Question about first stage failures

[Jim Kerr]

There's no substitute for owning your own gear. Remember that it's "life sustaining equipment". But, I agree with the others in that it sounds like debre from inside the tank that clogged your first stage. Most likely it was from past usage from people sucking up all the air which let small amounts of salt water to seep in causing rust and/or salt deposits to form in the tank. I can't count the number of times divers told me they came up with little or "no" air left. The whole reason for coming up with 500 psi in your tank is not only as a safety margin but so that water "can not" get into your tank.

 

[JBowl0101]

There's no substitute for owning your own gear. Remember that it's "life sustaining equipment". But, I agree with the others in that it sounds like debre from inside the tank that clogged your first stage. Most likely it was from past usage from people sucking up all the air which let small amounts of salt water to seep in causing rust and/or salt deposits to form in the tank. I can't count the number of times divers told me they came up with little or "no" air left. The whole reason for coming up with 500 psi in your tank is not only as a safety margin but so that water "can not" get into your tank.

Fascinating. I never even considered that possibility, but it makes a great deal of sense. Not a lot I can do about it, I suppose, aside from an alternate source, which seems a lot of expense for a pretty low-likelihood event.

 

[redacted]

Sherlock, Charlie, and I are looking at the tank as the primary suspect.

Link to similiar incident: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=117071&highlight=cesa

 

[Diver0001]

How often, really, does equipment failure of this nature occur?

You're about as likely to have this happen again as you are to be abducted by aliens.

Most people don't use a pony setup for 60 foot tropical dives, but I'm no longer quite as trusting of the equipment now.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Jason

Well.... using rental gear is like kissing strangers in the dark. You know nothing about them and you probably would choose otherwise if the lights were on.... Your reg is arguably your most important bit of gear.... If you're serious about diving you should really own your own. Even a 2nd hand one that you know is well taken care of is better than "kissing in the dark".

R..

 

[Jim Kerr]

Fascinating. I never even considered that possibility, but it makes a great deal of sense. Not a lot I can do about it, I suppose, aside from an alternate source, which seems a lot of expense for a pretty low-likelihood event.

That's why it's so important to develope "good" buddy skills. A buddy isn't just someone to pal around with underwater, he or she is there in case of unforseen problems that could arise while at depth. You should check on your buddy frequently and they you. Stay close so that help is just a fin flick or two away. Remember your training, "never" bolt to the surface.

 

[Cacia]

I read a similiar senario once where the air flow ceased suddenly due to crud and water in the bottom of a cylinder. When the diver inverted, the sediment in the tank flowed into the reg. Since you said you saw "crystals" I am betting it was an older source of precipitate than from the water you were in. I think those that suspect the tank are on to the problem.

 

[Jim Kerr]

Another scary thing that'll get ya sucken on nothen is getting a ruptured O'Ring at depth. We've all seen one blow when putting a scuba unit together, which is no big deal when you're "topside", but if it happens underwater in the middle of a dive, you suddenly have "no" air, so your buddy better be close.

 

[wedivebc]

Another scary thing that'll get ya sucken on nothen is getting a ruptured O'Ring at depth. We've all seen one blow when putting a scuba unit together, which is no big deal when you're "topside", but if it happens underwater in the middle of a dive, you suddenly have "no" air, so your buddy better be close.

Why would you suddenly have no air? I can can tell from experience it take a couple of minutes to completey drain a full tank with a blown o-ring. A partial tank would take less time but it would not be immediate.

 

[GDCB]

Okay my two cents. I'm a newbie so take this for what it's worth. My friend just returned from Hawaii with the "valve closed" senario. A teenager decided to be helpful and check her air. The dive master had already turned it on. So the kid was turning it off. She was down 40' with her nose in a cavern. Her air became tough to draw but her guage said 1100 lbs (her equipment, she has 250+ dives). She looked around and her new buddy (asigned by the boat) was gone. She swam over to the DM and gave the OOA signal and he freaked for a second, got his composier (she had to calm him) then assisted her to the surface. When he saw her guage he checked her valve and sure enough it was just cracked open. He opened it the rest of the way and it was fine again and she finished her dive.

I know, this is a lot of he said she said, so take it for what it's worth.

Carl

 

[JBowl0101]

I read a similiar senario once where the air flow ceased suddenly due to crud and water in the bottom of a cylinder. When the diver inverted, the sediment in the tank flowed into the reg. Since you said you saw "crystals" I am betting it was an older source of precipitate than from the water you were in. I think those that suspect the tank are on to the problem.

Now that you mention it, I WAS inverted several times on that dive - I was taking photos and remember being amused that I was hanging upside down to get a good angle.

I will file that away, and stay right side up.

I waited a day after the incident to dump any excesss nitrogen, then did a 35 foot reef dive and had a great time. The idea of going back below 60 feet spooks me though. Below that, even if I can make it without air, I could get bent pretty easily coming up to breathe.

I have to decide if the cost and hassle of a pony (as well as the training to use it) is worth the reduction in risk. It doesn't sound like there was a whole lot I could do to prevent this from happening - I just could have stayed closer to my buddy, as my training dictated.