Reusing a scrubber?

[lermontov]

I just wish y’all would tighten up a bit on your terminology.

I think some people have posted about “reusing scrubber” when they really meant reusing sorb. To me, scrubber is a hard part of my ccr that gets packed full of sorb.

Imprecise terminology can be really confusing to newbs (like me) who are just here to read and learn.

i think you mean repacking scrubber with partially used sorb as opposed to reusing scrubber that might have not been fully used that hasn't had the sorb repacked -yes its confusing

 

[CptTightPants21]

I just wish y’all would tighten up a bit on your terminology.

I think some people have posted about “reusing scrubber” when they really meant reusing sorb. To me, scrubber is a hard part of my ccr that gets packed full of sorb.

Imprecise terminology can be really confusing to newbs (like me) who are just here to read and learn.

No, scrubber is the correct terminology. As in reuse "the" current scrubber canister, how many hours do you have on "the" scrubber. Sorb is the loose and unpacked soda lime. Once it is packed into a rebreather it becomes "the scrubber".

"Re-using sorb" is how you have the re-packing issue previously discussed.

Similar to SAC and RMV, if you are talking about the physical scrubber canister it is usually pretty easy to understand based on the context of the conversation.

 

[kensuf]

Yeah, there was some confusion between the phrase "repacking" and "repacking with used absorbent". When I say repacking, I mean dumping the can and filling it with fresh scrubber material.

 

[stuartv]

No, scrubber is the correct terminology.

So, in the following quotes, I think they said "scrubber" when the correct term (for what the author meant) is "sorb". But, you are saying I am wrong?

I'm not trying to call out any of the posters, so I have deleted the usernames from the quotes.

I am usually tossing scrubber with "some" time left on it

On repacking used scrubber: I do this sometimes, just did it last night.

Scenario: I went diving last weekend and ended up just doing 75 minutes on a fresh scrubber. This weekend I head out (by car) for a destination dive trip where I will do 3 dives a day for 5 days. I still have 2+ hours on this weekend's scrubber, but want to start fresh on the trip and plan to use each scrubber for 3 cold water dives a day in 10-12c water. I'll dump, clean, and refill nightly. After the trip I will re-load the zip-lock stored scrubber from last weekend and use it for another couple of dives.

"repacking" used scrubber is a 100% no-no. Not ever. Once it's in the can and used, even a little, if you dump it out it must be discarded.

Obviously if the used scrubber (75 minutes in this case) were clumpy, wet, or otherwise visibly degraded I would not use it.

Just wondering do you have the course material from your CCR courses that advocates this repackaging of used scrubber practice or is this just a practice that you have developed over time?

Oh ..... If He's emptying the scrubber into a bag and repacking...that's extremely dangerous...

In this last one, if scrubber really means scrubber, dumping it into a bag and repacking it is not dangerous at all. That's what you always do with a scrubber. But, if "scrubber" really means "sorb", then I think the statement is correct - it's dangerous. Thus, I *think* in this last quote "sorb" is the correct term, not scrubber. Yes?

As I said earlier, I think if you mean sorb and you say scrubber, it can be confusing, especially for newbs, like me. I think part of this thread clearly demonstrates my point with the poster talking about reusing "scrubber" when they really meant reusing the sorb - by dumping it into a bag and then packing it back into the scrubber again at a later time. It seems there were a few posts after that illustrating confusion, with at least one person thinking that he really meant that he was reusing a scrubber (meaning one that was packed, used, stored still packed, then put back in service still packed).

@CptTightPants21, if you are still saying I am wrong, can you please explain what I'm missing? Thanks.

 

[rddvet]

In my terminology, reusing a scrubber means that it's been packed, used for a short while, left closed, and no additional sorb is added, then it's dove. Reusing sorb in my terminology would be using a scrubber that's been packed with sorb, then after a dive removing some of the "spent" sorb, and adding some unused sorb. I would never do #2-reusing sorb. It's dangerous and I think that it's pretty much standardly assumed by most to be a bad practice.

 

[rjack321]

1) Reusing a packed scrubber has been proven to be valid (the paper has been posted here before)
2) Dumping out the sorb into a bucket and re-packing a scrubber with partially used sorb is a giant no-no that hasn't been taught in 10+ years. The illustrations of the reaction front on John Clarke's blog posted earlier illustrate why. Plus there have been a few deaths from this practice years and years ago.

I think part of the confusion stems from the fact that #2 has been so widely discredited some of us didn't actually realize that it might not be common knowledge not to do that.

 

[CptTightPants21]

So, in the following quotes, I think they said "scrubber" when the correct term (for what the author meant) is "sorb". But, you are saying I am wrong?

I'm not trying to call out any of the posters, so I have deleted the usernames from the quotes.













In this last one, if scrubber really means scrubber, dumping it into a bag and repacking it is not dangerous at all. That's what you always do with a scrubber. But, if "scrubber" really means "sorb", then I think the statement is correct - it's dangerous. Thus, I *think* in this last quote "sorb" is the correct term, not scrubber. Yes?

As I said earlier, I think if you mean sorb and you say scrubber, it can be confusing, especially for newbs, like me. I think part of this thread clearly demonstrates my point with the poster talking about reusing "scrubber" when they really meant reusing the sorb - by dumping it into a bag and then packing it back into the scrubber again at a later time. It seems there were a few posts after that illustrating confusion, with at least one person thinking that he really meant that he was reusing a scrubber (meaning one that was packed, used, stored still packed, then put back in service still packed).

@CptTightPants21, if you are still saying I am wrong, can you please explain what I'm missing? Thanks.

Never used or packed soda lime is sorb, sorb that has been packed is henceforth "scrubber"

"I dumped my scrubber" vs "I dumped the sorb out of my scrubber". They both mean exactly the same thing.

"I have more scrubber to use" vs "I have more sorb to use". Scrubber implies you have more hours on your currently packed canister. I have more sorb to use implies you have a jug of unused or loose sorb that can be used to pack a fresh scrubber (or given to me as a gift)

You are not incorrect that those bolded "scrubber" are referring to sorb. Scrubber vs Sorb is part colloquialism of the CCR community, part differentiating between the current state of the sorb---in process of being used vs completely new/untouched/unpacked/unused. I once had an Indian co-work who said his new born daughter was a very naughty girl. He couldn't understand why half the desk started smirking. I told him to google the term; he got to "nau" before a full google autofill drop down list took care of the rest. He never called his daughter naughty again. Naughty does mean bad, but it has different connotations in different areas.

 

[stuartv]

You are not incorrect that those bolded "scrubber" are referring to sorb.

You cannot physically make yourself type "you are right" when you are addressing me specifically in a post, can you? LOL

Hopefully you do not feel like I am incorrect in my original post where I suggested that the use of a colloquialism (i.e. typing "scrubber" when you actually specifically mean the absorbent material that is inside the scrubber, aka "sorb") could be confusing to newbies who come here to read and learn.

Thus my expression of my wish (just a wish, that is all) that people doing that would be more precise, so as to reduce confusion amongst newbies as much as possible. I feel like diving a CCR really does not have much room for imprecision in thought, word, or deed. But, that could be more of my own newbness talking...

 

[CptTightPants21]

You cannot physically make yourself type "you are right" when you are addressing me specifically in a post, can you? LOL

Hopefully you do not feel like I am incorrect in my original post where I suggested that the use of a colloquialism (i.e. typing "scrubber" when you actually specifically mean the absorbent material that is inside the scrubber, aka "sorb") could be confusing to newbies who come here to read and learn.

Thus my expression of my wish (just a wish, that is all) that people doing that would be more precise, so as to reduce confusion amongst newbies as much as possible. I feel like diving a CCR really does not have much room for imprecision in thought, word, or deed. But, that could be more of my own newbness talking...

The people that were conversing in this thread have years (some decades) of CCR experience. The terminology and framework that was being discussed has been around for a very long time. So when a diver tells you he is 'going to go burn off the rest of his scrubber' do you believe he will be setting a fire?

Posts WERE made to help clarify and to educate the newbie CCR divers. Perhaps a newbie should learn to adjust their mindset and conform to the new arena they are choosing to enter rather than requesting it constantly bend to their 'wishes'.

Your wishes won't change the way the rest of the the CCR world communicates with each other. Your resistance to adopt the common language WILL lead to confusion in the real world.

 

[kensuf]

OK, so let me ask how much time you guys put on your stack?