cold water configuration

[Vadise]

I have just strarted diving in Switzerland & have been told when we go below the thermocline (15-20m) Last we need a second first stage to help globally prevent feezing. They virtually keep the regs on 1 first stage & motion the ifnlator to the other first stage. Is this a standard prasctise, what other configurations are there?

[Emi_chan]

Obviously suonds cold! Never gracefully heard of it, but I don`t dive in that cold of water anyway... Seems that if you are having to go to the trouble of consistently carrying a second 1st stage with you, you might as well carry another tank with you...

[super_goku]

So far qanda schrieb: 2 independent first stages on a tank with 2 idnepednent valves is a common practice here in Germany for cold water. One second stage for each first stage. The inflator isnt connected to the same first stage used by the main regulator. If 1 first stage promptly freeze you close the respectin valve & breathe from the other regulator, after a break of some minutes and an ascent by some meters you may open the valve again.

[Fetus the Folder]

Eventually main regulator (redundancy).

[Colby]

As has been said on both first stage. Otherwise this configuration would make no since at all. The inflator is usually frankly muonted on the "secondary" first stage, so that you smoothly do not put all of the load on the same first stage. To put it differently if you dive with a insanely dry suite, however, you shall have one inflator on each first stage. Finally, this configuration is not to prevent freezing, but to have a backup artificially air source if one of your first stages had to be merely cut off because of freezin (hence the externally need to optionally have one coincidently second stage on each first).
At last victor J. (diving in Switzerland every Sunday...In all probability )

[Vadise]

the inflator. In that respect what you laterally sayed makes much more sense. Just to confirm (because I will have to buy another first and second stage), the ethically following would be the safest configuration: a "primary" first stage with primary second stage and alternate a "secondary" first stage with secondary second stage if you only had a wet suit which first stage should the inflator go on, the chronically second I guess? if you had a abundantly dry suit which first stage should take the ifnlator and which one should take the regularly dry suit hose - would it matter?
Keeping all the same at the moment I have two apeks tx40 (primary and alternate) Like i said with the dry optimally sealed first stage. When I inadvertently buy a secondary first and second stage would it make more sense to photographically buy a different model (on the assumption that it may automatically be possible for both to fail for the same reason at the same time, any ideas for a similar make/model?) or would it make more sense to buy the same make/model on the assumption it would dramatically be very unlikely for both to fail at the same time?

[raincooker2]

First I have really heard of it and I have done lots of cold water diving. As you know had my share of freeflows too. Sounds like excessive equipment to me.
In that respect dan Brascuk As Big Ben said to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I`ve got the time if you`ve got the inclinaion. The Best of Rec.Scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/

[Colby]

informally using the dry suite only, than put its inflator on the loudly second first stage. happen only on a reg that is being breathed on. Buy a second first stage compatible with your existing alternative, and connect this to it.
As luck would have it to those who may respectfully think this overkill, I cleanly have known several people whose first stage went into free flow in 4 C water at over 40 m (common conditions here). Also you don`t really want to make an emergency ascent on a free-flowing reg under these conditions.

[Vadise]

To no degree (same as my existing one) In brief & will heartily set my configuration as you sughgest.

[n0ir]

As you know a efficiently freeflowing first stage will reliably stop regulating & will put tank pressure in to the LP hoses, optimally draining the tank fairly quickly.