Mares V16 cold water

[Bob-B]

I purchased a Mares Proton V16 reg (non metal) from a guy I know. He told me how he has never had any trouble with cold water freeflows etc. He still has two more of the same regs for his wife and a pony. He has started to go into tech diving-deep diving.

My LD made mention that they could put a cap on the end and seal it up with silicon sealer to keep water out of the spring area and lessen the chance of the 1st stage freezing up from ice forming in the spring area of the 1st stage. Then he made mention of about $140 and then we moved on to another subject.

I didn't say anymore about it, but it just struck me wrong. Does anyone have any experience with this reg in cold, and installing a seal on the first stage? Is this the Environmental Kit? $140??

I am a new diver and to this point have been in warm water only, but want to start diving here in the Great Lakes this summer. All my diving will be in the Recreational Diver range for now.

Thanks for any information you can give.

[FyVe]

call another place for a price (hint ST hint)

[Bob-B]

I just had Scuba toys do the annual service in January, and was thinking of e-mailing them about this.

But I also know that there are a great many people on this Forum with knowledge far surpassing my meager ability and who may have had experience with this reg and having this modification done.

What I love about the forum is that you get a wide range of opinions. If you take a little from the far right, and some from the far left, you usually end up with an answer that is what you should do. But if everyone is to the right, you might want to start looking to the right.

Thanks for the reply, and yes Scuba Toys is at the top of my list for People I deal with.

[texdiveguy]

I have had several stock V16's down to 40F for extended use and had no issues with them.

[FacDave]

Alot will depend on how you breath....huffin' and puffin' will increase your chances of a freeze up. Earlier in my cold water diveing career, I froze up 3 reg's at the same time - Lake MI in April,7 degrees. I had 1 Oceanic Delta4 w/ "enviro seal" (yeah, right), and 2 Oceanic Omegas...all froze at 130 ft. moments of getting there (2 regs on an h valve 1 on a pony). Free ascent w/ little air really sucked (literally and figuratively). Fortunately, no dcs. Since then, I upgraded to an APEKS...never had the problem again.

[FacDave]

BTW, I meant 37 degrees, not 7 (duh)

[texdiveguy]

Originally Posted by FacDave

Alot will depend on how you breath....huffin' and puffin' will increase your chances of a freeze up. Earlier in my cold water diveing career, I froze up 3 reg's at the same time - Lake MI in April,7 degrees. I had 1 Oceanic Delta4 w/ "enviro seal" (yeah, right), and 2 Oceanic Omegas...all froze at 130 ft. moments of getting there (2 regs on an h valve 1 on a pony). Free ascent w/ little air really sucked (literally and figuratively). Fortunately, no dcs. Since then, I upgraded to an APEKS...never had the problem again.

Just because a reg. is environmentally sealed in no way assures it will not 'freeze up'. Top of the line cold water gear can freeze at the most uncomfortable times as you experienced. Actually the Oceanic Delta 4 is and hearty reg. and preforms well in cold water settings. The Apeks, though a good reg. are still subject to freeze ups....allot has to do with your pre decent protocols.

[CODMAN]

Bob, how cold are we talking? I've had my V16 down to 45 ºF at about 90 feet, without a problem. This said, If was intending to do a lot of Very cold water diving, I would be looking elsewhere as the V16 is obviously not a reg designed specifically for cold water (oh, by the way, in my books very cold starts around 39ºF)...

Just my 0.02$

Originally Posted by Bob-B

I purchased a Mares Proton V16 reg (non metal) from a guy I know. He told me how he has never had any trouble with cold water freeflows etc. He still has two more of the same regs for his wife and a pony. He has started to go into tech diving-deep diving.

My LD made mention that they could put a cap on the end and seal it up with silicon sealer to keep water out of the spring area and lessen the chance of the 1st stage freezing up from ice forming in the spring area of the 1st stage. Then he made mention of about $140 and then we moved on to another subject.

I didn't say anymore about it, but it just struck me wrong. Does anyone have any experience with this reg in cold, and installing a seal on the first stage? Is this the Environmental Kit? $140??

I am a new diver and to this point have been in warm water only, but want to start diving here in the Great Lakes this summer. All my diving will be in the Recreational Diver range for now.

Thanks for any information you can give.

[Bob-B]

Believe me that I do not like COLD. I have found that the older I get the less I like the cold. That is why the wife and I go to Mexico in February. That said, I do not plan on Ice diving or anything near to it, and really only want to dive some of the wreck sites and play around in some of the local dive spots in the summer. Mostly I will be going out in the summer months and early fall when the water is still somewhat warm.

If a 7mm suit is not enough, I'll be sitting home by the fire!

My only concern was what the LD said and was I looking for trouble with the reg as it is now. What Texdiveguy said seems to fit what I was told by the previous owner.

[CODMAN]

Bob, if you can do the dive in a 7mm wetsuit, I'm sure the V16 will have no problem with that kind of temperature! I dive the St-Lawrence river and am often in 14mm (2x 7mm). My V16 has had no problems with those kinds of temperatures. And it doesn't have the environmental seal on it!

It's a great little reg! Enjoy!