Just fun, inquiring divers wanted to know..so

[ScubaSam]

Let me know next time you're at Dutch cause I wanna watch or if you'll let me, participate in the experiments.

 

[emoreira]

This is what happened after several recent threads got a group of us questioning, what really does happen when.....

So we headed to our favorite quarry with a bunch of disposable equipment, a group of over eager adults acting like adolescents, (the firemen in this group still scare me), and the skill an know-how of how to "safetly" destroy things.


These were our findings:

1.) You definately can get cell service to about 27ft and it no matter what service you had, once you hit 30ft, none of us got service. Can you hear me now??

2.) Yes, you can text easily under water above 27ft.

3.) Blackberries implode at 75ft whether inside the drysuit or outside in a ziplock. (we figured when wearing a drysuit, we are all human ziplocks.

4.) Everything we placed in a water tight "scuba" container (75.00) had no problems. oh, everything we placed in a rigid tupperware contained had no problems either.
(3.99). We were only able to go 100ft before we hit bottom.

5.) For the ladies divers in the crowd, you can apply lipstick easily underwater at any depth. But the eyeshadow application left much to be desired.

6.) Traditional batteries do not explode or rupture at depth, but do explode upon rapid ascent. We know they expode going from 100ft to the surface attached to a lift bag.
There was no effect on NiCa batteries. (wondering about divelights and cameras on this one) We had reports of some ruptures of batteries during dives, but were still inconclusive on what really happens.

7.) Luxfer 3000psi 80al cylinders do explode if over filled. Ours blew at 5200lbs at a depth of 20ft. (thats all the hp hose we had). It was loud, made a huge water spout, so we did one more just for fun. At 15 ft, (we lost some hose on the first trial), the tank exploded at 5500. ( thanks to the search and recovery crew, we recovered all parts and pieces at depth)

8.) HP Steel tanks are impossible to explode!!! They did not supply any fun, and we were all disappointed. We couldn't crank the pressure high enough. The hoses were rated to 8000lbs and blew. So we know a 120 steel can sustain at least 8000lbs. (BTW, no one was in water or in any position to be harmed. We had professionals guiding us. Two were bomb disposal people, thus meaning that a steel tank filled to 4500psi plus a little bit explosive makes an awesome sound and splash!!!)

note: When the AL's exploded, they all remained in one piece. When the steel blew, it fractured into three pieces. We're not sure if the explosive charge caused this or is this what happens when steel bursts??


9.) Accidently, we believe K valves are impossible to destroy. Although the tanks bit the dust, would you believe the valves were fine and still usuable. We chalked this up to luck and our lack of scientific rigor.

10.) Scuba masks shatter when in the water when tanks explode, We hung one off a line about 20 yards away. The mask cracked nicely. So try not to swim next to your buddy if their tank is going to explode. It might interfere with your dive.

11.) "Kats" don't like water much less scuba diving. ( no explanation will be provided)

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If there is anything one of you are curious about, and we can find it or get it donated, we'll be heading out in another month to "test" some more equipment. All ideas are welcome.

I could have found a better way to use those AL80 tanks, diving. Its a pitty that you destroy them. No need to test if they will explode and how they explode. It can be seen in the Luxfer site.

Though your tests were done in a quarry, there is still life there. Have you considered the harm that you did to the enviroment ?

I don't like people that destroys things just for the pleasure of seen them destroyed.
Those materials could be needed for someone else.

 

[MarKon]

I thought this post was pretty cool and funny. Emoreira made an interesting point, though. It would have been REALLY cool if the post was "...so we took all this equipment we were planning to blow up and gave it to some divers without their own equipment...". But it would have been much less funny, and the destroyed equipment may have been faulty.

 

[BGF]

I could have found a better way to use those AL80 tanks, diving. Its a pitty that you destroy them. No need to test if they will explode and how they explode. It can be seen in the Luxfer site.

Though your tests were done in a quarry, there is still life there. Have you considered the harm that you did to the enviroment ?

I don't like people that destroys things just for the pleasure of seen them destroyed.
Those materials could be needed for someone else.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! :mooner:

 

[ScubaSteve]

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! :mooner:

:baby:

Posted via Mobile Device

 

[sohnje]

For those who were so concerned, nothing grows nor lives in our local quarries which are basically old coal strip mining operations that filled with ground water over the years. The acidity is so high that our dive lights turn on when we don't have batteries in them.

Did I mention the explosives and safety crew??? This was also a training session. I guess the next time the firemen train, we should have them use pictures of flames attached to a house structure and have them spit at the house to simulate firehoses. This way no water would be harmed/wasted, and we could then recycle the paper. We also recieved 5.80 for the recylced metals today!!!!! Keeping it environmentally healthy.

All the equipment was outdated or taken out of service. Except for Dave's blackberry (did the insurance co. cover that?) and "kats" mask, who had more than enough opportunity to safely swim out and recover her mask. ( she's very cute but very whinny some days)


Our portable compressor (requires firedept transport) was custom from Pro Tec Air Systems. It reaches 10,000psi. (operates hydrolics and lifesaving equipment)

NO alcohol is ever present at any training excercise. In fact, we sometimes use breathilizers to prove that everyone is sober despite ther're early morning appearances. However, after training, we see who can make those little numbers go highest on that breathalizer without needing to be taken to the local detox. Did I mention the firemen that scared me?

Our next fun trip will be at willow springs. Last time the campfire was about two stories high and we were able to roast marshmallows standing 20 ft away. But never fear. evidently bunker gear protects you when you decide to walk into the fire to rearrange some logs. (really really scary firemen whom I wish to medicate did this?)

As for photos, not one of a group of twenty ever considered this. Was it due to not wanting additional evidence, or was it a MAJOR oversight that needs to be corrected as soon as possible.
Any suggestions on how to film at depth without destoying an expensive camera???

Last thoughts, beer keg at depth or pressurized at depth and permitted to surface?? What would happen if you open a shaken bottle of soda at 100ft...will it fizz out or just stay in the bottle? Menthos and coke at depth...will it still work??? Need to start getting ideas and cameras for next months adventure.
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(BTW) some of you will never be invited to one of our parties (which are awesome) until you save a life, watch someone die in front of you, or pull a child's body out of a pond and get to present it to awaiting parents. There are very few times everyone gets to have a little carthartic fun by "breaking things" and making loud explosions where no one dies. We can ship you some epoxy if you would like to put the items back together. As the thread states, for fun!

 

[tc]

I could have found a better way to use those AL80 tanks, diving. Its a pitty that you destroy them. No need to test if they will explode and how they explode. It can be seen in the Luxfer site.

Though your tests were done in a quarry, there is still life there. Have you considered the harm that you did to the enviroment ?

I don't like people that destroys things just for the pleasure of seen them destroyed.
Those materials could be needed for someone else.

Wow, you'd REALLY hate me and some of my friends then.....

 

[vtxkev]

(BTW) some of you will never be invited to one of our parties (which are awesome) until you save a life, watch someone die in front of you, or pull a child's body out of a pond and get to present it to awaiting parents. There are very few times everyone gets to have a little carthartic fun by "breaking things" and making loud explosions where no one dies. We can ship you some epoxy if you would like to put the items back together. As the thread states, for fun!

Thank You!

 

[emoreira]

Wow, you'd REALLY hate me and some of my friends then.....

No, I don't hate you nor any of your friends.
I only consider that an AL80 tank and all the related gear that you were happily destroying just for fun could be very usefull for some other people that cannot afford the cost of diving.
I'm more than happy diving. I love diving. Sometimes I cannot afford the cost of a diving trip, rent the gear and so on, nor even consider buying my own gear.
When I see people destroying things just for fun what some others cannot get, that makes me angry.
I know and I understand that you can do what ever you want with your money, time and belongings. It's your right, but wasting resources is something that goes against the rights of the rest of the people.
As National Geographics says, what every one does, counts, no matter how little it is.

 

[mkutyna]

You'd want to use a condemned tank that somebody was planning on destroying? That's very brave of you.