Single Tank Valve Drill

[coldsmoke]

At the risk of asking a stupid question (not my first, surely won't be my last) - what is the purpose of a valve drill on a single tank? I certainly understand it with doubles, but is there ever a real situation when would you need to shut down a single tank valve? Or is it just to make sure you can turn it on if it somehow gets shut off? Thanks.

 

[Ben_ca]

It's so you can get to it if you have to open it... There's been a couple of instances where "helpful" people have closed other's valves

 

[MBH]

I believe that the drill serves a three fold purpose. #1- it conditions the diver to being able to reach and find the valve handle. #2- the diver learns how to open and close the valve while wearing the tank. #3- in an unstoppable free flow the diver can call for his buddies long hose to share air, shut the free flow down, and still have a redundent air supply should he choose to re-open the free flowing tank/reg.

 

[Kevrumbo]

You have an uncontrollable catastrophic free-flowing Primary Reg (with no Dive Buddy in sight): switch to necklaced back-up reg; feather/modulate the valve on your single tank as you do a CESA. You might have enough gas to attempt a reasonable minimum deco profile (at least I had enough, though coming up to the surface from only 6 meters deep). . .

 

[MonkSeal]

You can have fixable problem and by closing valve you keep your gas; you'll be temporarily OOG and after fixing you're back in business.

 

[LVX]

Also consider that if you were using an H-Valve, you could close down the reg experiencing the problem and breath out of the other reg until you get to your buddy or to the surface...

 

[MonkSeal]

Also consider that if you were using an H-Valve, you could close down the reg experiencing the problem and breath out of the other reg until you get to your buddy or to the surface...

I'm not sure if this has been already discussed here, but having two 1st stages on single tank is not quite DIR.

 

[WJL]

[W]hat is the purpose of a valve drill on a single tank? s it just to make sure you can turn it on if it somehow gets shut off?

That's the big one. Even if you have no plans to ever dive doubles, and even if you intend to solo dive, it's handy to be able to turn your own valve and perhaps thereby save your own life.

 

[PfcAJ]

Two first stages on a single is just fine if the situation warrants it. This has been hashed out plenty of times.

The Fundamentals of Better Diving specifically talks about H and Y valves.

 

[MonkSeal]

Two first stages on a single is just fine if the situation warrants it. This has been hashed out plenty of times.

The Fundamentals of Better Diving specifically talks about H and Y valves.

I usually refer to this article when discussing issue of H and Y valves:
http://www.dir-diver.com/en/knowledge/single_hvalve_doubles.html