near drowning due to regulator failure
- Thread starter barbara
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skippy77
Contributor
just wondering were was zour alternate air source that u could use in case of problems like the + that arose anz waz thanks for sharing great u are o.k
Ironhed
Contributor
in my book this is rule number one. when getting a reg serviced you should dive with a very suitable pony setup until you are 100% sure your rebuilt reg is working right. from what I understand this is not uncommon to have a problem after aan overhaul due to the fact there are too many people that are not fully qualified to be working on them. I would have to really trust someone to dive a rebuild without having a complete backup.
ChrisA
Contributor
ShakaZulu:
Right after service is the most likely time for a failure. Actually with equipment the worst time is after any kind of change. For example I just swapped out an SPG and HP hose yesterday and I'll be diving tonight after work. I will be double certain to do a full-on "bubble check" to verify that there are no leaks. And yes I already put the rig in a trash can filed with water but I'm always extra careful after any changes to equipment - who knows there is a odd chace I got sand in to the HP port when the hose was off. I seriously doubt it but pays to be carfull. I'll swimm around at 25 feet first and avoid jumpping on that 120fsw wreck on the first dive.
Also remember the "suck test" it will detect any of those problems people here have brought up and only takes a second before you turn on the air valve.
One every dive I'm very carful with the first few breaths. I've done stupid thinks like desended with the snorkle in my mouth. I've had BCs not hold air so now I check this too on every dive.
skippy77
Contributor
i got fed up of paying for reg services i use dacors so i went and got my self qualified with dacor as an engineer so i could fix my own regs then if any thing goes wrong i can onlz blame my self so far so good š years and perfect
Thanks for all the replies. I forgot to mention. When I got home after the dive. I reattached the reg. to a tank, and it free flowed like crazy. But it wasn't free flowing when I had the problem.
To answer someone's question....I did not switch to my spare reg. I kept on purging my primary before each breath because I did not know if it was the first stage or not. I was in a bit of breathing distress and I at least I knew I could get air if I purged it before inhaling.
To answer someone's question....I did not switch to my spare reg. I kept on purging my primary before each breath because I did not know if it was the first stage or not. I was in a bit of breathing distress and I at least I knew I could get air if I purged it before inhaling.
Ayisha
Contributor
This happened to me twice.
Last year while drift diving in the Niagara river, my new buddy kept drifting into my reg hose and almost pulling it out of my mouth. I started to get frustrated and bit it to make sure it wasn't coming out. Well, the last time, I was getting a tiny trickle of water coming in. I thought it was strange, and I just blew it out. I pulled it a little to show him what he was doing, and the mouthpiece stayed in my mouth, the rest of the reg came away, and I started to take in water and stopped inhaling. We were just a few feet from the surface, so I just exhaled and we surfaced. We reattached the mouthpiece and called it a day.
I told the LDS what happened and the sales clerk just wrote on the slip to "check" the reg - she wasn't specific that the mouthpiece was yanked off.
Well, my next dive after service was in Belize, and at the end of the dive, while about to go up the ladder, the mouthpiece fell off again for no apparent reason. I just blew out the water and went up the ladder.
I showed the DM's and they put a new tie on it and made sure it was really tight, and it hasn't come off again yet. It's a Sherwood Blizzard, and I have never had any other problems with it.
Last year while drift diving in the Niagara river, my new buddy kept drifting into my reg hose and almost pulling it out of my mouth. I started to get frustrated and bit it to make sure it wasn't coming out. Well, the last time, I was getting a tiny trickle of water coming in. I thought it was strange, and I just blew it out. I pulled it a little to show him what he was doing, and the mouthpiece stayed in my mouth, the rest of the reg came away, and I started to take in water and stopped inhaling. We were just a few feet from the surface, so I just exhaled and we surfaced. We reattached the mouthpiece and called it a day.
I told the LDS what happened and the sales clerk just wrote on the slip to "check" the reg - she wasn't specific that the mouthpiece was yanked off.
Well, my next dive after service was in Belize, and at the end of the dive, while about to go up the ladder, the mouthpiece fell off again for no apparent reason. I just blew out the water and went up the ladder.
I showed the DM's and they put a new tie on it and made sure it was really tight, and it hasn't come off again yet. It's a Sherwood Blizzard, and I have never had any other problems with it.
I've had that happen too Ayisha, your second stage floating away without a mouthpiece on it just doesn't even register until you taste the water. The mouthpiece zip tie needs to be snugged with pliers IMHO,
For that and for Barbara I think its important that divers understand the risks and develop a breathing method that starts very gently, I usually cover the mouth opening by touching my tongue to the roof of my mouth. Then when I get a little bit of water, its ok, I'm prepared to stop inhaling if that happens.
It might not sound realistic and I don't mean to disparage new divers like Barbara. This was obviously an intense situation for her, as it would be for anyone, but being prepared for a little or perhaps a lot of water in the airway pays huge dividends. Honestly my first thought after reading the Original Post was that is not near-drowning. Although it is just that, aspirating water is one of the steps in drowning by the numbers right?
There's lots of people harping on carrying a backup mask and being able to do without one while deploying it. This is a good practice. I think breathing more carefully to check for water inside the circuit is a important and often used skill than any of the drills.
For that and for Barbara I think its important that divers understand the risks and develop a breathing method that starts very gently, I usually cover the mouth opening by touching my tongue to the roof of my mouth. Then when I get a little bit of water, its ok, I'm prepared to stop inhaling if that happens.
It might not sound realistic and I don't mean to disparage new divers like Barbara. This was obviously an intense situation for her, as it would be for anyone, but being prepared for a little or perhaps a lot of water in the airway pays huge dividends. Honestly my first thought after reading the Original Post was that is not near-drowning. Although it is just that, aspirating water is one of the steps in drowning by the numbers right?
There's lots of people harping on carrying a backup mask and being able to do without one while deploying it. This is a good practice. I think breathing more carefully to check for water inside the circuit is a important and often used skill than any of the drills.
My instructor taught us this method from the beginning. I must say that I dont always practice it. However, this incident does remind me I should practice until it becomes second nature.CD_in_Chitown:
Willie
reeldive
Contributor
skippy77:
As understand it DACOR is now owned by Mares. It is getting hard to find overhaul kit for the older Dacor's. and most shops will tell you that they are obsolete.
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