Anyone lost a quick disconnect computer?
- Thread starter Dave.
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imasinker
Contributor
I havent lost one yet, to help avoid you might want to give this some thought. I have a cobra 2 and I keep the unit clipped to my BCD ring. I also find it helps me stay streamlined and when i need to look at it, I just tilt it a bit and read away. If it were to ever disconnect it would remain attached to me.
shotthebreeze
Contributor
Nope haven't lost mine. If you're unfamiliar with the way they connect, you push it on and twist and it locks into place. I don't think very many of them come off unless you're pressed up against something under water and twisting. I would just make sure that it's clipped good on your BC to prevent dragging. I think you should be good to go with that...
Just an FYI, most quick disconnect computers can't be removed when you have above 500psi in your tank, and even then you have to push quite hard to pull it off. You should probably be more worried about losing it while not diving, then when diving.
on_two_wheels
Contributor
Along the same lines, has anyone had or even heard of a quick disconnect failing (i.e. causing a loss of air)? One of the instructors/staff at the local shop said he discourages their use since it's one more place for failure. However, I've never heard of a failure so I use one anyway.
Unless you press it up against something with more pressure than is in your HP hose . . . there is no chance of it disconnecting under pressure . . .
I don't think you could remove a console from a QD hose, with everything pressured if you tried.
As a matter of fact I do not believe you could put one together if you forgot to hook it up before you pressurized the hose...
As a matter of fact I do not believe you could put one together if you forgot to hook it up before you pressurized the hose...
Diver Dennis
Contributor
That's being a little ridiculous in my opinion. I dive solo a lot and use a quick disconnect Cobra along with a D9. Never any problems...
Sounds like a DIR guy to me. It's your choice. I dive with one, along with pretty much every instructor at our shop, and I have no hesitation to do so.
I've seen many leaks due to worn O-rings on the HP spool. It wouldn't be much different to have a leak from a quick disconnect. In either case, the leak is limited due to the restriction in the HP flow rate.
LP ports, connections, and hoses are made to provide as little restriction as possible, except dedicated drysuit hoses, which have a restriction to slow any potential runaway inflator incidents. On the HP side, the only requirement is that the pressure can equalize, and that does not need to be instantaneous. A mere pinhole of an opening is sufficient, and in the event of an HP failure to contain the pressure, that restriction *significantly* limits the rate of gas loss. (See ScubaToys' funny little video for a demonstration.)
Anyway, since HP failure itself is nothing but an inconvenience for a recreational diver, the question becomes one of how easily one can repair the failure. With two small wrenches and a spare HP spool with O-rings (what, five bucks, maybe?), just about anyone can fix a non-quick-disconnect HP leak in less than five minutes. I've swapped out several on surface intervals right after dives. If you have a quick disconnect failure, on the other hand, can that be corrected as easily in the field? Not really.
If it's just some bubbles, you *could* just dive it knowing that if it becomes a full-on failure, you'll have to end the dive early, but if it's a fountain, there's likely nothing you can do to save the next dive. I'd just recommend, then, that any quick disconnect people just add an extra step to each safety stop. As you're waiting there, double-check that there are no bubbles coming from the area of the connection. Even turn it or wiggle it and watch. If you see any, get it repaired as soon as you're back from the dives. (Quick disconnects and HP spool O-rings rarely fail without warning. Just pay attention.) Of course, if you're not one to bring a wrench anywhere near your scuba gear, the same advice goes for you whether you dive a plain HP setup or a quick disconnect.
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