Free Flows?

[LHatton]

On holiday last year, I was sitting on the boat out to the dive site kitting up when the guy next to me's regs started freeflowing. Now im assuming this wasnt because of the cold as I was in Cuba at the time. I'm guessing it was a bit of sand trapped in there somewhere.

Anyway, the dive guide put a stop to it by twisting the hose and putting a Kink in it. Would this work with a free flowing reg underwater, i.e could you king the hose to the freeflowing reg and breathe of your alternate whilst you ascend?

Is it safe to kink the hose?

Lee

[Padowan]

Yes it would probably work, but you'll probably want to replace the hose afterwards as it'll get pretty mashed. The thing you need to be aware of is that if a reg goes into freeflow because of a problem in the 2nd stage, this is OK, as the Intermediate Pressure of the 1st stage is still relatively low. If the problem is in the first stage, causing a very high intermediate pressure, the 2nd stage is usually designed as a pressure relief. If you kink the hose hard enough and stop the flow, you might burst the hose, which would not be too good.

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by LHatton

Is it safe to kink the hose?

Not if you plan on using it again.
You stop a freeflow by turning off the valve especially in the boat.

nigelH

[LHatton]

Gotcha, so if the first stage goes and you kink the hoes, it would blow.

[Padowan]

Originally Posted by LHatton

Gotcha, so if the first stage goes and you kink the hoes, it would blow.

Possibly, depends on what the IP goes up to, I can't remember off the top of my head what the rating is for an LP hose, but bearing in mind that the first stage could deliver up to cylinder pressure, they're certainly not rated to that!

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by LHatton

....... you kink the hoes, it would blow.

Even in Cuba I believe there is no E in 'Hos. How you kink one is beyond me...

Chris

[Finless]

I am still reading through my book on regs and such like. Is the speed/volume of gas escaping from a burst LP hose roughly the same as from a free flowing reg (with the burst disc gone).

Look - the thread is over and the original question has been answered so no complaining about highjacking a thread - please and thank you.

Anyway, fee flows? How much do they cost normally, then? Yes, it is very childish but it made me feel better.

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by Finless

Anyway, fee flows? How much do they cost normally, then? Yes, it is very childish but it made me feel better.

Never had one Bryan. But a blow in Cuba is about 15 US Dollars...

Chris.

[PeteM]

Originally Posted by Padowan

Possibly, depends on what the IP goes up to, I can't remember off the top of my head what the rating is for an LP hose, but bearing in mind that the first stage could deliver up to cylinder pressure, they're certainly not rated to that!

LP hose is normally 15 bar

[Padowan]

Originally Posted by Finless

I am still reading through my book on regs and such like. Is the speed/volume of gas escaping from a burst LP hose roughly the same as from a free flowing reg (with the burst disc gone).

I would think so. It's certainly worse to blow a LP hose than an HP hose, because of the size of the bore of the hose (where it screws into the reg) is so small, you get sonic (maximum) flow at not a huge flow rate.