MOD Stickers

[PfcAJ]

I am first of all trying to understand the advantage of a preprinted, permanent sticker over one written on duct tape with a magic marker when it comes to reading the markings at depth. Is it a visibility thing? Are the permanent labels easier to read in poor visibility or something?

Next, I am trying to remember when there has been an incident caused by a failure to read a label correctly at depth. I know the details of too many incidents of oxygen toxicity, but pretty much every one was actually caused by a failure of protocols on the surface--the divers went into the water thinking they had a different gas in the tank than they actually had. The one that comes closest in my mind is the WKPP incident when the diver dropped off his stage bottle at the 70 foot depot and took his 70 foot bottle as the stage and breathed it to 200 feet. In that case, though, I never heard there was a problem with bottle marking, though.

A dedicated bottle *only* sees one gas.

Swapping mod markings with duct tape and magic markers introduces yet another variable - should this tank have 50% in it or did I forget to swap the marking? Did I swap the marking but not put 50% in it?

My 50% bottle only and always gets filled with 50%. There’s not even a little bit of question.

I’ll call your attention to Carlos Fonseca who was SURE that his oxygen cylinder had nitrox in it. He “analyzed it” and everything.

He’s dead now because he was wrong.

If he had the discipline to only put nitrox in nitrox tanks and only put oxygen in oxygen tanks he’d probably be alive. But instead he didn’t. He introduced a variable that didn’t need to be there.

Not sure if you guys have noticed this, but it’s never *one thing* that gets you. It’s a series of events. Every time. The more variables you can reduce the less chance you have to **** something up along the way.

Technical diving has enough variables. Don’t make it worse by being too cheap to buy a scuba tank. They’re almost free. I got an al80 for 25 bucks the other day. They nearly grow on trees.

 

[boulderjohn]

A dedicated bottle *only* sees one gas.

Swapping mod markings with duct tape and magic markers introduces yet another variable - should this tank have 50% in it or did I forget to swap the marking? Did I swap the marking but not put 50% in it?

I solve that problem using a protocol that some people seem not to have thought of--I analyze my gas before doing a dive. If Carlos had done that, he would be alive today.

 

[C Dub]

It’s your life, so belt and suspenders is appropriate.

Permanent stickers on tanks, and only the stickered gas mix in that tank.

Analyze before diving, and mark it again. Preferably while your team mates watch.

If you want to get casual, it’s your life and your call. I’ll continue to be anal and try to reduce/remove all the variables I can. Both for me and my family, and my team.

 

[PfcAJ]

I solve that problem using a protocol that some people seem not to have thought of--I analyze my gas before doing a dive. If Carlos had done that, he would be alive today.

He “did”.

 

[boulderjohn]

He “did”.

What are the quotation marks for? He clearly did not, despite the pleas of other who were there.

 

[PfcAJ]

What are the quotation marks for? He clearly did not, despite the pleas of other who were there.

That’s my point.

Variable reduction.

Dedicated tanks is one more variable you’re controlling for. The second you step away from that you’re needlessly introducing something you have to account for.

 

[PfcAJ]

The only reason not to dedicate tanks is to save a nickel. That’s the only benefit.

Maybe if an al80 or an al40 is too much for you to afford you should reevaluate your choice of hobby?

 

[tomfcrist]

How is analyzing your gas before a dive an “additional variable”?

 

[tomfcrist]

The only reason not to dedicate tanks is to save a nickel. That’s the only benefit.

Or if you use ideal mixes vice “Standard” mixes.

The only standard mixes I use are 50% and O2.

 

[shoredivr]

And by analyzing your gas before a dive, this means *right* before the dive. Not weeks and weeks and weeks ago like what I understand happened with Carlos.