Regulator Malfunction

[montyb]

I have a question I've wondered about in all my years of diving. If your at depth and your first stage malfunctions or breaks internally what does it do? Is it designed to freeflow or just provide no air?
Just curious
MOntyb

 

[SueMermaid]

There isn't one set thing a reg will do if it malfuncions. It depends on what happens. You might get a free flow, you might get water instead of air, you might get no air, etc.

 

[mempilot]

I have a question I've wondered about in all my years of diving. If your at depth and your first stage malfunctions or breaks internally what does it do? Is it designed to freeflow or just provide no air?
Just curious
MOntyb

Downstream valve 1st stages fail open and still supply gas

Upstream units 'can' fail closed which means you would be unable to breath off the regulator

It depends on which type of regulator you have. More than likely, you have a downstream type.

 

[rescuediver009]

there are a number of things that could go wrong. The most common, although still very uncommen I guess would be an HP seat filure in which you would get a big ass freeflow.

 

[Mako Mark]

depending on what broke, most are more likely to free flow than not.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The most common failure is a high pressure seat failure and those normally start as a slow leak with a creeping intermediate pressure and a sllight freeflow that prgressively gets worse over several dives. Sudden serious failures with massive freeflows are not very common.

A broken spring is the most serious failure I can think of but they are exceptionally rare and in many cases with a piston reg, the reg will still deliver air.