My first underwater emergency

[Snowbear]

So how come the other secondary that replaced the first one started bubbling?
At the time, neither reg was being breathed from (surface swim) and it had been at least 20+ minutes since the regs had been pressurized before it started bubbling (wasn't really a true freeflow, but the bubbles would not stop when the reg was de-tuned).

 

[MikeFerrara]

I asked once about the crimp thing....does that work? That hose is pretty rigid. too bad there is not some big strong alligator clamp that could work....

If the second stage is the cause of the free flow, blocking the supply to the second stage will stop the flow and I guess crimping the hose might do that. Of course, it might damage the hose and that can't help your situation.

If the first stage is the cause of the free flow then the IP will rise to the tank pressure and the hose likely won't take it. Of course if theres another second stage on the same first stage the air will escape there.

Since there really isn't any way to know whether the problem is in the first or second stage while you're under water, I'd say that crimping the hose is a bad move. There are commercial shut off valves that can be put inline before the second stage (I think Zeagle sells one) but for reasons stated above those are also a BAD idea for free flow management.

For cold and/or deep water I use manifolded doubles or an h-valve which allows me to simply shut the valve off to the offending reg.

 

[Cacia]

oh, thanks.