regulator icing

[Iguana Don]

Don'tcha just love it!

 

[buff]

I still disagree with the effect of both the long hose and decreasing the I.P.-I don't think they really make much difference. Especially when compared to keeping moisture out of the second stage.

 

[buff]

I still don't think long hoses or decreasing IP do much but I'll run it by some physics professors that are friends of mine-and divers too.

If Lost Yooper says it works then I'm willing to investigate it further. I like these physics problems.

 

[jbd]

From what I recall from my chemistry and physics days here's my thoughts on the longer hose and the IP reduction. Either or both may not do much to prevent freeze up however the little bit that they do could well be the difference between freezing and not freezing. In other words they could be the straw that broke the camels back.

I'm still wondering if its water temperature alone or does the air temperature play a part also.

 

[Lost Yooper]

I'll leave all the math to you nutt cases . Here's another example for ya. I have an old Sherwood Magnum (maybe 1990 vintage or so) with the dry bleed first stage. I believe the factory IP for it is about 125psi or so. I never had one single problem with it freezing. You turn blue trying to get a breath out of it is all .

Take care.

Mike

 

[devjr]

Follow the link to share your concerns (scroll to bottom).

http://www.divernet.com/equipment/0501icing.htm

 

[Scubaroo]

Cold water diving just requires a little more thought and awareness than diving in the tropical waters of Monterey.

50 degree water is tropical??? Geez buff, how cold does it get where you live?

 

[Lost Yooper]

Originally posted by bengiddins
50 degree water is tropical??? Geez buff, how cold does it get where you live?

Jeesh, 50F bottom temps would be down right balmy up here in Superior -- even into late summer .

Mike

 

[buff]

On a cold winter day, here in Minnesota land, you can take a hot cup of water-throw it out the door and it will freeze in mid air!

Houses make creaking sounds as they contract.

You can drive a nail with a frozen banana.


I still marvel that anything can live through a typical Minnesota winter. In spring and summer Minnesota is beautiful-except for the mosquitoes and biting flies. Fall is pretty too but it starts in September and is done in October.

 

[devjr]

lal, if you read the link, you have probably concluded that you're SOL.

From 1984, SP was producing a version of the MK10 which had very small ventilation ports. This was done to facilitate the company's anti freeze fix. The diver could open the case and pack the piston chamber with silicone grease thereby preventing water entry. There was also a rubber sleeve available which could close off the ports and prevent leakage of the lube. Apparently, it didn't work as intended. It was one of those wacky ideas which were invented by northern divers, and SP copied it. I guess they'll be scoping out IP reduction soon. That seems to be what the MK25 is portending.

Now, claiming that flooding is a good thing, they abandoned the grease fix and came out with TIS (thermal insulating system), a bushing which fits over the piston stem to mysteriously promote or retard heat exchange (?) and inhibit freeze up. Apparently, this is also a joke. However, even if it works the problem of frost in a plastic second stage remains.

They support their claims of cold performance with Euro style test results which are rigged and clearly invalid.

Apparently, fresh water, which also includes exhaled moisture, will freeze more readily simply because the freezing point is higher.

My guess is that only arctic adapted regulators such as the "Blizzard", etc will be reliable under freezing conditions.