Integrated Inflator/Alternate Air

[GP]

The bungee necklace safe second seems to me like a more reliable idea too. I may ditch my Zeagle octo + for a bungee'd TX-40 back-up at some point. The only reason I got the octo+ actually was because it was already on the "used demo" Ranger that I bought at my LDS and I got a pretty good deal on the package with full warranty.

 

[buff]

I like the bungee idea-kind of. The one rescue I performed resulted in my reg. getting pulled from my mouth. It was my buddy. I learned a lot about rescue diving a few short minutes.

In any other rescue, or life support situation the theory is to secure your own airway before you help others. The DIR theory is that the victim is going to take whatever air supply there is-even out of your mouth--So why not just let them and have your backup close at hand(bungeed under your chin)?. But that means in every emergency situation you have to remove your own reg. and put in a different one. That situation can be difficult. You're trying to save someone's life and they are, basically trying to kill you. You then remove your reg.-now you have to place the other one in your mouth-purge it- and hope to God you can breathe from it(probably can since you checked it before the dive). But it's just more steps and more stress in an already stressful situation. Too many exchanges of regs.? Additionaly, what about a diver who is out of air,but isn't panicking-YET. They swim over to their buddy with the last bit of air in their lungs. Only to find that they have to do a number of hand signals to get some air!! instead of just grabbing that dangling octo. and breathing. I would think that by the time you made it to your buddy you don't feel like "talking" much and you just want to breathe. If you weren't panicking by the time you got to them you would be after trying to tell them what is going on.

The bungeed necklace would keep your reg. out of harms way and out of the muck-a lot of that here in MN.

Just trying to way the pros and cons.

 

[GP]

Originally posted by buff
I like the bungee idea-kind of. The one rescue I performed resulted in my reg. getting pulled from my mouth. It was my buddy. I learned a lot about rescue diving a few short minutes.

In any other rescue, or life support situation the theory is to secure your own airway before you help others. The DIR theory is that the victim is going to take whatever air supply there is-even out of your mouth--So why not just let them and have your backup close at hand(bungeed under your chin)?. But that means in every emergency situation you have to remove your own reg. and put in a different one. That situation can be difficult. You're trying to save someone's life and they are, basically trying to kill you. You then remove your reg.-now you have to place the other one in your mouth-purge it- and hope to God you can breathe from it(probably can since you checked it before the dive). But it's just more steps and more stress in an already stressful situation. Too many exchanges of regs.? Additionaly, what about a diver who is out of air,but isn't panicking-YET. They swim over to their buddy with the last bit of air in their lungs. Only to find that they have to do a number of hand signals to get some air!! instead of just grabbing that dangling octo. and breathing. I would think that by the time you made it to your buddy you don't feel like "talking" much and you just want to breathe. If you weren't panicking by the time you got to them you would be after trying to tell them what is going on.

The bungeed necklace would keep your reg. out of harms way and out of the muck-a lot of that here in MN.

Just trying to way the pros and cons.

Well...true but if they are going to grab your dangling octo they have to find it first and then grab it not knowing the EXACT spot that it's at if it's "dangling". That could cost valuable time too and worse yet if it's clipped to your BC somewhere they gotta deal with freeing it too.

 

[monster]

It's all just a matter of practicing, and getting familiar with your buddy's equipment BEFORE the dive, especially if you've never dived with that buddy before. I mean, I've seen someone grab a side-exhaust regulator out of someone's mouth and then not know how to purge it, and so she (OOA diver) just ended up bolting for the surface anyway.

PS, depending on the unit, you can actually unscrew the entire hose attachment from the BC and ship just the hose and integrated regulator unit, not the entire BC.

 

[The Chairman]

the entire hose. Simply undo the hose clamp or zip-tie that attaches the valve to the tube. You might need to slide the cable capture pin to one side to release the dump valve pull cable.

When I first bought gear a few years ago, the "salesman" was adament about having a "professional" installation. So I watched as he fumbled around to put my AI inflator on my BC. After 20 minutes or so of watching him, the store manager, and every other Tom, Dick and Harry in the shop try to figure it out, I asked if I could see it. A quick twist took out the spacer that was stopping them from putting the IA inflator in. I then asked when I was going to get paid for doing their installation for them.

MOST procedures/equipment repairs take nothing more than a screwdriver. Get as intimately familiar with your gear and it's configuration as possible. NEVER try any adjustments or changes you are uncomfortable with. IT's your butt on the line, so act like it. Don't believe the "hype"...

 

[monster]

Yup, if you just send the regulator unit in, you're only out whatever it cost to ship it, have it serviced, and a new tie-wrap to reattach it to the hose.

And if you do what NetDoc did, you can get the service center to pay YOU, and that should cover your costs...

 

[roakey]

Originally posted by monster
It's all just a matter of practicing, and getting familiar with your buddy's equipment BEFORE the dive, especially if you've never dived with that buddy before.

And this is the beauty of DIR. If I were to show up in Lost Yooper's neck of the woods someday, we'd know each other's configuration and emergency procedures without any need for discussion.

There'd be no need to play the game "Where's your octo?" Let’s see, this guy has it in a right pocket, this guy has it on a plug below his BC’s waistline, this guy has a left-handed octo fastened in the center of his chest and this guy has an inflator/reg combo so I’ll be getting his primary. This is just the kind of list of options I’d like to be running through as I’m desperately swimming up to someone for air. Not.

For LY, in any emergency I’d know his procedures, exactly where all his equipment is located, how his hoses are routed and how to get him out of his gear quickly, easily and efficiently. And he’d know the same about my gear and me. Even though we’ve never met.

DIR raises the level of safety and efficiency for an entire team. Individual preference, special configurations, etc. only serve to reduce that level of safety and efficiency.

Roak

 

[Lost Yooper]

BINGO, Roak!

You're invited too.

Mike