Good Ways to Mount a Drysuit Bottle in Sidemount

[wetb4igetinthewater]

A local diver did have a suit heater "fire" up here using 50% as inflation gas about 3 years ago. Its a low frequency but extremely high risk failure. The assumption is there was a kinked nichrome wire in his vest which then smouldered or caught fire. It burned him pretty bad before his suit melted enough to flood (with 40F water) and put it out. After getting 2/3rd degree burns he then had to contend with hypothermia for the remaining 20mins of his deco.

Was that G?

 

[rjack321]

I use an AL6 or 1L carbon fiber (at 4000psi its about 10cf) for suit gas in SM. I use air. They mount to my waist strap on the left hand side beneath my left side SM tank. The comparable spot on the right side has my suit heater battery. My butt is full with a light canister and scrubber heater battery.

For both bottles I use 2 hose clamps with a piece of 2" webbing between them, they slide on the left weight strap. Using unconventional valves (top handle or other) can help make it feel less bulky but they can sometimes roll off easier

 

[rjack321]

Was that G?

Forget his name. Was in Lake Crescent about 3 or 4 yrs ago. A freak one off event but really bad.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Forget his name. Was in Lake Crescent about 3 or 4 yrs ago. A freak one off event but really bad.

If thats the motorcycle vest then its him. He's prettyopen about it

 

[rjack321]

If thats the motorcycle vest then its him. He's prettyopen about it

yes and there is nothing special about the "diving" versions of those. Anything using nichrome wire (looking at you Santi) is susceptible to the very same hot spot failure mode.

carbon fiber pads are less water tolerate but also wont develop a high resistance spot like wires do

this was mostly just a cautionary tail about using 50% as suit gas with a drysuit heater. you can do it and 99.9% of dives you'll be just fine. the < 0.1% not so much

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

yes and there is nothing special about the "diving" versions of those. Anything using nichrome wire (looking at you Santi) is susceptible to the very same hot spot failure mode.

carbon fiber pads are less water tolerate but also wont develop a high resistance spot like wires do

this was mostly just a cautionary tail about using 50% as suit gas with a drysuit heater. you can do it and 99.9% of dives you'll be just fine. the < 0.1% not so much

Thermolution too?

 

[lostsheep]

I think when / if I need heated thermals I’ll just commit to the suit gas bottle. The chance of a problem might be low but it’s not zero and easily mitigated.

 

[rjack321]

Thermolution too?

anyone putting any kind of li-ion battery inside their drysuit needs to think about that again.

 

[Josh the diver]

A local diver did have a suit heater "fire" up here using 50% as inflation gas about 3 years ago. Its a low frequency but extremely high risk failure. The assumption is there was a kinked nichrome wire in his vest which then smouldered or caught fire. It burned him pretty bad before his suit melted enough to flood (with 40F water) and put it out. After getting 2/3rd degree burns he then had to contend with hypothermia for the remaining 20mins of his deco.

not to mention the shock they probably went through.

 

[lostsheep]

This thread got me wondering, what's the largest bottle you've butt mounted?

I'm wondering how obnoxious an LP27 would be for running the DIL on my choptima.