New Atomic Z2

[Roc]

Hi I am looking for some help or better understanding. I am a open water recreational diver with approx 60 + dives. I recently bought the Atomic Z2 and have only used it on a pool dive. When jumping into the water both the primary 2nd and octo would free flow when they were interchanged. They would free flow to 10 feet. Tipping them upside down wold stop the free flow. Is this normal for Atomic with the self adjusting venturi?

thank you for your help.
Clint

 

[bumcikaz]

Its not normal, take them back to the shop and have them adjusted

 

[eelnoraa]

For high performance 2nd stage, like all atomic 2nd stage, if mouth piece facing up with air inside the 2nd stage housing, it will free flow. Once you get the housing fully fill with water, free flow should stop. Or having mouth piece facing downward, free flow should stop too. These are the behavior, your reg are OK.

 

[Atomic Aquatics]

Roc

Thank you for your inquiry. Any regulator will free flow if it enters the water with the mouthpiece up. High performance regulators are tuned to be so precise that even that change in pressure will open the valve and deliver air. If that same reg enters the water with the mouthpiece down it will not free flow. This is completely normal and the regulator is fine. If the free flowing were to persist long after entry I would recommend taking to a shop and having it looked at but if it is limited to entry than I believe it is just fine.

Thank you Roc.

Ryan Kenney
Atomic Aquatics

 

[TravisD]

What did you have the adjustment knobs set to? If they're set all the way 'out' they're more likely to freeflow than if they're cranked 'in'. You can still breath just fine even when they're "in", just not as easy as when they're "out" so keeping which ever one you're not using set this way is perfectly fine, and may be enough to prevent a free-flow.

 

[Hatul]

Yes that's normal for the primary reg, but the octo IMO should be detuned slightly so it won't free flow just because it's oriented the wrong way. I don't want to be stopping my octo from freeflowing in the middle of a dive.

 

[Roc]

Thanks for all the input. I have upgraded my old sherwood regs and need to play with the new Atomics. My next question seems to be answered. If turning in the adjustment knob would stop the free flow. I initially thought this was the job of the automatic venturi. I will try a few more dives before taking it to Aruba.

---------- Post added June 18th, 2014 at 04:38 PM ----------

Yes that's normal for the primary reg, but the octo IMO should be detuned slightly so it won't free flow just because it's oriented the wrong way. I don't want to be stopping my octo from freeflowing in the middle of a dive.

Thanks for your help I will try another dive and detune it