Crazy valves

[aquaregia]

Well, another fun experience this weekend.

So I was using a 15L tank with a valve I'd seen but never used before. It looks like this picture below but whereas in the picture the knob controls the outlet next to it, this controlled the valve across from it. What this meant was that the left post controlled the right regulator, etc. With this style of valve, I can reach the right post okay, but I can't for the life of me reach the left. This was to be a shallow recreational dive, so I didn't really plan on needing to be able to do a shutdown. I also didn't want to reroute all my hoses, so I kept my primary on the right outlet (ie left post). I said to one teammate on the way down that if I had to shut down a post that I'd probably do the wrong one.

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About 8 minutes into the dive, I blow the oring on the second stage. It had probably been a year and a hundred dives since I lubed it, but it still seems odd. So, I shut down my right post when I realize that it wasn't going to help, so I opened it back up again and went for the left (correct) post. Not being able to reach it, I signalled to a teammate to shut down my primary. Then I purge and switch to my backup, and it feels like that's breathing hard. I realize that my teammate thought that I'd shut down the right post and left it shut -- he didn't see me open it back up again. So, to be helpful, he closed the primary and 'opened' the secondary. My second teammate was right in front of me, so I casually signaled for some air, which was received, while I opened my secondary again. We then did a nice controlled ascent... sort of.

Actually it was a bit slow getting started because I vented my wing too enthusiastically and couldn't put air back into it. So, I learned the lesson of redundant buoyancy (thanks drysuit!). I also rerigged all my hoses for the second dive so that my right post did what I thought it did.

 

[300bar]

Seeing you're from Germany, I would've guesed you knew this one. It's the new "failed, M 26"new standard for nitrox The orange post is a cross valve, they should be open at all times. during the dive. We see them quite alot over here.

 

[aquaregia]

I'm also new to Germany (perhaps also failed?)

 

[300bar]

I'm also new to Germany (perhaps also failed?)

Oops, sorry thought you where German, NW's
It's just something the EU tryed to force upone us and was ...Hmmmm let's see... NOT Acepted

 

[Akimbo]

Interesting concept, really poor human factors design. Are there other components that work with this valve?

 

[Jax]

Just in case others ignorant like me are perusing this thread: M26

1st August 2008

What is a M26 Valve?

This is the type of scuba cylinder valve that must be fitted to any new cylinder that is going to be used with any gas greater than 22% oxygen, this is a European directive that came into force in August 2008.

This will match any regulator supplied in the European Union which has been designated for use with gas containing an oxygen content greater than 22%.

In simple terms if you buy a new set of regulators for nitrox use they will come with a M26 fitting and if you buy a new cylinder for nitrox use then it will come fitted with a M26 valve.

We are fully equipped to service clean and test your M26 valves and regulators.


If you are buying a new valve and cylinder we would recommend that you get the valve threads "Gauged" to ensure the quality of the valve your buying. ( this is where the valve threads are checked against a certified standard gauge)


What's it look like?

It looks similar to the Din type of valve, just slightly bigger.

The valve should have the information stamped or etched on the valve itself.

 

[Jax]

Another article NITROX CONNECTIONS Which way will the M26 take us? - Divernet

Mike Harwood of the UK's Health & Safety Executive told DIVER that his organisation had voted against this move, on the basis that the scuba-diving industry was mature, and that there was no evidence to suggest that significant mistakes with cylinder filling were being made.

The HSE was out-voted, however, and the proposal became a recommendation. The standard is not mandatory yet, and as far as we were concerned in the UK, the idea had simply gone away. As of Feb 2007

Sounds like a fix to a problem that didn't exist?

 

[300bar]

Interesting concept, really poor human factors design. Are there other components that work with this valve?

The whole (EU dipsticks) idea was to make a seperate eanx valve.
All divers and fill stations said F you
All din regs work, so no problem at all.

 

[300bar]

Another article NITROX CONNECTIONS Which way will the M26 take us? - Divernet



Sounds like a fix to a problem that didn't exist?

Yes and No.

For places where 300 bar is NOT common it could have been, but since most if not all fill stations do 200 and 300 bar. The whole thing was just an other paper tiger.

Just an other bunce of non diving paperpushing civelservants

 

[Akimbo]

OK, after some time with Google and reading the links here, I am still fuzzy about the valve aquaregia posted and the M26 “standard”. It looks like this is one of many implementations of EU’s M26 standard, true?

These relatively conventional valves are sold as M26

DIN Valve "left Side", 232 bar, "EU Nitrox M26/2&

DIN Valve Mono, 232 bar, "EU Nitrox"

So is the M26 regulator connection different from what is commonly called 300 Bar DIN in the US? I take it the cylinder thread is 26mm versus the previous 25mm standard.