"Breathing" from your BC

[Gombessa]

I've heard that this is possible, but have never tried it. I'd also be a bit concerned about the air quality in the BC. What's the deal with it, and do you ever soap/disinfect/baking powder/whatever your bc bladder after a dive?

 

[SkuaSeptember]

If you are properly weighted and neutrally bouyant during your dive, there shouldn't be much more than 1 or 2 lungfulls of air in your BC at any point. If you are negatively bouyant there is less, and 1 breath isn't going to do you much good if this is your last resort option. If you are positvely bouyant you are now in the midst of either an ESA or a bouyant emergency ascent, in which case your focus should be exhaling.
Watch your guages,have a dependable buddy and consider a pony bottle.

 

[jsado]

I've actually done it....while wearing my bc in the house. It can't be good for you. BUT, as a last resort oh my god I'm going to die what else can I do option? Why not! The way I've actually tried it, is not just inhaling from the bc then exhaling into the air (inside a house) but exhaling back into the bc then inhaling it again. As I said, there is no way this could be good for you. I actually wonder how long you can do that for before you probably pass out or something.

Safe diving and good training should keep you out of needing this situation. I myself am considering a pony bottle. I have a great buddy, but I just feel a little safer with a great buddy and a pony bottle.

 

[pwl]

i concur - if you're needing to get air from your BC then things have gotten *way* out of hand.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I caught a couple of my students inhaling off their BC's in the deep end of the pool once; they were curious so they tried it...college students, you can't turn your back on them While I don't recommend the practice if your other choice is death knock yourself out. Then get your act together to prevent the situation from occurring again.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[ianr33]

If you "rebreathe" the air in a BC you will probably pass out pretty soon as the O2% drops. Also stand a decent chance of picking up some nasty bugs. BUT that is a LOT better than drowning. In dire extremis breathing from a BC would be a reasonable thing to do.
Of course,you should never need to do that if you are diving sensibly.

 

[bleeb]

This is certainly something you might do in an emergency, to get a couple of extra breaths, although I vaguely remember part of my OW cert course where the instructor cautioned that there was a chance of lung infection.

If you poke around on this sub-forum, you'll see comments about regular (once or twice a year for most) swishing of mouthwash inside the BC, to keep bacteria to manageable levels. I'd think that these are also affected by how soon and well you dry the inside of your BC after diving.

 

[spectrum]

Lets' face it, ir you are caught in an extended cesa and the last thing you did was exhale then anything is better than nothing. Even if the air is growing stale with each breath it beats inhaling water. You just need to remember to let air vent. The BC OPV will not protect you lungs by any stretch! Lung infections can be cured, drowning has a way of being terminal.

There is a ton written on this since it comes up every 3 months or so. A search will find lots more reading. In the end it's a contingency for a remote chance situation.

Pete

 

[Dirkadiver]

CESA on shallower dives, sling a bailout on deeper dives where a CESA isn't feasible. No need to master breathing from your BC.

 

[ianr33]

No intention of "mastering" it. Just one of those little tricks that is tucked away in the back of my brain in case I have a really bad day sometime.

Here is another one: What could you do if you have 2 divers go OOA on you at the same time?