Reg breathing wet

[Kunk35]

Thanks for all the posts. From your advice, I discovered that when I suck in without the air on, it does leak. I actually think it's coming from the Predive/dive adjustment knob. I'm going to take it down next week to have it serviced by a different authorized service center. Hopefully that will do the trick.

Thanks again.

Kory

 

[tstormdiver]

I am alos tired of the "it's life support" argument, I thought that was what all that training was for?

If it isn't life support underwater, then what is it? How long do you figure you can survive below the surface without it? I bet it wouldn't be more than a few minutes at most. The training teaches you how to properly USE the equipment that is keeping you alive down there. IMO, the regulator & cylinder ARE life support, since we must breathe the oxygen in air to live & can not breathe oxygen disolved in water. The BC & rest makes the dives safer & more enjoyable.

 

[redacted]

If it isn't life support underwater, then what is it? How long do you figure you can survive below the surface without it? I bet it wouldn't be more than a few minutes at most. The training teaches you how to properly USE the equipment that is keeping you alive down there. IMO, the regulator & cylinder ARE life support, since we must breathe the oxygen in air to live & can not breathe oxygen disolved in water. The BC & rest makes the dives safer & more enjoyable.

It is just one of a number of alternatives to provide breathing gas UW. Do you really believe that YOUR life would end in a few minutes if YOUR regulator failed?

 

[Capt.Gene]

Sorry, but I deal with true technical divers all the time.
When your life depends upon details you become a maintaince nazi. Even more so when dealing with rebreathers.
Servicing your regulator doesn't make it unsafe.
Having an untrained hack work on your regulator makes it unsafe. Neglect makes it unsafe.
The third problem that pops up can overcome your training and lead to your death.

 

[halocline]

The difference with technical diving is that you are forced to deal with equipment failure underwater, lacking the ability to head straight for the surface due to the environment you're diving in. It does make you more dependent on your gear, but even more dependent on training and dive behavior. Any well trained technical diver is prepared to deal with equipment failure; in fact, that's one of the foundation skill sets that comprise technical training. Still, most technical divers are more concerned about gear maintenance, (although there are some real exceptions I've met...) and not surprisingly, as a group they're more likely to be DIYers. Any idea why? Probably because while it takes rigorous training with exams and proficiency testing to get certified as a technical diver, it takes a ONE DAY CLASS with NO EXAMS and ZERO FAILURES to become a "certified" regulator tech.

I don't know anything about rebreathers so my comments are limited to open circuit diving.

 

[halocline]

It is just one of a number of alternatives to provide breathing gas UW. Do you really believe that YOUR life would end in a few minutes if YOUR regulator failed?

That's pretty much the question, and if the answer is yes then that diver should probably hang it up and try golf. Or at least do some serious review about obscure concepts such as air sharing and the buddy system.

 

[tstormdiver]

I still believe it is life support regardless. Whether it is your own life support or a buddy's. Yes, without a regulator or some mechanical object to supply breathing gases underwater, you would become unconcious in about 3- 5 min. & die in about 10 min. unless trained in special breath holding techniques practiced by some free divers.

 

[halocline]

I still believe it is life support regardless. Whether it is your own life support or a buddy's. Yes, without a regulator or some mechanical object to supply breathing gases underwater, you would become unconcious in about 3- 5 min. & die in about 10 min. unless trained in special breath holding techniques practiced by some free divers.

By that logic, all sorts of things could be called life support. If your car or even bicycle were to fall apart while you're hurtling down the highway, you'd be dead in less than 10 minutes. So, is a car or bike "life support"? As such, should car dealers restrict sales of parts to non "certified" mechanics? Buying a used car would be far too dangerous, and by the way, isn't your life worth that Mercedes....Ever been out in the cold? If your jacket failed, you could freeze to death. Better not let any non-certified seamstresses sew on a button. There are lots of similar examples.

But, back to diving, you probably remember something from your OW class about simply swimming to the surface in an emergency. This is, in fact, the definition of open-water diving; immediate access to the surface in the event of an emergency.

 

[Couv]

In my BASIC OPEN WATER class in 1974 I learned to breathe off of the tank valve. I've never HAD to do it, but I know it's possible for me to breathe underwater without a regulator. So how can the regulator be life support? By the way, the OP's regulator worked just fine before he had it worked on by an expert.

Expert: "An ex is a has-been; a spurt is a drip under pressure." Mr. Elliot

 

[tstormdiver]

If you read a couple posts before, I consider both Cylinders & regulators to be life support for scuba diving. I consider anything that actively keep you alive, in a situation in which you would normally not be able to survive, as life support. It's not rocket science folks,... just common sense.