Loose dip tube in tank??

[Brewone0to]

The purpose of the mallet is to strike a large crescent wrench placed at the bottom of the valve.
The mallet should not be used to directly strike the valve in any manner.
While diving the tanks to empty them, be aware to not be inverted,
as anything in the tank could work itself into the valve/reg assembly.
This would more than double the required time to repair and could cause loss of redundant gas supply.

 

[Bigd2722]

The purpose of the mallet is to strike a large crescent wrench placed at the bottom of the valve.
The mallet should not be used to directly strike the valve in any manner.
.

OK now I understand, thanx

 

[oldschoolto]

All of the ways posted will work.... I use a real wrench to loosen the valve ,some use a crescent, some use a mallet to smack the wrench and some smack the valve itself.... Some just bump it with the palm of their hand... It's all in the " HOW " you do it and not what you do it with... The point is the valve is only hand tight plus a bump ... I would look down on a guy using a monkey wrench :shocked2:

Jim...

I just wanted to add this from the aqua-lung tech maintenance manual, conshelf XIV... page 3 general guidelines sub part 3 "Never screw a CO2 directly into a low pressure port in case the neck of the CO2 cartridge breaks off , leaving the threads stuck in the regulator." and then on page 4 First stage disassembly sub part 6 " Screw an empty CO2 cartridge clockwise into one of the low pressure ports " How's that for confusing

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Dr. Bill here on Scubaboard had a dip tube come loose once. While at depth he swam head down and a tiny bit of rust blocked his first stage. He suddenly had no air and had to make an emergency ascent. Unless you have performed a VIP that morning, I would drain the tank now. I've had tanks rust within a month of inspection due to moisture in a shop's compressor.

 

[ianr33]

Dr. Bill here on Scubaboard had a dip tube come loose once. While at depth he swam head down and a tiny bit of rust blocked his first stage. He suddenly had no air and had to make an emergency ascent. Unless you have performed a VIP that morning, I would drain the tank now. I've had tanks rust within a month of inspection due to moisture in a shop's compressor.

Never thought about this before, but this is another advantage of doubles. Both tanks would need to get blocked by rust for a diver to have no air available. That would seem incredibly unlikely. (assuming dip tubes in place)

 

[oldschoolto]

Not all tank valves have a dip tube.... And a flak of rust could also block a dip tube, Be it some what more remote....
And the odds of a total OOA is very remote...
jim...

 

[Guba]

Dr. Bill isn't the only one on this forum to have had that happen. Same thing happened to me (my name is "Bill", too, coindicentally) on a dive in Cozumel. Not fun, but an interesting experience, to say the least. I didn't have to make an emergency ascent, but it did make for a very interesting (and somewhat amusing) hand signal "conversation" with the dive leader at 65 feet.

 

[dwhthediver]

Dr. Bill isn't the only one on this forum to have had that happen. Same thing happened to me (my name is "Bill", too, coindicentally) on a dive in Cozumel. Not fun, but an interesting experience, to say the least. I didn't have to make an emergency ascent, but it did make for a very interesting (and somewhat amusing) hand signal "conversation" with the dive leader at 65 feet.

Hmmm.... Sounds like you should be alright unless your name is Bill. I don't like diving with equipment I know has a problem, doesn't mean it will be an issue, but it might. When you fix it, drain the air real slow, or you will get "chocolate" swirls inside a steel tank. They make pressure bleed devices that we use at the shop to drain the remainder of air when a tank comes in for a VIP.

 

[KD8NPB]

It'll take less than 45 minutes to fix the problem. Instead of watching TV (or posting on scubaboard), do it right and fix the problem!

Also, when removing the valve, do not use a mallet. I just smack it with the palm of my hand, since most people just do'em hand tight and call it a day. If that doesn't loosen it, out comes the 15" crescent wrench...although that is about to be replaced with a long crow's foot + torque wrench so I can torque to the proper 50 lb-ft. It is also wise to inspect the burst disc to ensure it is the proper one for the tank, as well as it is torqued down the correct torque of 50 in-lb.

 

[redacted]

Hmmm.... ... drain the air real slow, or you will get "chocolate" swirls inside a steel tank. .

How does that happen?