Suggestions before I abandon my FFM

[kelemvor]

My wife and I have been diving Ocean Reef G. divers ffm's for about a year now. We've got about 40 dives plus some pool time.

The masks work great for the most part but I can never avoid air leakage completely. It's reduced my dive times on dives that would normally have been an hour to about 30 minutes consistently. We've got a good comfort level with the masks, and use the comms occasionally.

For a while we were steadily regaining ground on air consumption with practice, but we seem to have plateaued somewhere in the neighborhood of terrible about 15-20 dives ago. We're thinking of shelving the ffm's for now and going back to regular mask/regulators this year. Last summer, we were consistently the first people back on the boat. While my sac has never been amazing,

We have taken training on the masks both before and after purchase. The ocean reef guys come out to my LDS a couple times a year and arrange the training free (a sales gimmick I presume).

Does anyone have any bits of enlightenment for me to try?

 

[ajtoady]

I trained with an OTS and the Ocean Reef. I liked the OTS because of the better facial seal. See if you can get a different or more flexible seal for it so as to stop the leaking. Not sure if you can, but what have you got to lose?

 

[tbone1004]

@kelemvor any numbers on the actual change in SAC rate?
Are they leaking at all around the seals?
Are they for whatever reason set up for positive pressure?

 

[ReefGuy]

We use divator II masks, which don't always fit well. When the fit isn't well, there is a leak from the face seal, usually around the buddy phone.

What I have done in the past (and having not ever used the Ocean Reef), is place some aquarium air line hose around the inside of the seal. This forces a better fit.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[kelemvor]

@kelemvor any numbers on the actual change in SAC rate?
Are they leaking at all around the seals?
Are they for whatever reason set up for positive pressure?

I'll try to remember and download data from my computer today so I can share. yes it's positive pressure. Yes, it's leaking around the seals, when my (our) heads are positioned certain ways. You can hear it leaking and adjust, but it's happening often enough to add up.

 

[tbone1004]

I'll try to remember and download data from my computer today so I can share. yes it's positive pressure. Yes, it's leaking around the seals, when my (our) heads are positioned certain ways. You can hear it leaking and adjust, but it's happening often enough to add up.

ahh, yeah so just freeflowing due to bad face seal. Not actually set up as positive pressure. Unfortunately it sounds like the skirts just don't fit your face when you do that. When I use a FFM I budget 1cfm for consumption which is about double what I normally get. It's usually only .7, but it is what it is with FFM and SAC is the price you pay for comfort/coms

 

[kelemvor]

That's interesting. .7 is about where I was at before the ffm as well. Maybe I'll just have to relegate them to Florida use where I can use my big tanks. It was a bummer in Roatan and Coz with al80's.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

What size are you using? I'm assuming the M/L and maybe the problem is the seal is just too big for your face. I don't ever have any issues with air leaking, nor does my wife. Maybe try a S/M seal?

 

[JackD342]

First, I am still not 100% comfortable with my own Ocean Reef FFM, but I am getting there. Sounds like you are diving warm waters, so you aren't diving any hoods that add to the challenge of a good seal, right?
Now, are you 100% confident that the leak is from the seal when you turn your head a certain way? Are you looking at each other to check for that air flow when you try to replicate the problem? If it is actually the seal, aside from being sure you are sized right I can't express enough the importance of donning and adjusting the mask and straps exactly the way it is shown in the video, in the order that is shown. That can make a huge difference.
One other oddity I am embarrassed to say I earned the hard way: down by the chin, you have two overlapping seals. Be sure that the oronasal pocket attached to the exhaust valve is UNDER the full skirt seal, so that the skirt seal is an unbroken ring around your face.

If on close examination you find you are actually "leaking" via the exhaust and not the seal, then start playing with your venturi and cracking pressure adjustments. It is very easy to set those too liberally. I find my best performance is when I am able to keep my chin a little lower on the dive, and the biggest challenge is when I am swimming with my face parallel to the bottom, or even tilted a little down.

 

[lowviz]

@kelemvor , I certed PSD on an AGA. Try one before you abandon FFM's.

You are giving up an incredible field of view, no chance of flooding, and no chance of fogging for a bit more gas due to a positive pressure mask.

Full disclosure: I dive a low-volume standard mask, but still so love AGA's...