When regulator comes out

[kat.hayes]

What is the best approach to take to clear your regulator of as much water as possible when it comes out?

1. Should you blow into it? Press the purge button?

2. If you should blow into it first, what if you do not have the breath to do it, what would be the next best thing to do?

Thanks.

 

[pollywogg]

You should blow into it to make sure there is no water in it. If you have no breath left(shame on you), press the purge as you're place in your mouth, but not purging into your mouth, you're not trying to blow up a balloon. Breathe in carefully on your first breath. Another technique is to just place the reg in your mouth and inhale carefully, blow/spit out all of the water, and breathe normally.

 

[Rick Inman]

What is the best approach to take to clear your regulator of as much water as possible when it comes out?

1. Should you blow into it? Press the purge button?

2. If you should blow into it first, what if you do not have the breath to do it, what would be the next best thing to do?

Thanks.

Good questions. I see you just started your NAUI course. You will get a chance to practice regulator clearing, and you'll see how easy it is.

Yes, you can exhale sharply into the reg to clear it of water. Yes, you can close your throat and press the purge button to remove the water, which is what you would do if you don't have enough air in your lungs to clear the reg. There is also a third way, which I'm not sure if NAUI teaches. You can actually swish the water out with your mouth. It's hard to explain, and rarely used anyway.

Anyway, your instructor will go over all of this with you and you will get to try it in the pool. It's fun and easy! Enjoy!

 

[ItsBruce]

I will add only that I do not recall using the purge button since OW class. It takes very little air in one's lungs to clear the regulator and it becomes so natural to do a little puff, that you will find you just puff without even thinking to hit the purge button.

 

[Deefstes]

Often, just the little amount of air that is still in your mouth (let alone your lungs) are enough to clear the regulator of water.

 

[don Francisco]

If you face downwards slightly the airspace in your mouth will be above the reg, and your mouth will work sort like of a diving bell, keeping air at the top near the entrance to your throat and water down towards your lips. In that position almost any technique will work as long as you inhale slowly enough for gravity to sort the air from the water.

 

[Colliam7]

What is the best approach to take to clear your regulator of as much water as possible when it comes out? 1. Should you blow into it? Press the purge button?

As several have mentioned, the best approach is to exhale (blow) into the regulator. You can press the purge button as well, but most divers find they seldom use that method. Nothing wrong with it, rather it is easier to exhale and purge the water from the second stage.

2. If you should blow into it first, what if you do not have the breath to do it, what would be the next best thing to do?

At the end of a normal breath, you actually have quite a bit of air in your lungs that can still be actively exhaled (expiratory reserve volume) - probably > twice the volume of a normal breath.

 

[Sas]

Yes either purging or exhaling sharply works fine. I found when I was much newer at diving I always used the purge buttom, however, it quickly becomes a habit to exhale a bit when you replace your regulator. I do it without thinking these days and have not needed to use the purge button in a long time.

 

[redacted]

One other thing. While I have removed my regulator from my mouth many times, I have never had it just come out. A more common error for me is stepping off in a giant stride and reaching up to hold my reg through the impact and finding it not in my mouth. Whoops! A good opportunity to practice reg recovery or make sure you know where your octo is. Locating a well secured octo is probably easier.