Lake Attersee fatality - Austria

[BlueTrin]

According to rumours in the German speaking part of the world, the deceased diver was known to accelerate deco by manually pushing the PO2 way beyond what is acceptable with the MAV. You can't even set the JJ/Shearwater controller to such a high set point. So not an equipment issue, but rather a user issue. But this is hearsay and if not appropriate, MODs can delete at discretion.

p.s. I am only mentioning this here as a warning not to manually push the PO2 limits to accelerate deco. It would seem obvious, but appears to be quite common practice unfortunately.

So I don’t have any knowledge of CCRs but when you push PO2 up, is the diving computer receiving back the PO2 via a sensor and then it would adjust your tissues in real time ?

 

[Turtle78]

So I don’t have any knowledge of CCRs but when you push PO2 up, is the diving computer receiving back the PO2 via a sensor and then it would adjust your tissues in real time ?

Yes. If you manually push your PO2 above your standard setpoint, say from 1.3 to 1.6 or even higher, the controller would adjust i.e. shorten the deco accordingly in real time. Or in other words: the controller calculates deco according to the programmed gases and real time PO2 (to my understanding).

 

[Dave Kay]

There are various CO testers. I've tried a few different models, some no longer made. No one likes the extra costs, upkeep, and then the tank testing until you find a bad tank. The cheapest approach is using this unit Inspector https://www.sensorcon.com/collections/best-selling-products/products/portable-carbon-monoxide-detector-meter?variant=4193480964 and gallon ziplock bags.

There is a sale on this week, using code NOV2020 to get $25 off.

Hi thanks for the reply. How would I use a detector on a boat with tanks provided. Is it like a nitrox meter that you hold up to the tank outlet? Or what?? Thanks

 

[DandyDon]

Hi thanks for the reply. How would I use a detector on a boat with tanks provided. Is it like a nitrox meter that you hold up to the tank outlet? Or what?? Thanks

Some models are like that. When I use the cheapest Sensorcon model, I use a gallon ziplock bag to trap the gas with the unit already on and inside. A few pointers with that approach...

1. Do not put the bag over the valve before cracking the valve as you may shoot the bag and unit 20 feet overboard. It happened to me once with a smaller unit I was trying out. The valve was sticky and when it opened, it came on faster than wanted.
2. Buy the ziplocks with the handles for fastest closing.
3. Take enough bags to use a new one every day as they develop leaks with boat handling.
4. When you do place the bag on the valve, have all of the air out and hold the bag tight to avoid sucking in outside air which will give you a false positive from motor fumes.
5. Leave the unit turned on 24/7 as the battery is good for at least 2 years at which time the unit needs to be factory service with new sensor and battery. Use it in your hotel room as they never have CO alarms but hotels have water heaters, etc., carry it in your car to avoid CO poisoning there, and carry it back to your home to use as a backup alarm for the units you have at home.

For other uses, the Sensorcon would need to be calibrated frequently but for diving the sensor includes an auto calibration that's close enough. It gets boring checking tanks until you find your first dangerous one.