinking it's the new regulator.

Of course I can't return the regulator, it's been too long, so if the culprit is the regulator how do I fix it & what could possibly be the problem? Or am I really the culprit here?

 

[halocline]

Seems strange, but I've heard that quitting smoking will increase your air consumption temporarily. That could be total BS (sounds a little suspect) but I have heard it. I sincerely doubt it's the regulator unless it's leaking!

Sometimes when I'm test diving out a different reg I'll go through air pretty quickly as I'm breathing more to evaluate how the reg is doing. This also doesn't make any sense but it has happened to me. So maybe that has something to do with it in your case as well.

 

[Damselfish]

The reg itself seems the least likely suspect to me. It doesn't force air into your mouth - it gives what you demand at ambient pressure.

 

[crab lover]

Actually I find that I do have a better consumption rate with mine verses most others out there. I have the Aqualung Kronos that is able to adjust the air flow up to the point where I hardly have to suck to get any air, it almost free flows. So I just breath instead of making an effort. When I use a standard reg where I have to actually suck the air, I find myself going through my air quicker. But that's me...

 

[Scared Silly]

A couple of years ago I switched regs and my SAC rate went up. Now I was going from a good reg to a really good reg (Mares Abyss to Atomic Z2). With less breating resistance I was able to bring more gas into my lungs. So it might be the same case for you.

 

[chrispete]

I saw this recently with my switch from a high-end reg down to a lower end (but tough as nails) reg. As Scared said, when you're having to sip the air it makes a difference versus when you have a high end reg with a hair trigger and a venturi that pushes air your way until you tell it to stop.

On the smoking thing, I do see changes in my SAC when I'm smoking (lower) versus not smoking (higher.) The way I've had it explained to me is that a smoker's body is more tolerant of CO2 buildup than a non-smoker. CO2 buildup triggers that "I need a breath" feeling. This translates to a little extra delay before a smoker's body says, "Hey, I need to take a breath."

 

[spectrum]

I want to say that the smoking phenomenon has come up here before and that the CO2 tolerance was part of it. A search may get a bunch of other input. CO2 tolerance is something that you can train for, it's part of the free divers adaptation. Now that you body is becoming accustomed to good air exchange it has a higher expectation.

I think you are going from a transition of a somewhat self asphyxiated state to a healthy free breathing diver. If you continue your continued great behavior I bet you will see a return to lower air usage. One base to cover however is diaphragm conditioning. Since you will now need to (subconsciously) control those nice deep breaths you may be lacking diaphragm tone. Start skin-diving when you can, sing loudly in the car (I'm not kidding) or ask your doctor about some simple exercises to tone your diaphragm.

As for the regulator I would not be surprised to find that it is compounding the situation but again this is good news since a lower work of breathing is a safer way to dive. While you are scuba diving is not the time to stress that diaphragm muscle or to be fighting for air.

It sounds like you are doing all of the right things so just keep up the good work. If the end result is still a higher SAC rate than you had in your nicotine tainted years simply accept it with grace and live a healthy life.

Pete

 

[ScubaCatgirl]

Thanks everyone for their tremendous help & advice. It truly helps to know I'm not imagining things, lol. Spectrum, you mentioned diaphram conditioning. One of my aspects of healthy living is swimming about 4 times a week. I used to swim competively back in "the" day (no longer a spring chicken here, lol) but do practice the swiming several strokes before I take a breath. Do you think that will help with the diaphram conditioning? Or better yet, just sitting at the bottom of the pool holding my breath? I've done that too, trying to condition my body, although not as often as I probably should. Would these excersies equate to the skin diving?

Once again, thanks everyone for their input. Looks like I have quite a bit of work to do before my next dive vacation. But thank goodness I've got a few months to do it in. I dont' want to go running back to the boat like I had to last time!

 

[philmayer]

Does your new reg have a breathing adjustment knob? The first time I used my Delta IV I noticed that I seemed to be using a lot of air and that there always seemed to be bubbles coming from the reg. On the next dive I realized I had the reg turned up too far and it was freeflowing some. Turning the adjustment down solved the problem.

 

[ScubaCatgirl]

Phil, funny you should mention that. Yes, I had to make that adjustment and did turn the knob way down, but it was still forcing air down my throat. There's quite a little story behind this adjustment, but I'll let sleeping dogs lie, lol.

I did want to inform everyone here that by taking the time to help me out here with your responses a light bulb went off in my head and I went out onto the internet and found 2 SAC rate calculators. Cool little tools btw!!!!

Anyway, long story short. I calculated my SAC rate before the new reg. The SAC rate on my last dive vacation where my air consumption was horribly high & my dives were incrediably & dissapointedly short. I then calculated the SAC rate after I had the reg worked to tune the reg way, way down, so it wasn't forcing air down my throat and although I thought I was still going thru air way too fast on my dives after the reg was worked on, this was not the case! Yahoo. My SAC rate for the last couple of dives here in the midwest after the reg was tuned way, way down is the same rate before I purchased the new reg, thus I'm back on track!!!!!

But, that's not to say you all didn't help me!!!! If you guys hadn't pointed me in the right direction, I'd be sitting here dissapointed, wondering what to do, purchase a new reg or get further training? (which I plan to do anyway) more training never hurt anyone right?) buy a new reg, which I was on the verge of doing, etc..

And I have gone out on the internet & found diaphram breathing exercises that I have printed off. Even though my SAC rate is back to what it was before the new reg & my new found healthy habits, why not practice those breathing excersises? I for one like more bottom time, so I'll be practicing my breathing or hollaring my head off in the car, LOL. :jestera:

Once again, Thx everyone!!!!!! :blinking: