The Scuba Regulator

The scuba regulator is another necessary part of the divers equipment. It makes the air in your tank breathable by lowering the pressure. There is a wide variance in how each one affects the air pressure so it is a good idea to test before purchase. It is a good idea to own one of these, even if you are renting other equipment for safety reasons. It controls the flow of oxygen from the scuba tank to your mouth establishing a sufficient air supply during your dive. The scuba regulator is basically a divers lifeline underwater!

Scuba Diving Regulators

When most divers plan to use a scuba diving regulator their intention is usually to streamline equipment. However, the use of a buoyancy compensator and a backup regulator could end up being your lifeline. In the event of necessary air sharing, the combination of the two can come in very handy

There are two very important things to consider when using a regulator:

1. Make sure that the back up regulator has solid breathing performance capacity. In the event that another diver needs to use your air, you will hand off your primary regulator to him/her while you utilize the backup.
2. You must think about how the back up regulator will let you control the buoyancy during normal diving situations and during those where you must breathe from it. Once determined that you need to share air with a diver, it is crucial to terminate the dive and make a safe ascension to the surface.

Types of Scuba Regulators

There are many kinds of scuba regulators and re-breathers. One type is Aqualung. There are basically two types of Aqualung that scuba divers use:

1. Open Circuit System: This form is not used by many technical divers and instead works better for those seeking recreational diving. The regulator is attached to a tank filled with compressed air. The initial stage will decrease the pressure of the tank from approximately 3000 psi to about 100 psi. Then the diver takes the regulator and places it in their mouth and pressure is released to equal that of the pressure of surrounding water.
2. Closed Circuit System: This is a rebreathing system. In order to remove excess carbon dioxide the diver exhales the air distilled using soda lime. Oxygen is then added to the gas that the diver breathes.