No gas -- what do you do?

[TSandM]

The comment was made in another thread that, in the event that your regulator stops delivering gas, you should, as a recreational diver, have the immediate reflex to go to your own auxiliary reg. I found that surprising. I am not aware of a failure mode that will cause a second stage to stop delivering gas, when the rest of the system is functioning normally. As far as I'm concerned, if my reg stops delivering gas, I'm going to signal my buddy immediately and share air.

Is anybody else aware of a failure mode in any reg other than an upstream regulator, that will cause a 2nd stage to stop delivering gas? Would anybody else go for their own backup reg, before requesting gas from a buddy? (NOT talking about people who carry pony bottles here.)

 

[Rainer]

You can signal your buddy at the same time you pop in your secondary reg... If that reg also doesn't work, your buddy should now be ready with one you know does.

Having had the diaphragm fall off a second stage, I know of at least one failure mode that will kill a second stage, but leave everything else intact.

 

[DiverLS]

Because I use double tanks, manifolded, with 1st and 2nd stages from alternative sides, I'd go for my secondary regulator. Then signal my buddy that I had a problem. If I'm on a single tank (talking from history here) I'd signal my buddy. Back when I was diving a single tank my usual buddy would probably be ignoring me anyway so I'd grab his octopus. That's a small part of why he's not my buddy anymore.

 

[300bar]

Nope, other then a serious freeze (after a freeflow in cold water)
I'm not aware of anything like that.
afaik it's just not possible.

 

[j yaeger]

1 st thought-tanks off.....
turn on-no air=get easiest source!!!
buddy or atmosphere
pony not in scenario

 

[300bar]

You can signal your buddy at the same time you pop in your secondary reg... If that reg also doesn't work, your buddy should now be ready with one you know does.

Having had the diaphragm fall off a second stage, I know of at least one failure mode that will kill a second stage, but leave everything else intact.

Please do explain, besides the unlikely event of a diaphram falling off.

 

[Rainer]

Still no idea how it happened. Had just used the reg on the dive before, but I went to deploy this reg at 70' and wham, bubbles and no more usable second stage.

I've also seen someone's mouthpiece come off in the water. While it's still possible to breathe the reg, if it happened to me, I'd just go to my backup, and not to a buddy. Would obviously then thumb the dive.

Please do explain, besides the unlikely event of a diaphram falling off.

 

[Blackwood]

Is it possible the hose you're breathing from is kinked? I guess, but that doesn't seem very likely. Can a diaphragm fall out? Yes. If it does, I'm sucking water, and I'm going to my buddy's gas before trying to figure out why. Can the threads fail at the first stage? I guess, and see above. Etc., etc..

My policy, unless I know what the problem is, is to go to a different gas source before investigating. In singles, that's a buddy (for me).

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

In the immortal words of my tech instructor ... "That's what buddies are for. If you have one, use it".

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Teamcasa]

You can signal your buddy at the same time you pop in your secondary reg... If that reg also doesn't work, your buddy should now be ready with one you know does.

This is the plan discussed before each and every dive.