How much do you open your tank valve?

[Johnoly]

All the way! Anyone who does different with modern valves is ignorant or misinformed.....

LOL!! Well except for pony valves where we Open them ALL the way,,,,,and then immediately CLOSE THEM all the way and jump in the water.

 

[Marie13]

Also, take a look at the Vindicator valve knobs if you own your own tanks. I like them. They aren’t strictly related to your question but they are very interesting from a related safety standpoint.

I have them on most of my tanks. Love them. They came standard on the valves on a new set of tanks last year.

If a dive op ever touches my valves, I will be slapping the hands of whoever dared do it. And give them an earful.

A buddy likes the 1/4 turn back. I told him he does what he likes, but to never touch my valves unless I ask him to for some reason.

 

[tomfcrist]

LOL!! Well except for pony valves where we Open them ALL the way,,,,,and then immediately CLOSE THEM all the way and jump in the water.

Or on a rebreather...where 1/2 turn on is just fine.

 

[TMHeimer]

I still turn it back a little (maybe not a quarter turn, I really don't know). Because that's what my first instructor said to do. That was in 2005. I know most agree it's best to turn it all the way on. I probably would do that if I did more than one charter yearly and had a chance of a DM turning my air off by mistake. On that one charter I make dead sure it's on.
My problem (even once a couple of years ago....) was that about 5-6 times I actually forgot to turn my air on. But, those were my usual shore dives--very benign, gradually sloping bottoms, etc. I noticed no air probably while donning fins in 4 feet of water. And most of those shore dives are solo. So, in my case, I don't think it matters whether I turn it all the way on or 1/4 turn back. Works either way.
Of course I agree with all who say take several breaths, check SPG, etc. before jumping off a boat.
Can someone explain to me how a DM winds up turning off someone's air by mistake? Don't all tank wheels turn on and off the same way? If the DM turns it the correct way and find's that it only turns 1/4 of a turn would the DM not assume the air is ON? Why would he/she then turn it the other way and OFF?

 

[BRT]

I still turn it back a little (maybe not a quarter turn, I really don't know). Because that's what my first instructor said to do. That was in 2005. I know most agree it's best to turn it all the way on. I probably would do that if I did more than one charter yearly and had a chance of a DM turning my air off by mistake. On that one charter I make dead sure it's on.
My problem (even once a couple of years ago....) was that about 5-6 times I actually forgot to turn my air on. But, those were my usual shore dives--very benign, gradually sloping bottoms, etc. I noticed no air probably while donning fins in 4 feet of water. And most of those shore dives are solo. So, in my case, I don't think it matters whether I turn it all the way on or 1/4 turn back. Works either way.
Of course I agree with all who say take several breaths, check SPG, etc. before jumping off a boat.
Can someone explain to me how I DM winds up turning off someone's air by mistake? Don't all tank wheels turn on and off the same way? If the DM turns it the correct way and find's that it only turns 1/4 of a turn would the DM not assume the air is ON? Why would he/she then turn of the other way OFF?

We are very careful to do a breath check before we get near the water. People have died by not doing that.

 

[tomfcrist]

We are very careful to do a breath check before we get near the water. People have died by not doing that.

People have also died eating lunch...R.I.P. Mama Cass.

 

[gcarter]

When I got certified for diving, the instructors told all of the students to open the tank valve completely, then turn it back 3/4 of a turn. I thought this was the norm, and I trusted the dive instructors, but I've seen online that this practice isn't actually safe! Is the tank valve supposed to be completely open, and were my dive instructors wrong? I've done some dives since my certification, and I haven't experienced any problems yet, but I want to be safe for future dives.

All the way.

 

[clownfishsydney]

All the way and a tiny bit back, never a problem in 4050 dives!

 

[scrane]

All the way! Anyone who does different with modern valves is ignorant or misinformed. Hopefully those aren't offending terms.

This is a very silly matter to get so passionate about.

 

[CT-Rich]

This is a very silly matter to get so passionate about.

This is ScubaBoard, what else were you expecting?