Regulator First Stage Flooding due to Second Stage Seat Saving Feature

[BoltSnap]

Can the good folks at Atomic confirm either way if the Atomic regulators' first stages will flood when using them on stage/deco bottles and the regulator is turned off and was accidentally depressurized please?

 

[Scared Silly]

Yes they can flood. Note the usage of the word "can". "Will" they flood - perhaps. Just depends on whether they get positioned so that the air in the second stage hose can escape.

While the norm with deco bottles is to pressurize, then close the valve, I just leave the valve open as they are on me and if a problem occurs I can deal with it. I have not had the need to stage a deco bottle.

 

[Atomic Aquatics]

Hi BurnhanMuntasser

There could be a possibility of water entering through the second stage because of the seat saving orifice. It extremely rare but would depend on the positioning of the hose/first and second stage. My recommendation is to pressurize and then turn off the valve. Having the line pressurized initially will eliminate this concern. Thank you for the posts all!

 

[Wookie]

Hi BurnhanMuntasser

There could be a possibility of water entering through the second stage because of the seat saving orifice. It extremely rare but would depend on the positioning of the hose/first and second stage. My recommendation is to pressurize and then turn off the valve. Having the line pressurized initially will eliminate this concern. Thank you for the posts all!

^^^^^This. I use M1 deco regs, and that's what I do, charge when I jump in, then off as I descend. My pony is a Ti2, and it is charged all the time.

I learned this when I was rebuilding my deco regs every deco dive (or trip). They were full of green stuff.