I'm such an idiot!

[Scared Silly]

When I taught at my University on the first night of class we explained to students that if a cylinder was upright they had to have their hand on it or otherwise be in control of the cylinder. Otherwise if caught by anyone they owed that person a coke. It was a bit of game but worked quite well. And instructors were not immune.

 

[BWes]

Ouch! Reminds me of the time I got back to the dive shop from a long multiday dive trip. I was tired, hungry and my mind was not in the moment. Threw all my gear into the back of the pickup BUT forgot to close the tailgate. Thankfully, no tanks. When I got home, much to my surpise, no gear. Every orifice went into full pucker mode. I backtracked my route but found nothing. Later that day an honest, true saint of a human gave me a call and said he found all my gear lying in the middle of the street, got my phone number/name out of my log book and asked were we could meet. I got everything back with only minor scratches to the gear bags. I really won the lottery that day.

Stay in the moment

 

[spc751]

In my area anyone who leaves a tank standing upright has to buy a case of beer to share.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

One way to avoid ever standing a tank up is to remove the boot. Of course this only works with steels not aluminums.
I see (or used to see when I dived there a lot) was tanks standing up all over the lawn at the Breakwater in Monterey. They were all singles being used by students. But they were on grass so if they fell over it would most likely be OK provided there wasn’t something hard for the valve to hit nearby. All the doubles sets I would see all had the boots removed and they were always laying down. Yes they do tech training there too.

 

[Fishdip]

So yesterday I managed to pretty much destroy my twinset rig through shear stupidity. What's worse I did this in front of my students having previously given them a lecture on stowing kit properly and not leaving stuff stood up on the benches.

Yesterday was a normal teaching day at our local quarry and everything went pretty well. Students were good and everything went according to plan.

We finished the last dive and I sat down on one of the raised benches to get out of my kit. Then the brain fart. I always turn round immediately and lay my rig down before anything else. Not this time. Whether something distracted me or not, I don't know, but I decided to walk off, remove my drysuit, chat, have a cup of tea, etc, all whilst my twins were precariously balanced 4ft off the ground. Not satisfied with this, I then sat on the opposite side of the bench to take my thermals off. In my dumbass mind I must have thought this thing I decided to lean against was a thoughtfully erected backrest for middle-aged divers, but no, it was my teetering twinset. Next thing BANG, as my rig dropped head first onto solid concrete.

I don't know what was worse, the sight of a twisted manifold, valves and both first stages, or the pitying look from my fellow divers. All joking aside, fortunately the valves or first stages, didn't shear otherwise someone could have been hurt, rather than just my pride and wallet.

I'm not yet sure how much it's all going to cost in repairs and replacements as I chucked it all in the car and can't bring myself to look at it but, by the time cylinders have been inspected as well, I'm in for about a grand.

Moral of the story, don't be distracted from your usual routine and don't think you're beyond the advice you happily dish out to new divers. One of our regular DM's even noticed my twins, but assumed I knew what I was doing as the senior staff member so didn't feel he should say anything.

Worst thing is I can't even use it as an opportunity to get new upgraded shinny kit, as my rig was perfect for me as it was.

Oh well, enough of the pity-fest.

I have done the same thing! But now when you tell new divers to all ways lay the tanks down you are speaking from experience!

 

[Jeff_O]

I have done the same thing! But now when you tell new divers to all ways lay the tanks down you are speaking from experience!

Wonder if it matters what you were taught about this at training. My semester length class at a community college for ow training, had always maintained laying tanks down. Dive shop training I saw going on while getting air fills, I saw every tank upright. This not just inside carpeted area, the ones on cement by the pool instruction use too. My tanks were the only ones laying down. This was until they were done being filled and removed from the water tank. Then on cement standing up. The New Science of Skin and Scuba Diving text does tell of some idiot at a shop using a wrench for some strange reason on the valve at neck of a tank. A missile developed and with great detail it explains the end results. I did actually see just the effect of a blown burst disk on a tank valve and how it spun in place on a dock. Just a thought if the valve would have hit one of the dock cleats. Oh the humanity of it all. Makes you think?

 

[Graeme Fraser]

OK guys, a week is a reasonable period of self pity / contempt and inner loathing, so time to move on.

Looks like I may have been more fortunate then I have any right to be. Confirmed damage so far is:

Complete Apeks twinset valves and manifold set
Due to supply chain issues, this has been difficult to source. Most places (including Apeks) are quoting 3 month lead time. However, I got lucky and found a set, which should arrive this morning. I know I could have just bought a different set from Dirzone, etc, but I'm just a sucker for the smooth buttery feel of the Apeks valves.

Fingers crossed, the cylinders are OK. Our local test centre is pretty confident the neck threads wouldn't have sustained damage, but will test and confirm. I dropping the manifold off on Tuesday, then away for a few days commercial diving work and should be good to pickup again Friday.

Apeks Tek3 first stages x 2.
I've stripped my first stages and am hoping the internals are OK. Both handwheels and 300bar handwheel connectors / DIN barrels are wrecked but, apart from some nasty scratching and light gouges to the body, I'm hopeful. I've cannibalised the relevant parts from a couple of my stage regs (DS4) and run some tests and they're performing fine / holding pressure, etc. I'll get our test centre to double check and order replacement parts if they're happy.

All in, I'm probably looking at about £300, which is considerably better than the £1,000 I originally estimated. However, still a lesson in complacency and my kit will forever carry the scars to remind me of my stupidity.

Thanks for all your messages of support guys.

 

[BoltSnap]

looking at about £300

This includes the price of the manifold and valves you bought?

 

[Graeme Fraser]

This includes the price of the manifold and valves you bought?

Yes. About £200 for the complete manifold / valve set and approx £100 for the 2 x handwheels and barrels.

 

[Wibble]

Yes. About £200 for the complete manifold / valve set and approx £100 for the 2 x handwheels and barrels.

If you can get the manifold out, get a couple of blanking plugs then sell the two valves to sidemounters.

Seriously! If the valves work then they'd be excellent for bailout duty.