Gas Stuck Under Undergarments/one of those days

[GCullen94]

Chilly_Dipper - I have not heard the idea about gas being blocked before. I noticed on my other undergarment there is mesh on the left shoulder but on the DUI there is not. I however still believe that the bubble was stuck in between the undergarment as when I raised my left wrist I felt the bubble move up my arm to my wrist and when I cracked the seal out to let gas out none came out and I felt the bubble stay where it was.

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I thought about it and chose not to to flood via the neck for several reasons
1. The dive site was Vets park in Redondo Beach and the angle of the slope when less than 30 feet is really shallow, almost flat. We had been at 23-21 level for a long time and as our dive plan got cut short our bottom time was only 35 minutes at the time of the ascent breathing 32% with an average depth of 34 feet, max of 60.
2. I tried a wrist dump and no gas came out. I was diving with a total squeeze on the suit with no gas already in there, I felt like flooding the suit would not get anymore gas out.

The ascent was actually pretty slow for being an uncontrolled one. If I started to go light deeper than I was I would have definitely tried to flood.

I honestly can't tell you why we did 2x3 instead of 3x2. Monica's group was right next to her, Steve and I both noticed at the same time. She had apparently just gone that way when we saw her.

 

[Chilly_Dipper]

Would moisture from sweat be sufficient to cause such a trap? Either way, I've got some mods I'm going to make on my undergarment!

I ran into this allot when I first started diving a dry, and I've seen it several times with new dry divers trying to go cheap on their thermals like I did when I started. It also seems to happen more often with wrist dumps. That's what my SeaTux had. I hated the contortions I had to go through to get air our of my suit with it there.

---------- Post added October 12th, 2013 at 11:13 AM ----------

I have not heard the idea about gas being blocked before. I noticed on my other undergarment there is mesh on the left shoulder but on the DUI there is not. I however still believe that the bubble was stuck in between the undergarment as when I raised my left wrist I felt the bubble move up my arm to my wrist and when I cracked the seal out to let gas out none came out and I felt the bubble

Based on this description it sounds like a vacuum locked dump valve. When you say you cracked the seal are you saying you opened a wrist seal up or you pressed the dump valve. If you opened the seal what type of wrist seals do you have installed on your suit neoprene? Latex? Silicon?

 

[tracydr]

I ran into this allot when I first started diving a dry, and I've seen it several times with new dry divers trying to go cheap on their thermals like I did when I started. It also seems to happen more often with wrist dumps. That's what my SeaTux had. I hated the contortions I had to go through to get air our of my suit with it there.

I have a wrist dump and I've noticed very few divers have them. I guess its the common place for Diving Concepts to put a dump or my husband just ordered it that way because that's how he's always dived. I've been wondering if I need to get this changed, especially if I do some tech classes or Fundies, where my position and ascents are so important. What other problems are associated with a valve in this position? I did notice that I had issues with my thicker undergarment being trapped on the valve but if I make sure it feels free and clear on the surface it seems to work fine.

 

[Chilly_Dipper]

I have a wrist dump and I've noticed very few divers have them. I guess its the common place for Diving Concepts to put a dump or my husband just ordered it that way because that's how he's always dived. I've been wondering if I need to get this changed, especially if I do some tech classes or Fundies, where my position and ascents are so important. What other problems are associated with a valve in this position? I did notice that I had issues with my thicker undergarment being trapped on the valve but if I make sure it feels free and clear on the surface it seems to work fine.

Allot of open water divers like it there since it is exactly where it needs to be for the classic open water ascent taught in the class. The problem is once you start getting your trim in order to dump air from the wrist requires you to come further out of trim then a shoulder dump does. Also think about how you would dump in a narrow space such as a corridor in a wreck.

I know that allot of photographers like it there as well since they come out of trim allot when taking pictures and a shoulder dump will actuate sometimes when they are in that position.

There is no real rule about it that I know of (can't speak for the GUE school of thought they seem to have rules for everything) about the position of the dump valve, but personally I wouldn't have anything else other then a shoulder dump on my drysuit.

If you want to move the dump it's not that big a deal SI-Tech has blanking ports that can be installed to seal the hole and you can move the dump with relative ease (if you're not sure pay someone to do it). Or alternatively I have seen suits with multiple dump valves on them

 

[tracydr]

Thanks,CD. That's what I was afraid of. I guess I can always try a GUE Primer or just talk to the instructor and see how it goes before trying the Fundies with it. That, or just work at ascents a lot, which is my winter plan anyway, and if its a problem, I can send in the suit to get the valve moved. I wonder if the blanking valve will fit whatever I have from Diving Concepts?

 

[Chilly_Dipper]

Thanks,CD. That's what I was afraid of. I guess I can always try a GUE Primer or just talk to the instructor and see how it goes before trying the Fundies with it. That, or just work at ascents a lot, which is my winter plan anyway, and if its a problem, I can send in the suit to get the valve moved. I wonder if the blanking valve will fit whatever I have from Diving Concepts?

I'll let you in on a little secret There are not that many dry suit valve manufacturers. Almost every suit has a SI Tech regardless of what the logo on the valve says.

 

[undrwater]

sitek or apeks. I prefer shoulder dump. the diameter is likely the same as folks will switch out dump valves as personal preference.