SP Freezing

[Compressor]

Was diving in Lake Superior this weekend and had a partial free flow om my MK25 (Got it to stop by ascending 15 ft and really controlling my breathing). The next dive it free flowed and it ended up terminating my dive.

I was certified in 1976 and used the MK VII with out this problem even for ice diving because we filled the water chamber with silicone. Obviously this is not a practice that can be easily performed with the MK 25 but is there some type of after market enviromental kit out there made by SP or someone else??

The LDS stated that filling with silicone is no longer a good or viable option. Part of the problem of freezing I think is the fact that the parts inside the 2nd stage (and perhaps the 1st stage) have more plastic in rather than metal. Thus one's exhalation will not "warm" plastic as well as metal.

 

[Compressor]

The LDS stated that filling with silicone is no longer a good or viable option. Part of the problem of freezing I think is the fact that the parts inside the 2nd stage (and perhaps the 1st stage) have more plastic in rather than metal. Thus one's exhalation will not "warm" plastic as well as metal.

I am making a similar dive this weekend. I will go to an MK16 with an R190. Its sad that I have to resort to this putting my high performance regulators on the shelf. But SP did not offer me a viable solution (they stated to detune my regulator).

 

[Bigzy]

Wow it sad to say but it seems to when I left diveing SP was tops (by a long shot) as far as regulators were concerned. What happened? I assumed that they were the same as I ventrued back into diving but I see that my trust has mis-placed. I cant believe that the SP rep's actually ask you to make adjustments to your equipment to decrease the performance!! What kind of a fix is that!!!?? Why then would I buy another top of the line item from them..... Whats next... should I cut my jet fins in half because the are too stiff in cold water?

 

[Compressor]

Wow it sad to say but it seems to when I left diveing SP was tops (by a long shot) as far as regulators were concerned. What happened? I assumed that they were the same as I ventrued back into diving but I see that my trust has mis-placed. I cant believe that the SP rep's actually ask you to make adjustments to your equipment to decrease the performance!! What kind of a fix is that!!!?? Why then would I buy another top of the line item from them..... Whats next... should I cut my jet fins in half because the are too stiff in cold water?

Bigzy:

I think SP is still tops. I love their regs. But thats what the Tech Support told me when I called them.

Like I said in a previous post, I think one needs to adapt equipment for the conditions we dive in.

 

[matt_unique]

Wow it sad to say but it seems to when I left diveing SP was tops (by a long shot) as far as regulators were concerned. What happened? I assumed that they were the same as I ventrued back into diving but I see that my trust has mis-placed. I cant believe that the SP rep's actually ask you to make adjustments to your equipment to decrease the performance!! What kind of a fix is that!!!?? Why then would I buy another top of the line item from them..... Whats next... should I cut my jet fins in half because the are too stiff in cold water?

I believe the SP is the best, or at least one of the best, deep breathing regs out there. For me the jury is still out as to whether this will also apply to cold water. As evidenced on this board, I have friends that do ice dives with the SP regs and others who have free flow problems in 45 degree water. If I have free flow problems this winter I will explore other products. It may come down to Ebay to minimize my loss and purchase of another 1st primary. My second primary reg is a Sherwood Maxiumus. This is not a great deep breather but she is a tank and it has never frozen. I can't afford to have a warm water rig and a cold water rig living in Massachusetts

--Matt