Blown o-ring at depth :o
- Thread starter Tigerman
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Deep South Divers
Contributor
I've seen it happen a number of times to yoke valves. Compared to DIN valves, which have a thicker, more robust o-ring that's better protected and "captured" as it's said, yoke valves are much less reliable. DIN valve o-rings are on the regulator and not on the valve, which means that they are typically better cared for, are less often exposed to sunlight, and are usually replaced periodically during regulator maintenance. As such, I have never experienced a catastrophic o-ring failure on a DIN valve, yet seen it several times on a yoke valve.
That said, when traveling, DIN valves are much harder to come by... So the best solution I can think of is to own and use DINs, but be prepared to use a yoke via an inexpensive DIN/yoke adapter. Or... Whenever possible, bring my own tanks.
That said, when traveling, DIN valves are much harder to come by... So the best solution I can think of is to own and use DINs, but be prepared to use a yoke via an inexpensive DIN/yoke adapter. Or... Whenever possible, bring my own tanks.
Scott T C
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I would also suggest if traveling and you don't want to bother with the transportation of SCUBA tanks, then just carry a bag of good quality O-Rings with you and when you rent a tank, just swap out the O-Ring or ask the company you are renting it from to swap it/them out when you rent the tank.
It would be a cheap, simple way to help ensure that the chance of it happening again is as remote as possible.
It would be a cheap, simple way to help ensure that the chance of it happening again is as remote as possible.
all4scuba05
Contributor
If the tank was left open, would it help in keeping water from entering the regulator?
dumpsterDiver
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all4scuba05
Contributor
I will be rephrase the question.
After shutting down the tank valve, air was no longer blowing out the gap
between the first stage regulator and tank valve. If the valve was left open,would the
air leaking through the gap have helped keep water from entering the first stage regulator
through that same gap?
After shutting down the tank valve, air was no longer blowing out the gap
between the first stage regulator and tank valve. If the valve was left open,would the
air leaking through the gap have helped keep water from entering the first stage regulator
through that same gap?
Nitro91
Contributor
40c wow that is hot. what was the water temp
i would be diving with just undies in 40c
i would be diving with just undies in 40c
Well it is Egypt- quite famous for being hot
When I worked in Djibouti for diving we used to get 55 in the sun. I went back to Sharm in late June for a week holiday I was wearing a fleece sweater during the day.Blown O-rings aren't common underwater as usually the initial stress of opening the tank is the last straw for worn/damaged O-rings. Often the problem with Yoke O-rings comes from people tightening the handwheel to much and pinching or cutting in to the rubber.
But catastrophic equipment failures can and do happen (rarely). I was guiding a diver also in Sharm (Tiran) who's primary 2nd stage reg basically popped off the hose at Jackson Reef. It was maybe 10mins in to the dive- we were at maybe 24m. The diver handled it really well considering I had to jam my octo in to his mouth through a wall of bubbles and then turned his air off as the hose was whipping us, we ascended as an OOA but never found the second-stage.
Like many posters above said- water in the first stage wasn't exactly my priority.
Deep South Divers
Contributor
Yes... Until the tank was empty.
Once the tank was empty, likely both the first stage and tank would flood... Which is bad for both of them.
Better to shut down and have to rebuild your regs than not shut down and have to rebuild your regs and tumble a tank too.
OP
Tigerman
Contributor
Theres also the "hassle" aspect of the bubbles flying all over the place if you leave it open, but once again, when you can actually watch the gauge and see the pressure dropping by the second, the main thing is to make sure you have a gas source to breathe from and anything else is just a inconvenience..
In this case the tank would probably have run empty before we where at the surface anyways and as the o-ring was blown as bad as it was, the only way wed be able to make her regulators a viable source of gas would be to actually replace the o-ring under water anyways.
**** unfortunately happens, but it was dealt with and the dive ended and we went to the bar to have a few beers (which she got to pay), so it was all fine.
Even more so because I didnt have to pay for the beer myself
In this case the tank would probably have run empty before we where at the surface anyways and as the o-ring was blown as bad as it was, the only way wed be able to make her regulators a viable source of gas would be to actually replace the o-ring under water anyways.
**** unfortunately happens, but it was dealt with and the dive ended and we went to the bar to have a few beers (which she got to pay), so it was all fine.
Even more so because I didnt have to pay for the beer myself
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