Non motorized air supply for back country

[impfected]

Hi guys,
What solutions have you come up with to get air while diving in the back country without use of a compressor? Is there one?
How deep can you go with a snorkel?
I have me a drysuit and a mask, but only a small dredge without a compressor. I'd like to get to the bottom of some holes that are just a little deeper than my arms!
Thanks,
Al

[russau]

assuming that you have a 2inch dredge, itll only work effectively for so deep and you wont need a compressor for its ability at that depth.using a snorkel at its manufactored lenght is it at its best, unless you want to dip down and hold your breath like you were snipeing.

[libertydave]

I don't believe that you would call this 'diving' however last summer I saw a dredger diving and working with a small dredge that did not have an air compressor. He was a couple of feet underwater with a flexible breathing tube and a snorkel's mouthpiece that was connected to a floating surface snorkel. Here's the description since I've not seen this breathing unit before.

This underwater breathing unit included a snorkel mouthpiece and approximately five feet of lightweight and very flexible 3/4" plastic tubing. The tubing extended up to the surface and connected to a 24 inch dia. circular plastic float (bright red and yellow) that included a diver's snorkel in the middle with the valve projecting about 18 inches above the surface. As the diver moved around the hose and float followed him. It was not home made and it had no motor and no regulator, just a mouthpiece on long breating tube with a floating surface snorkel valve. Best of all it worked. Anyone seen this before or have more information?

Liberty Dave

[russau]

he had to be huffing and puffing to move all that carbon dioxcide up and out of that 3/4 inch tube and then sucking for freash air. i dont think id want to try this!

[Bill44]

With a tube that long theres no way you would be able to clear the carbon dioxcide.Listen to Russ don't try it.It mite work but not four long.

[impfected]

Now what you described sounds like what i was thinking of. If there was a one way valve and a way breath out underwater, that would take out the co2 issue. I guess I'll try a web search and see what I find. I was thinking there was a limit to snorkel depth due to more technical diving aspects other than CO2 issues.
But otherwise it sounds like most you all are using a compressor. No special secrets?

[Joe S (AK)]

Everyone knows what a foot valve is - and so ....

Put a one way input valve (going towards the mask) in the air line a way ways before the mouthpiece. Put another one way valve with the discharge going out into the water between the first valve and the mouthpiece.

One way air in, through the input valve, past the closed discharge valve and into the mouthpiece and into the lungs. THEN out of the lungs and out of the mouthpiece and out the discharge valve.

Just like a scuba system except it is lung powered.

As long as this is close to the surface it should be OK.

[impfected]

So I just finished searching some dive sites and have found that anything deeper than 2 feet is near imposable to breath due to the pressure of the water. Your chest muscles just cant expand your lungs. One guy described being down 4 feet and that it felt like trying to breath out of a straw.
I guess i better start growing longer arms....

[Bonaro]

http://www.airlinebyjsink.com/the-hows/ ... ctive.aspx
http://www.dexmarine.com/powerdiv.htm
http://www.seabreathe.com/index.php?mai ... ducts_id=2

Or you can go oldschool...

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[Hoser John]

Yep 2' is about it and not even close to that for smokers-John