Can lights and valve drills

[astrofunk]

Hi all -

Here's the scenario: You're diving doubles with a completely DIR rig, including a can light. Your lighthead is on your left hand, and you've run the light cord under your long hose.

When doing a valve drill, at the point of shutting down the left post, do you "thumb" the light (i.e. shift it to your right hand) while closing the valve with your left hand? Or do you just leave the light?

It seems to me that thumbing the light occupies your right hand, which might be better left free to switch regs once you've breathed down your backup. On the other hand, it prevents you from shining the light all over while working the left post valve, which is a good thing.

What's the DIR protocol here, if there is one?

Thanks!
Steve

 

[vbcoachchris]

move to a temp hold with the right hand

I run the light cord over the long hose

My primary is in my mouth when I shut down my left post, so I can just purge the back up after I shut down the left post.

 

[Jay Roy]

When manipulating the left valve, you switch the light to the right hand, using a "temporary hold" gripping it not by the goodman handle, but by the top of the lighthead...You should be using the light to signal the team when shutting down a valve as well...

 

[MonkSeal]

...and you've run the light cord under your long hose.

Light cord goes over long hose.

 

[astrofunk]

Thanks all for your responses!

You should be using the light to signal the team when shutting down a valve as well...

Okay, that makes sense, and certainly seems to be the consensus.

My primary is in my mouth when I shut down my left post...

Ah, so you've already switched back to your primary, which makes having the lighthead in the right hand less of an issue. I was imagining leaving your backup in your mouth while turning off the left post, then breathing down, then switching regs, then turning the left post back on. But I think even in that scenario, you'd want to temporarily hold the light in your right hand, and manipulate both the left post valve and the regs with your left.

Light cord goes over long hose.

Both over and under have their merits. I route under. This issue has been hashed out elsewhere, and I didn't intend it to be a a part of the question.

Thanks for helping me split these hairs!

best,
steve

 

[amascuba]

Here is the drill as I was taught

1. Signal your team that you are about to start a valve drill.
2. Purge your backup regulator to be sure that your left post is on.
3. With the light in your left hand, start signaling your team mates by moving the light side to side.
4. Turn off your right post.
5. Breath down the primary regulator.
6. Switch to backup regulator.
7. Stop signaling with your light.
8. Clip the primary regulator off to your right d-ring.
9. Give an OK signal.
10. Turn the right post back on.
11. Unclip primary regulator from the right post.
12. Purge the primary regulator to verify that the right post is turned on.
13. Switch back to the primary regulator.
14. With the light in your left hand, start signaling your team mates by moving the light side to side.
15. Turn the isolator off.
16. Stop signaling with your light.
17. Give an OK signal.
18. Turn the isolator back on.
19. With your right hand, grab the light head and remove it from your left hand.
20. With the light in your right hand, start signaling your team mates by moving the light side to side.
21. Turn off the left post.
22. Purge backup regulator to be sure that the left post is turned off.
23. Stop signaling with your light.
24. Give an OK signal.
25. Turn on the left post.
26. Purge your backup regulator to be sure the left post is back on.
27. Give an OK signal.

 

[astrofunk]

Huh -- it seems like most folks are already back on their primary when working with the left post.

How do you know you've turned your left post valve all the way, if you don't breathe down your backup?

 

[rongoodman]

You purge it down.

 

[matt t.]

Huh -- it seems like most folks are already back on their primary when working with the left post.

How do you know you've turned your left post valve all the way, if you don't breathe down your backup?

Good question. I was taught to breathe down both regs before switching either way.

 

[SparticleBrane]

You purge it down.

Correct, this was left out from amascuba's list. Other than that, nice writeup.