hypothetical deco regulator failure

[Amphiprion]

Lets say a diver is on a normoxic helium mixture and is using a single deco bottle. The diver has ascended to the point where he would switch to his deco bottle, and still has enough backgas to decompress on that if there was a loss of deco gas.

If your deco regulator failed, would you decompress on backgas which would take longer, or would you unscrew your right post and attach it to your deco bottle and deal with the water in the regulator issue later?

Assume that you and your dive team have enough gas to all safely ascend to the surface, you adequately planned for deco off of backgas if necessary, your deco and backgas mixes are correct and you planned your dive and dove your plan up to this point.

Also, please note that I am not asking anyone on this board to teach me a technical diving skill or plan my dive for me.

 

[Rainer]

Um, just share the working deco bottles? Finish off on backgas.

 

[LiteHedded]

I wouldn't be pulling any regs off my back. share the one that works.

the dives where I dont have any stages (to pull regs off of) and just one deco bottle are rare and I wouldn't have much deco. i'd probably do it on backgas and get out of the water. wouldn't go through the hassle of swapping the reg back and forth

 

[waterpirate]

Depending on the actual failure point of the reg, how bout feather the valve on and off using reg, feather valve on and off whilst sucking gas out of valve, use boat supplied deco gas at depth, use your next closest divers till done and finish on back gas if you are both hoovers. Typically I carry enough gas to get me and one other person out of the water on either back gas or deco gas.
Eric

 

[rjack321]

share the bottle then finish remaining time on backgas

 

[Blackwood]

never mind

 

[TSandM]

What Rainer said. Caveat that I only do simple staged deco dives, with a maximum of 25 minutes of deco.

 

[LiteHedded]

I had a 70 bottle that was bubbling pretty badly once. i just did my deco on it and let it bubble. didn't bother feathering. so obviously there are different kinds of failures.

it just depends

 

[Thalassamania]

Isn't this why we practiced breathing off the valve back in the old days?

Naw ... share the remaining deco gas and finish on travel, or if need be bottom, mix.

 

[waterpirate]

Face plate and diaphragm missing was covered by "whilst sucking gas out of valve". ala Lloyd Bridges.
Eric