Near Death Experience!

[bilznut]

I just went back to the first post and realised she never said she was in Jamaica, I just assumed it was Jamaica.

 

[divenut2001]

I just went back to the first post and realised she never said she was in Jamaica, I just assumed it was Jamaica.

You might want to go back to the first post again and click on the poster's name and read "his" profile.

 

[StSomewhere]

2) Yes, I did check out the rental gear, but the leak was coming from the manual inflator on the bc, and I missed it and was very small to begin with.

I know this is an old thread, but it reminded me of something I saw on my second boat dive.

There was a guy who -- first thing on the boat -- put together his rental gear (BC, regs, console) and fully inflated his BC and then shut off the tank valve and I remember thinking what a strange thing to do. When we got out to the reef he checked that his BC and regs were still fully "charged" with pressure, i.e. no leaks. I remember wishing that I had known enough to do the same thing with my rental gear.

 

[phlee]

Good Idea, no reason to even shut off the input pressure, assuming no leaks. Pull the dumps, exercise the inflator hand vale and check again. You can aslo manual inflate( use your lungs) during this procedure, just to save the tank air, but don't forget to use they system air to test the BC inflator valve. A short squit is fine. These valves can get sticky and stay on. A good rap on the side of a tank can help.

 

[Sideband]

Good Idea, no reason to even shut off the input pressure, assuming no leaks. Pull the dumps, exercise the inflator hand vale and check again. You can aslo manual inflate( use your lungs) during this procedure, just to save the tank air, but don't forget to use they system air to test the BC inflator valve. A short squit is fine. These valves can get sticky and stay on. A good rap on the side of a tank can help.

Actually, this test requires the tank be turned off after the system is pressurized. If you don't turn it off it is very hard to tell if there is a small leak because it would have to leak several cubic feet of air in order to register as a pressure drop. With the system charged and turned off, a few cubic inches of loss will register as a noticible drop in pressure.

Joe

 

[LuvsItWet]

Nightmare realized.

Pony bottle. Your DM should always carry one, and donate when necessary, a diver at depth with 500psi qualifies. (Diver recriminations should wait until topside debriefing.) After donation to the almost OOA diver, the DM should gather his thoughts and plan for a ascent with ALL concerned divers.

How was that supposed to help me? If you re-read my original post, I had 550 lbs. left at 70'. That's NOT an out-of-air emergency, and plenty to safely reach the surface. And have you checked out the airlines requirements to take ANY kind of air tank lately? Major headache! And in all the dive trips I've been on, I've NEVER seen a DM with a pony bottle, but I agree, it sure wouldn't hurt to have on, just in case!

 

[LuvsItWet]

If 150 lbs is the minimum, then this type of unit wouldn't have worked for the person in question. They had only 100 psi at the surface.

A whistle would have been a better option at that point.

In my post, I stated I DID use my whistle, but in those conditions it was useless. It's still good to know how much pressure is required to activate the dive alert though.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[phlee]

Actually, this test requires the tank be turned off after the system is pressurized. If you don't turn it off it is very hard to tell if there is a small leak because it would have to leak several cubic feet of air in order to register as a pressure drop. With the system charged and turned off, a few cubic inches of loss will register as a noticible drop in pressure.

Joe

Thanks for this input, your right. Reading the air pressure guage with supply off will mark a leak.

 

[GrierHPharmD]

#4 we've had a couple of threads on SB dealing with signalling devices and some have indicated that a CD is not at all effective. Here is a thread that you might find interesting in that regard.

Thanks for the link. I, too, had fallen under the impression that a CD was an acceptable signalling device. (Actually, I think Rodale's had a short sidebar recommending this a year or so ago.)

Guess it's time to hit the LDS or West Marine for a real signal mirror. I'll add it to my horn, my whistle and my ever-present sausage. Now I just need to spend the bucks and buy a Dive Alert...

-Grier

 

[LuvsItWet]

Just so you all know, I'm getting back on the "horse that threw me". We're going back to hedo II this June, and I'll be diving, but ONLY safely this time! I WON'T be afraid to speak up and embarrass the dive operators if necessary.

Again, Thanks for all of your input, I learned a lot. I have a dive alert, my own gear, sausage, and a signle mirror.

I hope I'm ready for round 2.

Mark