Redundant System Geek?

[MikeFerrara]

Do any of you have problems diving with buddies that carry redundant systems?

I point to myself as the redundancy geek. I dive with a computer but also carry a SPG and DI as back up. I have a combo octo/inflator for my BC but also carry a safe second.

I must admit that I've gotten strange looks from other divers and I'm certain it was because of the number of hoses they saw coming from my 1st stage.

Not that it matters, I'm not going to change my ways, but would YOU dive with me?

Is that really redundancy?

I mean you have all those second stages and hoses as places to lose gas from but only one tank and only one valve and first stage through which you can get the gas out of the tank.

I think that before I would dive with you we'd have a discussion about what we are trying to protect outselves from with redundancy and whether or not we were really doing it.

We'd also talk about what emergency procedures you use that put all that stuff into service.

 

[MikeFerrara]

If and when other things go wrong.

What other things?

 

[MikeFerrara]

So, Salty, could I surmise from your answer that you prefer to fly on airliners that don't have mechanical back ups for their flight control hydraulic systems?

What you desctribed isn't the same as having totally redundant systems. It's more like having only one engine with a whole bunch of on/off switches.

 

[salty]

So, Salty, could I surmise from your answer that you prefer to fly on airliners that don't have mechanical back ups for their flight control hydraulic systems?

Actualy I dont think you should surmise anything from my statment. I gave a direct answer to your direct question.

 

[netmage]

On my original rig I had a safe second integrated into my inflator, and also used an octopus. I dive an air integrated wireless computer and at the time also had an attached SPG/Depth/Compass console. The instructor who I did my check-outs with seemed impressed w/ the redundancy. Mind you - this was in warm water.

With all those hoses & swivel - it was a mess back there. Today I dive w/ only three items coming off the first stage; my second stage, the bc inflator/safe second, and the drysuit hose. In the next year I plan taking some technical training - so I plan on adding a brass SPG to get myself back into the habit of real gas management and to cover the failure point in the wireless transmitter.

-netmage

 

[MikeFerrara]

On my original rig I had a safe second integrated into my inflator, and also used an octopus. I dive an air integrated wireless computer and at the time also had an attached SPG/Depth/Compass console. The instructor who I did my check-outs with seemed impressed w/ the redundancy. Mind you - this was in warm water.

With all those hoses & swivel - it was a mess back there. Today I dive w/ only three items coming off the first stage; my second stage, the bc inflator/safe second, and the drysuit hose. In the next year I plan taking some technical training - so I plan on adding a brass SPG to get myself back into the habit of real gas management and to cover the failure point in the wireless transmitter.

-netmage

Technical training wouldn't be such a culture shock if more was taught about how to choose an equipment configuration in recreational training.

I use the same rig for everything. Oh...I carry more gas for some dives than I do for others and add things like reels as needed but the basic configuration stays the same.

 

[String]

The weak point in the link as far as i can tell from the description is they all rely on a single tank and single first stage. If this fails everything will fail - thats not total redundancy.

I know lots of people that have Air-2s but carry an octo as well - its just easier using an octo than an air-2.

I dive single tank, single first stage too (although looking at getting a pony at some point). My HP port has a single SPG connected. LP ports have main reg, octo, BC inflator, dry suit inflator and thats it.
Even then i get a hose mess sometimes.

 

[gfisher4792]

Do any of you have problems diving with buddies that carry redundant systems?

I point to myself as the redundancy geek. I dive with a computer but also carry a SPG and DI as back up. I have a combo octo/inflator for my BC but also carry a safe second.

I must admit that I've gotten strange looks from other divers and I'm certain it was because of the number of hoses they saw coming from my 1st stage.

Not that it matters, I'm not going to change my ways, but would YOU dive with me?

My answer would be that yes, I would dive with you. However, your setup sounds like you want multiple backups in case of system failure (reasonable). However, all of these backups are attached to a single first stage, which also can fail. Do first and second stages have an equal chance of failure (real question, I don't know the statistics/facts for this)?

As far as I know (and not an expert at all with this), the only options to cover that area is a pony bottle (and, arguably, SpareAir) or a doubles setup with an isolation manifold.

 

[salty]

In the next year I plan taking some technical training - so I plan on adding a brass SPG to get myself back into the habit of real gas management and to cover the failure point in the wireless transmitter.

-netmage

Im not picking on you but this statment brings about a good point. You spent the cash for an air integrated computer only to revert back to a SPG. Personaly I wish I could do my diving career over agan. At this point I would probly have an extra $1,000 in my pocket due better gear choices.

 

[rab]

Well, no one seems to have commented on the computer SPG/DI redundancy, so I will. I have a dive computer, but not air integrated. I also have a separate bottom timer (a 50m waterproof digital watch). However, I don't have a redundant depth indicator (assuming that's what DI means) instead relying on the buddies depth guage. Going deeper than 35ft or so, I'll have more gas in my E8-119 than NDL time so I insist on having a backup timer (I occasionally check them both to make sure they're in basic agreement -- I start the timer, the dive computer starts on its own at about 4ft depth).

I'd not refuse to dive with you, but like glbirch, I'd want to know exactly how you would handle and OOA situation (although your placement of the "octo" might explain that -- necklaced or "in the triangle").

-Rob