Runaway Inflator

[ClayJar]

That's why I have Tobin's hose hats on all my LP inflator hoses.

I have the same things (and *love* them, especially when I have dry gloves on).

Of course, mine are the pink variety, but that's only for anti-theft purposes... not because I'm a complete loon... no, really... um... Would you believe it's for visibility?

(Actually, they mistakenly sent me the black ones, but I already had those from DSS earlier. I had to send them back and wait for the pink ones, so I guess I can't claim it was an impulse buy, can I? TDL has some stuff I like, but I'm 0 for 3 in the prompt, correct, and complete department... and I don't think I even *seen* an albatross. Well, it's worth it, I suppose.)

 

[AndyA]

Hose-Hats are for girls

 

[ClayJar]

Hose-Hats are for girls

And what say ye of mask skirts, pray tell? :tongue:

 

[AndyA]

As long as you do not get above me I will not look up.

 

[Cacia]

Interesting.. the BC I was using was a Luna. White plastic buttons? Yup! That was me.

That one was the worst because it would take off like a rocket with no warning,
and inflate you like a friggin balloon. We had several new ones on several divers, in Palau for the firsttime, and we were all getting randomly inflated in all sorts of situations. Yes, it was an o ring the manufacturer had used and Kevin said it was too pliable, so whenever a certain threshold was met, the thing just opened like a door. My friend that was pinned in the ceiling of a small cave with stalagtites hanging down...well it was funny, but it wasn't. Kevin swapped the tiny o-rings out and no more problems.
Those guys in remote places are soo handy.

 

[Storm]

You gotto really wonder about LPI's in general. Apparently, they really haven't seen a technology re-design or overhaul in years. I'm not speaking from direct experience here, just from conversations I had with a few old water dogs, and a few reg techs after we lost a very experieinced diver up here last winter to catastrophic equipment failure, in particular two regs, and his LPI all went into free flow virtually simultaeniously.

A lot of the techies up here are starting to, on ice dives, disconnect their LPI after they establish bouyancy at depth, then manually adjust their wings.

As to jumping in with no pre-check...well I guess that will be the last time the OP does that again, and his buddies shouod get a stern tongue lashing for rushing a diver. Afterall there's nothing like a little extra stress to throw off one's pre-dive visualization, and calm breathing techniques...right?

 

[stevewirl]

hey storm .
you say that the techs are disconnecting their lpi's **** man that in my opinion is madness . and trust me im irish i know what mad looks like .

in the case of a diver having to do a lift on a buddy , the male connection of the inflator rig at that depth could and most probaly would have frozen .

i have limited knowledge with ice divin but all it really seems mad and i wouldnt condone it nor would i dive with anyone who would be so wreckless

 

[comspy]

those hose hats look neat, I might just get one!

 

[Storm]

hey storm .
you say that the techs are disconnecting their lpi's **** man that in my opinion is madness . and trust me im irish i know what mad looks like .

in the case of a diver having to do a lift on a buddy , the male connection of the inflator rig at that depth could and most probaly would have frozen .

i have limited knowledge with ice divin but all it really seems mad and i wouldnt condone it nor would i dive with anyone who would be so wreckless

Hang fire a sec I said some of the techies up here are diving that way during ice dives.

I may get this mixed up (I don't dive doubles) so if make a mistake please somebidy jump in. (BTW this was all covered in accident reports back in Feb so I'll keep it brief.

The victim was dealing with a free flowing second stage, his primary when his LPI freeflowed,hence he could not he could not get both shutdown quickely enough. His buddy and he initiated an OOG, but with the LPI freeflowing a safe asscent was not possible and teh victim died at the scene.

The issue that got them thinking about the LPI stems from the fact that it was the cause of the rapid ascent. Some of the diver up here have since taken to not trusting the LPI during near zero dives.

Geven the nature of this accident, and simialr freeflow in LPIs during ice dives, some of the tech up here seem to prefer to rely on manual inflation when they are diving near zero water temps.

 

[Charlie99]

you say that the techs are disconnecting their lpi's **** man that in my opinion is madness .

The earliest scuba divers didn't have buoyancy compensation devices. Even after they started using buoyancy compensation devices, for many years there was only oral inflation. LP inflators are a relatively modern convenience.

A reasonable argument can be made that LP power inflator is an unnecessary failure point. Oral inflation isn't very difficult. I often do it just to have more precise control. I don't see how disconnecting the LPI is madness.