Ran out of air today...

[El Orans]

As I had already completed my safety stop, I indicated to my buddy that I was out of air, got his long hose a few seconds later. We then proceeded to ascend and were at the surface two minutes later.

Afterwards he said that he was wondering whether this was a exercise, I assured him that it wasn't. If so, it would have been part of the pre-dive briefing.

Why is easy.



A gauge that's showing 30 bar/ 450 psi when not connected to a tank tends you give the wrong idea about your remaining air pressure.

When told of the problem, the LDS that supplied the gear (AquaDiving Veenendaal) arranged for another shop (Scuba-Academie - Bootduiken, Duikopleidingen en Vulstation in Vinkeveen) where I'll be taking a course tomorrow to replace the faulty gauge. Problem solved. :thumbs_up:

Could I have prevented this?

Probably. :blush:

I noticed that the starting pressure was higher (180 bar / 2610 psi) than I remembered it to be (150 bar / 2175 psi) but I attributed that to the tank having spent some time standing in the bright sun. Also, when the tank would be submerged the pressure would then return to normal giving me a correct indication of the remaining pressure.

However, surfacing with 50 bar / 725 psi as taught in my Open Water class would have prevented this.

 

[300bar]

Yikes,you better get some NEW gauges. Guess I have some around somewhere.

That must have hurt your pride.
Knowing how you are on predive checks,:rofl4:

 

[El Orans]

I was diving El Zee's set-up (dive #3).

Her tanks were filled, mine weren't.

 

[ScubaSam]

Holy crapola, Laurens.

Thanks for sharing and glad to hear you're okay.

 

[Teamcasa]

Good to hear all turned out fine. Now toss that DIR ZONE gauge and get a good air intergrated computer.

 

[fppf]

LOL, I find it totally hilarious that the gauge has "DIR Zone" on the face! Unless I'm reading that wrong. So much for mechanical gauges never failing.
Sounds like your true OOA situation was handled well, kudos to training and practice drills.

 

[300bar]

Good to hear all turned out fine. Now toss that DIR ZONE gauge and get a good air intergrated computer.

I told him a long time ago,BUT he won't listen,I offered a PP2 for a very good (SB) price but

LOL, I find it totally hilarious that the gauge has "DIR Zone" on the face! Unless I'm reading that wrong. So much for mechanical gauges never failing.
Sounds like your true OOA situation was handled well, kudos to training and practice drills.

Must be a DIR thing.

 

[tc]

Had an analog depth gauge do the same thing once years ago.

Glad you're OK El!

I'd save that gauge for someone to use as a teaching aid.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Hey EL so glad you are ok great reminder to us all that our equipment is never fool proof and we need a fool proof buddy close by. Glad it all ended well and I got a good reminder. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Crowley]

first post in this forum so hello everybody!

Worth mentioning that this sort of thing can be caused by regulator flooding - i.e. rinsing a regulator without its dustcap - something that happens a *lot* to dive shop rental gear especially. Over time the little tube inside that moves under pressure can corrode and warp leading to exactly this sort of problem.

As a former IT consultant turned dive instructor, I have this inbuilt paranoia about anything computer-related... so it's all analogue backups for me!

Safe diving,

C.