Are scuba regulators life-support equipment?

[Tigerman]

Are you serious? You need to get your bcd serviced semi annually! It's Life Support Equipment (TM). Isn't your life worth the $59.99 semi annual fee?!

You know what? Between my BCD, SMB and being properly weighted I think I have options enough to just give my BCD whatever care it needs and looking it over myself. And if I dive a heavier rig I have a drysuit as well so I think Ill make due without life sustaining tank attachments that I make fairly minimal use of as far as lift goes in the first place

 

[dmoore19]

Further discussion is futile. Everybody knows a Jacket BC and split fins mean you are going to die anyway.

 

[Tigerman]

Further discussion is futile. Everybody knows a Jacket BC and split fins mean you are going to die anyway.

Thats why I combine those to with a bigass camera so that I make sure I get pictures and maybe even video of it!!

 

[dfx]

I would be one who would disagree with a diving regulator is a life support system.

Reasons why I believe this is that if you were to stop breathing it would be unable to support your life...

That goes against the definition of an astronaut's space suit being his life support system. He also needs to breathe on his own.

I don't think you will get a lot of disagreement with the idea that a breathing gas system is a life support system for a scuba diver. But, if you are diving safely, that breathing gas system has sufficient backup and redundancy that no single failure of any component of that system should be life threatening. That is, the loss of a regulator, is not life threatening if you are diving safely. Unfortunately, a regulator may be life support for some divers. What does fix it is a properly planned and executed dive looking at the breathing gas from a system standpoint.

As explained earlier, a life support system isn't a life support system only if its failure is immediately life threatening. None of the mentioned examples of other life support systems have that property. A failure is only life threatening is nothing is done about. A diver's air supply failing is life threatening only if he doesn't either procure a backup supply from somewhere, or surface. QED.

 

[Nemrod]

Are you serious? You need to get your bcd serviced semi annually! It's Life Support Equipment (TM). Isn't your life worth the $59.99 semi annual fee?!

I do not even use a BC(D) most of the time and when I do I still do not actually use it. And, a BC is not life support and it is not a life jacket unless you can show me the USCG rating tag.

The OP wanted another inane argument, so he could prove a point that is pointless.

N

 

[cmulvaney]

I do not even use a BC(D) most of the time and when I do I still do not actually use it. And, a BC is not life support and it is not a life jacket unless you can show me the USCG rating tag.

The OP wanted another inane argument, so he could prove a point that is pointless.

N

Not really, just thought it was interesting.

 

[Nemrod]

Not really, just thought it was interesting.

Well, here is something interesting for you, I am the life support equipment in my kit, particularly the part between my ears, everything else is secondary or even extra. I find it interesting that most people depend upon something other than themselves.

N

 

[KeithG]

Hell No! uhh, whut was the question? (I have ignore the first 15 pages of posts)

Since this question is in the Basic Scubah Discussion forum I claim the answer MUST be NO.

But I am happy to entertain the idea that many (most?) beginner divers think the answer is YES. I used to think it was. I was told so by my LDS. But i lerned.

I participated in a drill during my training where we swam as many pool lengths as possible on a single breath. As a wimpy swimmer, i was last at about 50 feet. But this simple drill illustrated that depth was not your enemy. 50 horizontal, 50 feet vertical.

If you are are basic diver doing simple dives, then the surface is readily available to you. You are not dependent on your regulator. It is nice, it is not necessary.

 

[scubastingray]

I do not even use a BC(D) most of the time and when I do I still do not actually use it. And, a BC is not life support and it is not a life jacket unless you can show me the USCG rating tag.

The OP wanted another inane argument, so he could prove a point that is pointless.

N

You're not a lot of fun at parties, are you?

 

[Splitlip]

I have to chuckle at the comments that a reg is not life support if you dive as a team or if you have a backup (what?). Gas source with another regulator. That's why we have our team mates' octos or long hoses. Backup life support.
when I dive solo, I have a pony. On that pony is a reg.

---------- Post added February 1st, 2014 at 11:01 AM ----------

Oh, while I'm in the life support camp for regs, a bcd certainly is not life support. It is a great convenience. I dived for 8 years without one. 15 if we count the pre cert dives with dad on Long Island.