OOA with a faulty SPG

[paradise]

Since my Cozumel trip 2 weeks ago, it's been weighing on my shoulders whether I should post this incident. As much as I thoroughly enjoyed everything from my blissful week there, I do feel that if this post will help other divers, then it will be worthwhile.

I rented the BCD, computer, and reg from the dive shop. As I was donning my equip for the first dive, I checked my SPG and noticed it was at 2500 psi. I thought I just got a tank that wasn't full. They changed the tank and at 3000 psi I was good to go. It happened again on another dive but this time the boat crew curiously looked at me and the tank, then gave the SPG a thwack. The needle popped back up to 3000 psi...

A few dives later during a safety stop, my buddy had already gone back up to the boat and we agreed that I would stick with the DM for the remainder of the SS. I started feeling a subtle resistance from my reg. So much that it felt as if I was sucking in my mask. My SPG said I had 500 psi but that couldn't be the case when it was getting harder and harder to breathe... The DM and I were elbow to elbow and I gave him the OOA sign. I never, ever thought I'd use that sign in a real situation.

The DM looked at my SPG, gave it a whack and the needle dropped to 0. Before I knew it, the DM thrust his primary towards me while he used his octo. We continued the safety stop and finished the dive. I was calm throughout and I contribute that to knowing I was only at 15 ft, in daylight, with the DM right next to me. If it were under different circumstances...I don't know what kind of state I would have been in. Since then, I've been blazing through all the posts in the Accidents Forum. Got myself the "Divers Down" book and can't stop looking at all the various safety and SMB gear out there.

 

[Meister481]

That gear has more than likely not been serviced regularly. lol

Reason #456798 to own your own gear!

 

[divin'dog]

I'm sure you know now that diving with faulty gear, esp an SPG, is not really good practice. As soon as the whack on the SPG revealed a stuck needle, it was time to replace it with something that worked correctly. Someone above is looking out for you. Good that you kept your senses about you and didn't panic. I guess this is a lesson that has made you stronger, versus the alternative...

 

[Arizona]

You handled it well! I've seen SPGs showing 50bar while purged. Always take look before you turn on the air. If the needle is not at zero that is a concern. Another reason for divers to bring their own regs.

 

[fisheater]

What operator rented you the gear? And, what - if anything - did they do when you reported the problem?

 

[Peter_C]

Nice job not heading for the surface.

This is why we must routinely practice these drills in case they become reality. So far I have had to donate air twice and both times no one panicked.

Interesting to hear the DM donated his primary.

 

[Steve50]

Thanks for passing on your lesson learned to others..

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Another reason to carry a pony bottle.

Plus a little hint: if it starts getting hard to breath, you should assume you are running low on air, regardless of what the guage says. A good way to test is to take a very fast and big breath, if you feel resistance, especially at the end of the inhalation, you are running out of air.

 

[D_B]

I'd say it's another reason to not dive with anything that has already given an indication that it's not funtioning correctly

Paradise ... You learned from this, and you did good by your training when you went OOA .. and I bet you never let it happen again

 

[openmindOW]

Paradise, thank you for your post. By posting here you are helping other divers to learn.

You handled yourself well. Congratulations.

The situation could have been worse if the tank had zeroed out at a deeper depth with a less experienced diver.

The quality of rental gear in resort areas can be, well, uneven.

Please let me know which dive oepration you were using. Yo may PM me if you so desire. My shop runs trips to Coz, so I would like to know.