Left post problem

[Rick Murchison]

Hmmm... hmmm... having read through the entire thread... If I have it all right...
The problem is that if you have the suit like you like it for warmth and mobility, and need to shut down the left valve, you lose buoyancy during the shutdown - and you'd like to not do that.
So, something needs to change.
You can change the suit - too much money.
You can change the way you like it - rather not.
You can crank the drysuit dump valve down during "normal operations" and only loosen it when you need to dump air - assuming you can plan your depth changes and subsequent need to dump air this seems like a possibility. Indeed, before I retired my last drysuit the dump valve had become strictly a "press to activate" valve that wouldn't dump unless pressed - after I got used to it it was no big deal.
You can get really quick at shutting down the valve and carry an argon bottle so you can replenish the lost gas in the drysuit right quick... another expensive alternative.
You can shut down with the left arm low - already tried it and don't like it...
I think I'd go with cranking down the exhaust valve a bit - you may be able to find a setting that allows the valve to stay closed during valve shutdown but open when you do the "flex-to-dump" maneuver with your left arm, or at least find a setting that you can change instantly with half a turn in either direction.
Good luck,
Rick

 

[TSandM]

Rick, that's kind of what I've been trying to sort out, whether there's a setting where I can avoid dumping too much gas, but still be able to dump if I lose buoyancy in the other direction and start up. Since we're doing these drills in 15 feet of water, there isn't a lot of leeway either way, which makes it more difficult.

Thanks, everybody, for the ideas. I really need to pay some attention to how I'm orienting the arm (maybe the video from this weekend will help with that, too, although I'd like to solve the problem before then). I haven't been doing any stretches, because I don't have any problems reaching back there without a suit on, but since I can almost always do a better job of getting the valves late in the dive, maybe there's something to that. Or maybe I just get furious enough to stretch the suit!

 

[rjack321]

I had a dump only when pressed suit valve once. What a pita. And when you're task loaded with an OOA buddy and a SMB you'd need another hand to manage suit issues. Not a good solution IMO.

Running significantly more gas than ambient in the suit is just a receipe for problems.

Lets just see if we can get the fabric to bunch up at the shoulders from the get go and then you'll have enough where/when you need it to reach your valves.

 

[limeyx]

Yeah, well, having spent now over $3500 getting this dry suit (it's a long story) which is just tight enough that I need some air in it to reach valves, I'm not really in the mood to replace it in a hurry.

What I'm hearing at least you three say is that, as long as I need the suit loose, I'm screwed.

Well, maybe not ideal but can't you just tilt a little to the left (left-side down) before going for the valve? Should keep it low enough not to let the gas out.

 

[TSandM]

I keep trying that (left side low) but it doesn't seem that I can get that arm down enough to hold air without getting so far over that the tanks want to keep going. They have a bit of a mechanical advantage on me

Richard, maybe you and Bob can help me sort this out Wednesday. Get the valve drills nailed, and then all I have to worry about this weekend is maintaining buoyancy control under task loading, keeping a running inventory of what's working and what's not, avoiding getting task focused, and managing my diaper . . .

 

[PfcAJ]

Unless I missed something, the only options for your valve have been "closed" and "open".

Try turning the valve closed just a turn or two, this might reduce the rate of gas escaping from your suit. This is definetly not the best answer, but it might help while you sort the other issues out, such as mobility and technique.

Be sure to reach straight back, like you're touching your elbow to your mask strap. You'll get more reach and the valve might end up in a better position.

 

[stiebs]

You must have missed something. Most drysuit valves can be "open", "closed", or anything in between. Only slightly open, and air just trickles out. Half way open, it'll escape fairly rapidly. All the way open, and it should let out air as quickly (or close to) as your inflator can let it in.

 

[limeyx]

I keep trying that (left side low) but it doesn't seem that I can get that arm down enough to hold air without getting so far over that the tanks want to keep going. They have a bit of a mechanical advantage on me

Richard, maybe you and Bob can help me sort this out Wednesday. Get the valve drills nailed, and then all I have to worry about this weekend is maintaining buoyancy control under task loading, keeping a running inventory of what's working and what's not, avoiding getting task focused, and managing my diaper . . .

That sucks. I can't imagine having to put enough gas into the suit to reach the valves that it would come out when I went for a post.

Closing the valve as others (Rjack) points out seems a bit dangerous as the first time you will forget to open it is during an emergency where the last thing you want is a drysuit dragging you out of control.

I see a lot of people benefit somewhat from 2-piece undergarments (I read that in some of those Xerotherm Arctic threads) -- have you tried that approach to get some more flexibility ?

if not, there's always sidemount

 

[mania]

OK, so I have another question - maybe the problem is that you have too much gas in the dry suit? At 15 ft I have almost none. So the problem of loosing air from dry suit (and loosing buoyancy as a result) doesn't really exist.

At what depth do you start adding air to dry suit?

Mania

 

[TSandM]

I haven't tried a two piece undergarment, but I've got very good mobility in the DC jumpsuit I wear, at least I do when it's not inside a drysuit.

I don't know where anybody got the idea that I don't realize I can dial in the desired degree of resistance to venting the suit. I do know that. As I said above, that's what I've been playing with, trying to find a setting that keeps enough air in the suit to move, but still allows me to vent well enough to avoid an unintended ascent.

I'm going out Wednesday with Bob and Richard and we'll play with all these ideas.

BTW, I thought I'd share a picture of me, doing the unlisted step of a valve drill . . . You know, the one after you open your isolator, where you close your drysuit valve before reaching for the left post?

Me and Kirk