Does this really ever happen? How often has /does a regulator actually fail?

[sierrakilo]

As an instructor, I've spent a good deal of time underwater and have seen a few accident over the years.

The most common is basic human error - regulators will apparently shut off a depth because the valve isn't open (people doing the quarter turn back, and getting it wrong - happens quite frequently) A previous poster resported something, that sounds exactly like that (the regulator delivers air upon resurfacing)

A few burst hoses, and wet breathers.

I've only once heard of a diver, who used a stageregulator that had ben flooded (apparently a dunce must've dropped it in (salt) water without the dustcap. The resulting weakingning of the main spring, resulting in the spring failing catastrophically during a dive - redenring the first stage inoperable. Thankfully the guy, doing his first tec course, had it happen to a stage reg - so there were plenty of alternate gas-supply options in the group. It'd be very serious if it'd been a regulator on a typical singletank setup, and the buddy had been as far away as you often see in the tropics.

Best regards,
SK

 

[Scubadude_LA]

In 30 plus years of diving I have had one complete failure of a reg that free flowed the tank empty near the end of a dive.
I have had 6 or 8 other issues that happened immediately after having annual service on my regs, basically human error or just a complete lack of competence by the technician.

 

[Ste Wart]

How often has /does a regulator actually fail?

Not talking about an out of air situation.

I'm talking a situation where you have plenty of air in your tank and you simply can not breathe off your reg.

Also to expand on this, how many of these regs were actually maintained properly?

Moisture in the tank caused a powder build-up on the filter leaving me air-less at 14m on a solo dive in Malaysia one time.

 

[george_austin]

to quote Bill Murray from the movie STRIPES...That's a fact Jack! Unfortunately, some events evade failsafes.

Really, I've never, ever ever seen nor heard of a regulator failing completely while on a dive. Can you give me an example of "some events" ? which evade failsafes. I'm not talking about hoses bursting or operator screw ups like those listed above. I'm not saying you're wrong but I cannot see how from a purely engineering design standard that a regulator fails COMPLETELY and in a CLOSED mode of op

 

[Bob DBF]

How often has /does a regulator actually fail?

Not talking about an out of air situation.

I'm talking a situation where you have plenty of air in your tank and you simply can not breathe off your reg.

Also to expand on this, how many of these regs were actually maintained properly?

I'm assuming you are excluding freeflows, since you are breathing off the reg during those even though it is not optimal.

Not yet! I have heard of it happening, mostly centering around crap in tanks clogging the dip tube, if any, and reg. Not so much now as the yearly viz cuts down on that happening.

On the other hand, I keep an eye on my regs which includes testing and visuals on a regular basis, additionally I run extensive in water tests when a technician or I rebuild a reg. Because of the crap in tank issues, back in the day, I would check my tanks regularly before shops got into that biz. I have had some issues, usually related to ignoring minor problems, none of which have ended with a reg failing closed.

Theoretically, any failure can occur. Take appropriate measures, if necessary.




Bob
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That's my point, people, by and large, are not taught that diving can be deadly, they are taught how safe it is, and they are not equipped with the skills, taught and trained to the level required to be useful in an emergency.

"This is scuba board, where problems are imagined or overstated......and chests get thumped about what some would do about those "problems" "- PullMyFinger

 

[Frosty]

Really, I've never, ever ever seen nor heard of a regulator failing completely while on a dive. Can you give me an example of "some events" ? which evade failsafes. I'm not talking about hoses bursting or operator screw ups like those listed above. I'm not saying you're wrong but I cannot see how from a purely engineering design standard that a regulator fails COMPLETELY and in a CLOSED mode of op

George I can personally assure you that it does happen. Repeating my post from earlier I personally had my first stage fail.The cause was found to be ally oxide had completely blocked the filter.I dive steel at home and the regs had less than 10 dives on them from servicing. so it was definitely from a rental tank used whilst on holiday.

 

[BoltSnap]

George I can personally assure you that it does happen. Repeating my post from earlier I personally had my first stage fail.The cause was found to be ally oxide had completely blocked the filter.I dive steel at home and the regs had less than 10 dives on them from servicing. so it was definitely from a rental tank used whilst on holiday.

But this isn't a regulator failure, this is Tank failure to deliver air to regulator. We are talking about regulator failure as far as I know.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

But this isn't a regulator failure, this is Tank failure to deliver air to regulator. We are talking about regulator failure as far as I know.

He said filter, assume he means the sinter filter on the inlet of the reg. In theory, the dip tube in the tank should keep an alum oxide or rust from blocking it. It is not unheard of for the dip tube to fall out of poorly maintained tanks. In this case, a diver going inverted can give his reg a shot of water / oxide / rust whatever is in the bottom of the tank straight into the reg at up to 3000psi.

 

[BoltSnap]

He said filter, assume he means the sinter filter on the inlet of the reg. In theory, the dip tube in the tank should keep an alum oxide or rust from blocking it. It is not unheard of for the dip tube to fall out of poorly maintained tanks. In this case, a diver going inverted can give his reg a shot of water / oxide / rust whatever is in the bottom of the tank straight into the reg at up to 3000psi.

Yes, but the root cause is something that started with the failure of something else not the regulator (root cause is in the Tank). This is no different than the tank running out of air and thus the regulator fails to deliver air but the regulator isn't the root cause of the failure in delivering air in both cases. The regulator in this case was doing its job no problem until a problem outside the regulator blocked the flow of air to the regulator and hence no air. The regulator hasn't failed internally at all, it will still work with a different full tank.

 

[Ste Wart]

Yes, but the root cause is something that started with the failure of something else not the regulator (root cause is in the Tank). This is no different than the tank running out of air and thus the regulator fails to deliver air but the regulator isn't the root cause of the failure in delivering air in both cases. The regulator in this case was doing its job no problem until a problem outside the regulator blocked the flow of air to the regulator and hence no air. The regulator hasn't failed internally at all, it will still work with a different full tank.

No it won't.

The filter is now ruined.

Trust me.