helmet diving vs scuba

[BionicBigfoot1970]

hi,

I don't dive, but am glad to find out about the sport on this site.
I'm wondering if diving to deeper depths is possible with a diving helmet vs. scuba gear. I understand that the limit to recreational scuba is about 120 feet, with deep diving limiting at about 180. Can people go deeper with helmets? Thanks.

 

[Bob DBF]

The depth record for both SCUBA and Hardhat is close to 600', and you need all manner of special gear and training. The 120' is the recommended limit for recreational divers now, when I started it as 190'. Around 200' oxygen in air becomes toxic and depending on time and the divers physiology so special gas mixes are used to stay there for any length of time or to go deeper.



Bob
----------------------
I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.

 

[Steve_C]

Note that in some resort areas there is "helmet diving". That is shallow water consisting of a helmet, open at the bottom, with compressed air pumped in from above. You walk down ladder to the bottom and stand around and look at stuff. Amusing but scuba is much better.

 

[danvolker]

Tooka article

You could use a helmet with this, but there is no need to.

 

[261311]

Since personally I equate exposure protection as part of "scuba gear", I'm going to say you'd probably go deeper with scuba equipment. You start to get to depths with extremely limiting and uncomfortable temperatures. I suppose wearing exposure protection a dive helmet would work, it did for the lead-head divers years ago but it was very restrictive and limiting. I feel much safer keeping all my equipment on me without risk of entanglement or other disastrous effects from losing my "bubble".

 

[DCBC]

The deepest depths are attained by using diving helmets. Helmets provide an almost unlimited amount of breathing gas (which is heated) from the surface to either a submerged bell (saturation diving) or directly to the Diver via an umbilical. It also allows the Diving Support Staff to provide and monitor: heat to the Diver (hot water to the suit), communication with the surface, electrical (high-powered lighting) and pneumatic equipment (tools).

Self-contained diving has expanded its 'diving depth envelope' greatly over the past few years [with the use of mixed-gas (Helium) and advances in computer science (closed circuit)]. I've completed a saturation dive to 1075' (still the deepest wet working dive in the Gulf of Mexico: Jolliet Project for Conoco - Global Industries). It took 29 days, 9 hours and 11 minutes which just wouldn't be possible without a saturation system or a helmet.

 

[BionicBigfoot1970]

How does one get into helmet diving? I'm guessing that one must be an expert in non-helmet diving before advancing to it (or not?). How much does it cost? A support team and a boat rigged with umbilical equipment can't be cheap...

thanks.

 

[Searcaigh]

How does one get into helmet diving? I'm guessing that one must be an expert in non-helmet diving before advancing to it (or not?). How much does it cost? A support team and a boat rigged with umbilical equipment can't be cheap...

thanks.

First of all you get some training at a place like this and then get a job with these guys

Not really recreational diving

 

[DevonDiver]

I wonder if the OP means this:

or this:

and perhaps assumes that one is a natural progression from the other??

 

[Searcaigh]

Reminds me of my first encounter with a Kirby Morgan Lightweight, I picked it up and said to my supervisor "I thought this was supposed to be lightweight!" and he replied "well it is compared to a Siebe Gorman hardhat"