Regs in free flow

[Ian@1904]

<font color='#736AFF'>I was down on the Stanegarth on Sunday when my regs went into free flow big time, we could not stop the free flow, and had to shut down the cylinder. (Thank you James) I was using a single 15 ltr cylinder and a 3 ltr pony as backup.

I was using my Scubapro mk25 1st stage , S600 2nd stage, R380 octopus. Water temp was about 7c. Second dive of the day.

I had the regs serviced last March and have completed 50 dives since then. The regs are about 2 years old and completed about 100 dives.

I have dived on several occasions in cold water over the last month,  including 3c previous January, with never any issues.

Has anyone any ideas what I should do? I can have the regs serviced (obviously). Cylinder and regs are stored overnight in my garage attached to the house.

I have never had a free flow like this before-minor ones yes, easily fixed.

[Hobby]

These regs are usually very reliable,it could be technique(no offence intended).Taking breaths before submerging can provoke such nastiness in cold water as can re-surfacing having submerged once.Ideally the reg should get wet once then stay submerged.Hope this helps(sites' slowed down a little since I was here last)there are plenty of bods here who'll be able to suggest further points!

[Dominic]

Unless the garage is heated, don't leave your dive gear in it.

Freeflows can happen to any reg, even one in perfect condition. A once-off isn't reason enough to do anything much IMHO.

Where did you get the air fill from? Moist air in the cylinder is the biggest threat.

[Ian@1904]

<font color='#736AFF'>Please keep up the suggestions

My breathing was pretty good, I have an air integrated Vytec, (air consumption being my latest control issue) so I will discount this. I was fairly relaxed right up until the free flow.

The air fill was from Hydroactive in Letchworth. I know Craig-the owner pretty well and his airfill quality is top notch. Most of my air fills come from here, as does my kit, and training.

[Dominic]

In that case, write it off as &quot;one of those things&quot; and be glad you're smart enough to carry a pony.

If it happens again, get the reg checked out. Or replace it with an Apeks, of course

[Dr Stevil]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Dominic @ Jan. 13 2004,13:23)]Unless the garage is heated, don't leave your dive gear in it.

Agreed, a cold garage won't thoroughly dry your regs after the previous dive, so moisture will be present even if you don't breathe off it before submerging, I always keep mine indoors (in fact all the kit stays indoors)

[Ian@1904]

<font color='#736AFF'>I had the dive shop adjust the settings on the first stage and did two dives at Guildy - both ok

Last night I stored my cylinders and regs in the house before loading in the car-following your advice

Down at the hydrobox at Stoney and my regs free flowed again. So I think it must be service time.

At least this time the cylinder shut down, swop regs, and abort sequence was less traumatic. Learn lessons and practise practise practise

[Mark Chase]

Hi M8 you say it was the second dive of the day?

Where were the tanks left between dives?? If left out in the cold this might explain the probelm.

Condensation forming in the first stage may have formed ice crystles as you were hitting the inflate button on decent.

End of the day 7c in any ones book is cold so a free flow is always a possabuility. Good plan on the pony, the Octo isnt going to help if the free flow is in the 1st stage. Air sharing with a buddy puts the likley hood of a free flow on his/her rig up by 100%.

ATB

Mark Chase

[Ian@1904]

<font color='#736AFF'>First instance on the Stanegarth
In between dives the &quot;fresh&quot; cylinder was stored in the boot of my car-cool but out of the main cold

Second instance
First dive of the day. We had been in the water for four minutes. I was pretty relaxed trying out my new light sabre-which was the purpose of the dive, Green Force F2. Pleased with the light

On a lighter note. We were diving as a threesome, and whilst shutting down the cylinder both buddies offer regs to me. I had my pony reg in situ, plus my two main regs, and it looked like an mulitple choice question.  

Ian