Prepping For Cold Water Diving - Scuba Tech Tips: S07E02
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ส.ค. 2024
- Some divers avoid cold water diving because of the possibility of a free flow. Alec discusses cold water myths and offers steps to reduce the risk of a free flow caused by the "adiabatic cooling" process.
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It’s great that we have an experienced guy like you out there spreading your knowledge. Thx again Alec
Well, thank you for watching Wally.
Alec
this has become my favorite channel to watch. everything i wanted to know about scuba
Thanks very much for watching Tom.
How about some ideas for episodes? Having any scuba issues? Maybe I can help.
Take care.
Alec
Well I have some issues yes. I only just started diving and I wanted to purchase all my own equipment, However it is difficult with advice from people I speak with who say what to buy what not to buy.
So I was told don't buy a metal 2nd stage because they are heavy and the saltwater effects them bad, then told not to buy plastic because it will dry your mouth out more and they are more prone to freezing. some people said don't buy a jacket buy a wing BCD because its more professional and cheaper to repair.
So if I go to buy the Regulators do I spend $300 more to buy the top model or enjoy the discount of the prior model. I would be diving in water that varies between 4 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius, Would freezing even be an issue with these temps?..
Servicing requirements.. Some companies now claim very long service intervals, should this be a factor. Could I check and service items myself?
If I dive 5 times in 1 year and it requires a service once a year or 500 dives, does it really require it after only 5 dives in a year is this service to check for deliration of components or worn parts.
Will the novice diver really be so amazed by the latest equipment. Where do I invest the most money, Regulator seems to be the most important thing, its always good to be able to breath underwater...
after looking through your videos on what divers used to have 40 years ago I feel like I could buy just about anything and it will do..
As for episodes, iv really enjoyed the vintage episodes and as you know much more than I do at this stage I cant think of what would be interesting for others. I am sure in the future I will have more questions
hi from Baikal lake divers here! we can be recognised as NOT breathing above surface in most cases even at summer, cose... right! Alec said that - dont breath or you WILL freeze your regs. so its like trained brained way not to do always. REGs prepared and tested in warm, then go dive quick and START breath under the water with slow deep outakes, to warmup 2nd stage. same as turning left-right tank in sidemount (under ice). Firstly warmup 2nd stage few breaths, then you can breath as you need, avoiding freezing
Thanks for your support Andrey. Certainly diving in Lake Baikal would qualify you as an expert on cold water diving.
Alec
Thanks for sharing your wisdom with the rest of us. You are a real scuba treasure!
A treasure!! Thanks Ron.
I'll tell my kids you said so. Somehow they don't always think so!
Alec
Haha, I did the polar plunge in 30° water. Wore 11mm of wetsuit.
Size medium 3 mm, large 5mm, and a 3mm vest with hood. 😂 I was nice and toasty! 😍 Had to use almost 20 lbs of weight though. Worth it. 👌 hahahahaaaaaa.
I just moved to a much colder area and buying so many wetsuits to layer up again (since I rented all those) doesn't make sense! Looking to get dry suit certified to stay warm year round and then get into ice diving! Thanks for all this info, never considered that my gear would freeze up in the cold! Love your videos! Happy diving! 🤗🤿
Good for you going drysuit, it will change your diving in cold water for the better. Thanks for sharing your polar bear plunge. Won't do that anymore with these old bones.
Thanks Alec, as always, very informative.
Thanks JD.
Alec
Cheers. Keep "em coming!
Thanks Paul.
Alec
Thanks Alec! Another great video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great Vid as always Alec. Love ya work
Thanks for watching John.
Alec
Thank you, Alec. I dive a lot in cold Maine waters, appreciate the info!
Hope it helps a bit.
Alec
Excellent. Thanks Alec !
Glad you liked it!
Extremely pedagogic! Well done!
Glad you liked it!
A.
Very interesting video, thanks Alec 👌
Thanks for watching Blackie.
Alec
Hi divers. Please learn to deal with a free flow if it happens. If you can’t and are too far from the hole in the ice..... guess what will happen?? We should all resolve issues when they arise. Training for all failures before they happen is the way to go. Stay safe out there divers
Oh and thank you Alec for everything you teach new divers. You’ve helped me out a lot starting out
You're welcome.
Could not agree more
Hey Alec,
Yes, all regs do freeze. Anyone that does not believe it, come dive with me here in NL on the east coast. We are lucky if the water temp here get above 50 degrees if we are luck.....and that is on the surface.
As I dive wet, I have not run into the freezing issue as I will not dive if it is that cold. However, I have had ice crystals hitting my teeth from my 2nd stage at 100 feet though.
Thanks, good tips for September 👌🏼
Thanks for watching.
Alec
Great advice .
Love your series Alec. Fantastic advice, especially as I dive in the fridgid waters around Britain :-)
Where in Britain? I'm going to be there in September with Diana.
Thanks for watching.
Alec
Alec Peirce Scuba wow. Isle of Wight where we’re lucky enough to get washed by the Gulfstream; no ice here 😊
Alec Peirce Scuba been watching your videos for two years keep up the great work. If your in the UK in September check Portland Harbour in Dorset. Also book with divebeyond.co.uk for some great locations!
On this side of the pond, we pronounce adiabatic as "a", "d" "aaah" "bat" "ic" , well, i do anyway! Adiabatic really means "without heat flow" and refers to a thermodynamic system where heat cannot flow into or out of the system from an external (to that system) source or sink. It's the ideal gas law PV = nRT that tells us that the temperature of a gas is proportional to the Pressure and Volume of that gas, and hence as a gas is expanded to a lower pressure and a larger volume, it must absorb heat, and if that heat cannot flow in from an external source, then it must come from the gas itself, and if we remove heat energy, then the temperature of that material must itself drop. For a pressure regulator that is expanding a flow of gas, once that gas flow exceeds a certain velocity, there is insufficient time for the gas to absorb heat from its surroundings (from the metal and materials of the regulator itself) and hence it cools itself down. This is also why a freeze freeflow is so hard to stop, because once it has started, the mass flow through the regulator increases, meaning even more heat is needed to be absorbed by the gas stream! And also why freezing free flows generally happen when the diver is breathing hard! Finally, most modern regualtors (1st and 2nd stage) use plastic high and low pressure seats, which whilst durable and providing a really high quality sealing surface (which prevents pressure creep or blowby) can result in the seat being accreted by ice crystals until the seat seal is degraded and the reg freeflows. Metal seats allow heat to flow right down the critical sealig surface from the body of the regulator. (certainly plastics can provide a degree of accretion resistance by dint of the plastics 'slipperyness' where ice that does from doesn't want to stick to that plastic.. Hope this info is interesting :-)
Thanks for a great explanation Max. Not all my viewers want the deep background you know but I love it.
Thanks for watching Max.
Alec
Wow... very interesting
Oh boy, this is bringing me back memories of diving at the Silfra crack in Thingvellir, Iceland!
I'm envious. Di and I hope to dive Iceland soon.
Thanks Bill.
Alec
I don't need to sell you guys on doing that, you already know!
Man Alec, you rock! I'm in Vancouver and will be diving in Iceland soon. I've been practicing free flow situations a bit in my own pool but it's tough to practice with a pool that's 6ft deep. Thanks for the tips!
Ahh! Vancouver. The snow belt! I'm in central Ontario and plan to get out the lawnmower this afternoon.
Go to the bottom of the pool; lay face down right on the bottom. Now push the purge button all the way in - all the way, and hold it there. Don't let go - even if you start to choke or drown! Now figure out how to keep breathing as you do a complete roll-over, onto your back and all the way around. Then inflate your BCD a bit. Next try removing your mask and clearing it - all while holding that button in. That's what a cold water freeflow is like.
Have fun in Iceland. Di and I want to go there soon.
Thanks for watching.
Alec
Thanks Alec you are amazing man
yesterday i faced aproblem with my Regulator Scubapro MK20 , i din't know before that shuld be set with Gauge , Thanks alot and also the secound stage was free Flow , Thank you man for your steps which nawadays is dificulf to find it
My pleasure!
This is good information...I don't do ice diving but still dive cold and have had my 2nd stage free flow when I came to surface and was breathing through the the regulator
Whenever you breathe through a regulator, air pressure drops.
When air pressure drops, it gets cold.
The best way to avoid a frozen 1st stage and thus a freeflow in cold water is to not breathe!!!!!!!!
Alec
Wow
I did not learn that in school
Thanks Alec
Glad your still adding to your dive knowledge Rick.
Alec
Fellow Ontario diver. I am planning on stopping by the shop some time. Saw the ad in, The Great Lakes Diving Guide.
Wonderful book that. Written by my good friend Cris Kohl. A wealth of information for every diver.
Take care.
Alec
I am learning soooooo much. Hope I get the chance to dive with you, once in my life.
I hope to be able to leave my ranch some day after lockdowns end. Take care and maybe we can dive together in a warm location some day.
_"Preparing for cold water diving"_ **thumbnail of a man half-naked**
Welp, I guess he's doing the polar plunge...! 😅
I like doing crazy stuff others will not do. Just ask my wife how she likes that.
i guess it's quite off topic but do anyone know a good place to watch newly released movies online ?
@Leonidas Preston Try flixzone. Just search on google for it :)
Great Man😉👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks 👍
A.
Really informative thank you so much
My pleasure
Got two ideas to avoid that on the production level. It's gonna cost but for proffs that may be solution. 1. Battery driven warmer cable inbuild in or around regulator. Battery Can be use as a weight. 2. System of two first stages working in a line connection set for reducing pressure in two steps to avoid drastic decompression of air.
Thats an ideal, needs work though.
I Have been cooldwhater diving now for some time.. (live in Sweden).
We are strikt about not breathing in the reg untill we are in the whater.
So the rest of the tips are great.
Many Thanks.
Just like Canada!
A lot of divers have no idea why a reg freezes.
Thanks for watching.
Alec
good work.....
Thanks Andrew.
Alec
Ahh nice the Video I asked for is there :D
You're welcome.
I hope it was good for you.
Alec
Hi Alec! Are there ideal locations for a first-timer when it comes to cold water diving? If you had to name 4 places from beginning to advance? Your videos are not only informative, they are interesting and entertaining. Thank you!
One more thing that you can try to help prevent freezes is taking the rubber hose protectors off your hoses which allows the water to have more contact area to warm up the regulator. This practice is recommended by Scubapro too.
Did not know they recommend that. Thanks Hunter.
A
a very important factor is your filling station characteristic, if there is a refrigirated aftercooler before the final filters, there is likely much less chances to freeze your 1 st stage, a tip, if you can install the filling station intake outside a building is to fill tanks dedicated to ice diving when the outside temp is very cold ( -30 deg C or colder ) so the aspirated air will be naturally much dryer and the chances are good that you'll never encounter such a cold dondition in ice diving conditions.
There have been some refrigerated systems but they are terribly expensive.
Using dry air is a good idea though.
Regulators actually don't freeze although we say so.
It's the water in the air that freezes. No water- no freeze-up.
Keep thinking Jacques.
Alec
once i get drysuit certified im gonna do some ice diving
Drysuit diving is very hard compared to a wet suit. I we're very thick undergarments and a heavy drysuit so for me imagine all of your basic open water task becoming about 6-10 times harder because you can't reach as far and your it's harder to move. But a drysuit course should help you through all of that
thanks Alec, I’ve had quite a lot of free flow dives that had to be aborted, wish I had seen your video earlier, never mind, good to go now, cheers.
Now you know why they happen.
Hopefully it will save some future dives.
Alec
Good advice. I had my first frozen on a altitide dive. And the second stage froze not the first
Everything I mentioned in the video goes double if you're diving at altitude.
The second stage can freeze although it's usually after the first stage freezes and all that air blasts out of the mouthpiece.
Take care.
Alec
Very interesting
Glad you think so!
deep stuff kick ass. Cool.
Thanks Vito.
Alec
Thanks Vito.
Alec
Forget that mess, I’ll stick with my hot water running through my semi dry 7mm. But I guess you don’t usually get that besides commercial. I absolutely hate my drysuit and avoid it like the plague.
I agree. A dry suit is great when needed but for most diving, I prefer a good wetsuit. Note the word "good".
In a wetsuit you actually feel like you're diving.
Take care.
Alec
My Viking is pretty comfortable...
thankfully our Monterrey bay waters are much warmer 52deg :)
Right Alain! 52 is NOT warm!
But it is great diving there with a good exposure suit.
Good to hear from you.
Alec
Not only the regulators can freeflow in cold water but also the wing/bcd inflator. Happened to me on a dive in cold water(2 degrees celcius) in the winter. I therefore practise sometimes on diving with the wing/bcd hose disconected. 6: buy good quality regulators, 7: only use Poseidon(KIDDING) 8: have them served as often as recomended.
Totally agree on practising without the LPI connected (in a safe manner). Thanks for sharing your gear tips (even the Poseidon)!
Good tips. When you do the drysuit video can you also talk about the various tricks being done now to increase wetsuit thermal protection and if any of them are worth it?
Wetsuit material and designs are always changing and they are pretty amazing now.
I'll work it in somehow.
Alec
Hi Alec. Does a reg freeze up/freeflow condition on average occur toward the beginning of the dive due to the greater pressure drop? Is it correct that a higher air consumption rate/ exertion can be a factor in freeze up? Thanks much for your and Kevin's work on these videos. I'm humbled by the amount of knowledge and good will these videos are providing to the dive community. Cheers, Bob
A free flow can happen at any tank pressure Robert. Best to watch S09E05 "Why Does My Regulator Freeze?" where I explain the adiabatic process that is the actual cause of most free flows.
A.
Dear Alec,
Is it possible that one of the spring (the larger one) inside the diaphragm frozen and fail to push and open the valve (the seat), thus instead of free-flow, it just stuck?
Interesting idea. That large spring that you can see on the outside of the diaphragm really doesn't do much. It is used to set the intermediate pressure (IP), putting just enough pressure on the diaphragm to open the valve and let some air through. As that air pressure builds up and reaches IP, it pushes the diaphragm back up, compresses the spring and the valve closes. Technically you could use the regulator underwater even if that spring was missing (DON'T TRY IT!). So if that spring froze there would be ice between the coils which would prevent the spring from recoiling to it's shorter length. It would always be pressing on the diaphragm. It would make the pressure build up and never stop building up - freeflow. It's not likely (possible?) for the spring to freeze in it's short length. The spring is very strong and it would just shrug any ice off it's outside.
Good thinking.
Take care.
Alec
best way to stop reg from freezing - buy apeks mtx-r..simple
Because the pressure drop is the reason for the temperature drop, does that mean diving LP tanks is better than HP tanks when freezing may be an issue?
I guess
Low-pressure tanks help too. some run lp twins and underfill so your drop is 2000 to ip (not 3440 to ip) still tons of air for a shallow 20 min ice dive... wonder if they is why the myth of double hose not freezing started if you start with 2000psi vs 3000 your odds may be less of freezing it up??
It's true that the adiabatic temperature drop is related to the pressure difference. Tha is, there'd be LESS temperature drop if the tank pressure was lower as you suggest Mars. I'm not sure if that related to the myth that double hose regs don't freeze.
Alec
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter I wonder if "double hose regs don't freeze" is actually because they tend to be huge and made of metal, with lots of surface area in contact with the water, right where the expansiob occurs, meaning the heat can get into the airstream more easily from the water (which is all that "cold water regs" actually do) If you look, the diaphram "can" on an old double hose reg must be a huge heat sink compared to a modern, small, and probably made of plastic (poor thermal co-efficient) modern single hose 2nd stage??
When my MK 20 froze up last week, the air temp was actually nice at about 17-18 degrees C while the water temp dropped to 8 degrees at 30 feet. So looking at the four tips presented, I'm not sure what I could have done to prevent this freeze if the air temp was about 18, ie., not winter air temps. Any thoughts?
First point, never breath the regulator out of the water. Submerge it then test breath, then dive. Second is when was its last maintenance checkup. Lastly, it happens sometimes in cold water so be prepared, trained and have a good buddy or redundant air source.
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter Thanks. Last maintenance was in the spring before the season started. It worked normally two days later at another dive location when water temp was 18 degrees C and again this past weekend at 17 degrees. I'm just too nervous to dive with it in anything less than say 12-13 degrees now. The MK 20 is not environmentally sealed and the G500 is all plastic. I'm moving towards retiring this set as it has given me a good 20 years of diving and just buying brand new next season. I certainly won't want to use this reg if I ever go to BC.
Hi Alec.
i got the mk25/S600 black tech on sale.
and once i got it and looked at it, i realized that it wasint the "Evo" moddel. wich is probbly why i got it on sale.
but so now, im worried that it wont be abble to handle lake Huron, as i plan on diving Tobermory this summer.
Now im not into winter dives
(At least not yet).
but like ya mentioned even in the summer blow the thermal line reg's can still freeze....
can i still use this 1st stage.
or should i get a 2and one.
"inviro sealed" maybe?
id hate ta buy an other one now that i have this one.
but if its just gona cause me problems......?!?!?!
The Evo model has larger holes in the sides of the 1st stage, a Teflon-coated spring and an extra silicon bushing (washer) around the piston stem.
They call this modification the XTIS (Extended Thermal Insulating System) which is an excellent marketing name that really means squat!
In fairness, Scubapro would prefer you choose the MK17 for cold water as it has a more conventional environmental protection style but is also a diaphragm reg.
The larger holes will slow ice build up and also make it easier to rinse the regulator.
The Teflon coated spring will slow ice build up on the spring and protect it from corrosion.
Scubapro has changed their piston stem bushings so many times that I've lost track of the reason they even started them in the first place - although I think it was to stop the common squealing underwater.
My point to all this is that normal preventative measures for cold water diving are all you need to worry about. Regular MKV or EVO won't help if you don't do that.
Keep the reg warm before the dive, don't breathe through the reg until under the surface and be sure the reg and your air is dry.
The Scubapro MKV 1st is one of the finest on the market and should give you decades of great diving - warm or cold.
Take care.
Alec
Alec Peirce Scuba
ok thanks for that.
i feel better about my purchase
I'm not a diver, so I wonder, what do you do if your regulator freezes? Is it the first stage or second stage that's likely to freeze? If it's the first stage that freezes, does the air come out at full tank pressure? That sounds like you could really get injured, if the air suddenly came out at 3000 PSI, not to mention that you would quickly lose all your air. If it's the second stage that freezes, is there a way to shut off the air to your main regulator (to prevent air loss), so you can use your safe second? Is it possible to breathe with a malfunctioning regulator? How do you exhale?
Lots of questions Nat so let me answer a few now. First watch S09E05 Why does my regulator freeze, to answer the why question. New O/W divers learn to breath with a free flowing regulator in the pool, its easy but cold on the teeth. You can safely ascent with a free flow and exhale as normal. No cut off exists on recreational scuba systems as the 1st stage is designed to fail 'open' to allow air for you to breath. Check back on my Tech Tips as there are several videos around this subject to answer all these questions. Thanks for watching.
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter Thanks for answering!
This is the same concept of snow machines I built one to make snow air expanding gets colder pressure washer and air compressor with the right nozzle u get snow
I've seen that! Pretty spectacular!
Just try explaining it to a non-scientist.
Take care.
Alec
42 ºF are about 5º C ( I usually dive in Spain with 12-13ºC without any problem with my regulator)
12-13 is pretty good. It's not warm water but no problem there with freeze-up.
Thanks.
Alec.
Hi Alec, here in Belgium it is mostly advised to dive with 2 first stages and 2 valves, if the primary free flows you can signal it it your buddy who will close the valve, and continue your dive on second one. But I have a question, is there something specific in the design of the cold water first stages?
Redundancy, that is having extras of everything, is never a bad idea but it can get cumbersome.
Some first stages, especially the Sherwood Blizzard, have specific design features that assist in reducing freezing.
Most so-called anti-freeze regulators do not but rely on a cover of some sort to keep water out.
Thanks for watching Wouter.
Alec
Yes, exactly, that is what I also wanted to mention. 2 1st stages and 2 2nd stages for a cold water dive does help. I used to breathe for 5min from one reg and then switch to another and again. Therefore, it is either a twinset or a sidemount setting.
Alec, what is your experience with the claim regulator manufacturers make about regulators made from metal being more freeze-resistant? Thank you for this and all your other advice.
One of the best regs I ever had was the DACOR 900. I used that on hundreds of ice dives and It only froze once - my fault. The first stage of that reg was about 5 pounds of solid brass. With the current trend to lighter and smaller regs there is no modern substitute.
There is some logic to metal being good for resisting freezing because it takes longer for a solid piece of metal to get cold. However, you need to be careful because gear manufacturers get carried away. The really attractive chrome ring and metal screws on the front of some regs does NOT help, despite the advertising lingo. And almost all regs have a very similar solid metal body, yoke and internal parts anyway.
Metal parts in the second stage really don't help much. As I've explained, it's the first stage that freezes.
Get a decent quality balanced regulator. Keep it dry and warm and you've done all you can.
Thanks for watching.
Alec
Thank you so much for taking the time to elaborate on this, Alec.
What is the threshold for a dive to be considered cold water? I always learn something new here. Thanks Alec!
Boy, that's subjective. I used to dive a lot in cold water, often under the ice. The water was about 33 - 34 F (1C).
Now I won't go in our pool unless it's at least 90F (32C).
My wife Diana is even worse. She wears her dry suit in the Caribbean. Many of the local divemasters wear a bathing suit.
Generally I think divers would agree that water above 75F (24C) is warm while water below 70F (21C) is cold.
Water cold enough to cause real problems with scuba gear would be below 50F (10C).
Alec
Thank you! That gives me a good basis to compare with. :D
Hi Alec, Greetings from Europe. Could you tell me which one stage usually freezes up? I suppose second, because pressure there is the lowest?
It's the first stage that freezes. You don't know about it until the second stage starts to freeflow so many assume it's the second stage that's the problem. But nope! The 1st freezes so the intermediate pressure climbs and the 2nd freeflows. That's exactly what's supposed to happen with a modern reg. If the 1st has a problem, air pressure continues to go the the 2nd but usually too much so you get a freeflow. That's ok. You can deal with a freeflow. Dealing with no air is harder LOL.
There are several reasons why the first stage freezes but one is that that's where the greatest pressure drop takes place - from 3000 psi to 150 psi. So the adiabatic temperature drop is much greater there. In the 2nd stage the pressure only drops from 150 psi to ambient, say around 15 psi.
Clear?
Thanks for watching.
Alec
Thank you for the feedback :) . All is clear now.
When buying a cold water regulator -> then should I be spending my money on making sure I have a good 1st stage? Since 2nd stages rarely are the reason for a free flow, does it matter what 2nd stage I end up using?
Couple questions
When is it considered a cold water dive, new to diving living on the lake I have the privilege of it being my backyard I've gone a few times now that we're in November, water temp has been around 51f. 5mm wetsuit, gloves hood and heated vest. I can handle about an hour before needing to warm up. One thing I did notice that I absolutely loved was a clarity I almost felt like I was the Caribbean. Huge difference once most of the algae growth slows down and mostly disappears due to low temps and less sun.
The other is a technical question about the regulator why is there not an emergency shut up valve If you have a freeze free flow? then reach for your octo? If you do get an out of control freeze flow.. can you pinch the hose back like a garden hose to stop the air flow and then use your octo?
Thanks
Generally cold water is considered from 50F / 10C and below. Most reg manuals say only good to those temperatures without special gear or training.
Why there is no free flow cut off is because they you would die. Today's regs free flow, by design, with the valve open so you always have air, just can't stop it. Cut offs are for highly trained divers with fully redundant setup. All Open Water divers are taught to breathe through a free flow and surface. It's simple, safe and works.
A
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunterthanks for the reply, yes true was taught to breath with a free flowing reg. I'd think there may be a time switching to the octo would be advantageous. Keeping it simple in most cases should work out best. Breath the free Flow and or get assistance from your buddy. I like to think out side the box for better or worse.
If your regulator starts to free-flow, will air start coming out of the octopus at the same time?
Possible but not necessarily, in fact, not likely.
When the IP from the 1st stage increases, it will seek the escape path of least resistance.
Since the primary 2nd is usually set to the easiest breathing (lowest 2nd stage spring pressure), it will begin to freeflow first.
Once it free flows, the IP pressure is released and it's unlikely to rise again or enough to overcome the spring pressure in the octopus.
It might occur if the IP pressure increase is sudden and of great enough volume that it overcomes both 2nd stage springs, but that's unlikely.
Take care.
Alec
Like first, than watch :)
Ok. I'm good with that. But I hope you like it after you watch it too.
Alec
Alec Peirce Scuba
You don't know how to make a bad video :)
I have learned so much from you so please continue filming :)
Tech tips are awesome.
I believe it’s pronounced “Adi-a-bAt-ic” (at least it was when I was at school). Other than that, good video. I was recently reading a forum thread on this topic and some rubbish was posted “it’s the water in your breath that freezes, that’s why you need a sealed regulator” ..... **facepalm**
That's not only incorrect scientifically it's completely silly!
You are quite right on the pronunciation. I suggest parsing it as "a-ja-ba-tic" with emphasis on "ba". The 'i' tends to get lost.
It's like "wid-ja-di-ja" as in "You didn't bring your wife widjadija ?"
I heard that somewhere in South Dakota.
Thanks for watching Sam.
Alec
Hi Alec. Can you suggest me what wetsuit or drysuit to use to freediving and metal detecting in shalow water (up to 3-4m deep) in Adriatic sea (part of Mediteranian) during non summer months. Temperature between in not summer months are mostly from 12-20 degree celsius. I want to be able to freediving and underwater metal detecting during whole year but i do not what diving suit to get. I would love to be able to be in water for few hours and it would be great to i get just one suit to not spend too much money. Yea I know I ask too much. Please if you can answer on my questions I will appreciate your answer very much. Also there is not good youtube video that show and explain well all wetsuits type and temperature of air and sea, what to choose and how to choose. Best regards
I'm not a free diving expert, there are several TH-cam channels dedicated to the sport. You have to be warm, flexible and not constrict the chest / diaphragm area.
Check out these sites for information:
oceaner.com/product-category/freediving/
www.abyss.com.au/en/blog/viewpost/202/can-i-use-my-scuba-diving-wetsuit-for-freediving
www.deeperblue.com/a-guide-to-buying-your-first-freediving-wetsuit/
Hi all coldwater freedivers use an Opencell wetsuit which has to be lubricated with conditioner to get it on as the neoprene sticks to your body stopping the cold water flushing which would lead to Hypothermia. There are many types and many brands but having one that fits you properly is just as important for warmth. I dive in colder waters than you do and I use a Picasso 7mm wetsuit which is petroleum based but I also use a Salvimar Nebula tear resistant 5.5mm suit which is made of Limestone which is warmer than a petroleum based suit. A smoothskin or Duraprene exterior helps to keep off the wind chill which you will always get with a standard wetsuit and again helps keep Hypothermia at bay. Wearing a wetsuit shortie over your main suit will keep you warmer still but you will need more weight on your belt to be neutrally buoyant. Hope this helps, join DeeperBlue.com on the forum there are freedivers from around the world there who are willing to give advice.
I just found a Conshelf Supream with original tags still it I purchased it for $100.00.
Sounds like a great buy. Using it for diving means a full service. Enjoy and dive safe.
A
Does North America have a standard equivalent to the European EN250?
The short answer is no.
The long answer is that almost every reg made today is made to EN250 standards and is stamped to reflect that. The reason is NOT to make scuba safer. It is to make regulators sell in both the USA and Europe.
In the USA, "Made to US Navy standards" is a common reference. This implies that the regs have been tested by the navy but not necessarily so. The navy does not test every reg. They test and use some and publish their results. Other manufacturers follow those recommendations and so can say that their reg is made to US Navy standards.
The US Navy standards are different from EN250 in that the navy measures performance rather than quality. They are concerned with the regulator's performance in deep water and cold water. Not to start an argument, but a reg that meets US Navy standards is better in cold water than one that meets EN250 standards. EN250 standards for cold water are less stringent. In most respects however, the standards (if US Navy is considered a standard) are virtually the same and certainly carry the same weight.
So, a reg sold in Europe must meet EN250. Regs sold in the USA meet EN250 standards and (usually) US Navy standards too.
A bit confusing but I hope this helps.
Alec
I take a spoonful of Coconut oil before a cold dive as it raises your body temperature. Only one spoonful though as i knew a guy that took three spoonfuls and it just about blew his ears off lol.
That is a new one to me.
That's good as I have learnt so much through watching many of your videos and had many laughs. So being able to give knowledge back is a good thing.
Have you ever considered a first-stage electric heated?
has anyone ever made it?
I'm sure some have but the long extension cord was expensive. Seriously, no heated 1st stage for rec or tech existing that I know of. Even in antarctica, they use standard 1st stages but prepare and dive using specific procedures. See my video S09E05 Why Does My Regulator Freeze? for the adiabatic process most likely to cause a freeze up and free flow. Thanks for watching.
You didn't touch on one of the main points, the amount of air you are breathing. Lets assume the cooling effect is constant from the air changing pressure, then the air you breath is constantly cooling the regulator so if you dont breath as much or control your breathing and exertion then you would have a lower risk of freeze up.
I sort of hinted at that B but you're quite right. The temperature drop is directly related to the volume of air passing through the 1st stage valve. Unfortunately, one can't really control the amount of air that he's using. You need what you need. If you hold your breath for 30 seconds, the next 30 seconds you will be panting. The same amount of air will pass through the regulator.
However, you have a good point. While diving in cold water, slow, steady breathing may help reduce the chance of a freeze up. Obviously it follows that you should avoid the use of the BCD inflator and definitely don't let your buddy use the Safe Second!
Alec
I have a 5 mil wetsuit will it keep me warm in cold water
Come diving with me here in Canada! We'll show you why we wear a 7mm wetsuit!!
I love the 5mm suit. It is good for diving here in the summer and really nice and warm when diving down south.
Alec
MDO VIDEO "I have a 5 mil wetsuit will it keep me warm in cold water"
It depends on how cold and how deep. I dive in Puget Sound (Seattle area) where the water is typically 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit (7-10 Celsius), and I have a two-piece 7mm suit (so 14mm over my torso). I'm nice and warm at the surface and down to 20 feet or so, a little cool from 20 to 40 feet, and pretty cold below 40 feet. That's because a wetsuit's neoprene foam compresses as you descend, so it provides less insulation. Most frequent divers around here use dry suits. A lot also depends on the diver; some people are more susceptible to cold than others.
Easy fix? Simply turn the knob on your tank off. That will stop the free flow when you're 50feet down :D
Not a recommend action but do have your dive knife ready.
Alec
Look up the wet bulb effect
Similar to me being out there in the snow in a bathing suit!
Alec
My first dive of the year was in April the water temperature was 5 Celsius.
A cooler half full of boiling water I mixed to my preference with canal water was nice addition to my gear for the day! 🥶🤿
Very cool, oh sorry, very warm.
A.
Thanks for sharing your stories alec, nice to have something real in a tank full of bullshit.. goldfish blink blink
Oh I can BS too 33. But here I'm just trying to share some ideas. Most of what I know about scuba is the result of mistakes I've made. Maybe I can help you guys avoid them.
I'm glad you like it.
Alec
Alec Peirce Scuba- yes sir Im sure you can lol, thanks again for sharing your informative & educational knowledge. I know this will definitely help keep new dives safe and hopefully a few things mentioned will remain in the back of the head when split decisions arise.. onward & upward!! (Well or onward & downward if a diver?!) Have a good day!
Winter whats that in live in Florida
Florida does not get a cold as Canada but in summer we can be hotter and more humid. A wide range in temperatures means lots of changes in gear.
I prepare for cold water diving, by not diving in cold water.
Ha! That's one way to stay warm in cold water!!
Alec
I have a 5 or 6 millimeter wetsuit
5mm is common for cool water, say above 50 degrees (10C).
6.5mm, commonly referred to as 7mm, is for cold water 32 to 50 (0 to 10C).
However, every diver is different. My dear wife Diana wears a dry suit in Florida. I wear a bathing suit in the same water!
Alec
I have a drysuit so I never get cold. It's well worth the money in my opinion.
Move to Florida.
I love Florida. Go there a couple of times every year. I used to live there in the early 70's.
But I won't give up Ontario with its incredible different seasons, all of them special plus snowmobiling, skiing, snowboarding, skating and lots of hunting.
Take care Rick.
Alec
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter " I used to live [in Florida] in the early 70's."
I lived in Tampa from the summer of '69 to December of '72. Where in Florida did you live?
U wanna just hang out drink beer and bs lol
Oh, I'm good at that!!
Alec
or just not dive in the cold?:)
While I now definitely prefer warm water, that's an age thing. I've had some incredible diving in the cold - all over Ontario, Quebec, PEI, North Carolina, Ohio, California and even Alaska to name a few spots.
With good thermal protection, the cold water is not the problem.
Take care.
Alec
LA5150 "or just not dive in the cold?:)"
Some of us don't have the funds to travel to tropical climes. For us, it's either cold-water diving or no diving.
I'll take cold-water diving, thank you very much.
Hi divers. Please learn to deal with a free flow if it happens. If you can’t and are too far from the hole in the ice..... guess what will happen?? We should all resolve issues when they arise. Training for all failures before they happen is the way to go. Stay safe out there divers
Training, good equipment that is serviced regularly and experience is the start of a good diver. Mental discipline is still needed. Thanks for the comment my friend.