Spare Air equipment questions

[agstreet]

Sean326 once bubbled...


I think you will find it difficult to get on NJ dive boat without a redundant / independant system. It's not the law but as i understand it the NJ dive boat assoc. has addopted it as policy for it's members.

Are you saying that NJ dive boat operators are insisting on an independant gas supply, such as a pony or stage bottle, for safety reasons, but they'll accept a spare air????

 

[KrisB]

Sean326 once bubbled...
I think you will find it difficult to get on NJ dive boat without a redundant / independant system. It's not the law but as i understand it the NJ dive boat assoc. has addopted it as policy for it's members.

I'm not saying I think pony bottles are a bad idea. I'm just saying that you have to be careful how you use them. It's not a stay down longer plan, but a "oh CRAP" plan that is used in cases of emergency. One must plan their dive (and dive their plan) as though they don't have it, but if the plan goes awry then they use it.

Some people plan their dive as though they're carrying an extra 19 cuft of air, running their main tank down to 500 psi, then switching to the pony until it hits 750 before beginning ascent. This is bad planning, and perhaps more dangerous than not having the pony to start with.

Oh, and despite being nowhere close to NJ, I do plan on getting a pony bottle, just for piece of mind.

 

[Sean326]

agstreet once bubbled...
Are you saying that NJ dive boat operators are insisting on an independant gas supply, such as a pony or stage bottle, for safety reasons, but they'll accept a spare air????

I don't know if they will accept spare air, I guess it meets the "letter of the policy" but probably not the spirit, most folks seem to use 19cf or 30cf pony bottles, that is if they don't dive isolated twins.

 

[lobsterhead]

Hi, I am new to this board and this is my first posting. I have a Spare Air that leaks all the air out very slowly. The regulator head is screwed on to the cylinder tightly and as far as I can tell, it's coming from under the top diaphram. Does anybody know what allen head size the screw is underneath the head? " It's smaller that a 5/32. Other than that, I'm not sure where the air is getting out.

 

[MikeC]

Greetings. First, most of the people here will tell you not to bother with a Spare Air. They have too little gas to really save your a$$. Some will suggest a pony bottle, others will go for doubles. Personally, it depends on the type of diving you do.

Why not describe your "average" dive, depth, bottom time, etc.. So that your needs can be evaluated.

Yes, you have $$ in that thing and you probably didn't want to hear that.

 

[lobsterhead]

Most dives are no deeper than 80 feet. Seems like everything I want to see is that or shallower. At this time of year the "bugs" around Channel islands hang out around 30 to 75 feet.

The deepest I've been was 127 ft. outside the "devil's throat" in Cozumel. (Better have that buoancy under control!)

The dives are what I'd consider average length of 45 min to 1:10 min. I'm using an Aluminum 80 Luxfer....made in '97.

And lastly, I've been diving since '95 with 91 dives logged. I got the Spair Air used from a buddy a couple of years ago, so it wasn't too expensive...Can't remember what I paid for it.

Thanks

 

[Don Burke]

lobsterhead once bubbled... Hi, I am new to this board and this is my first posting. I have a Spare Air that leaks all the air out very slowly. The regulator head is screwed on to the cylinder tightly and as far as I can tell, it's coming from under the top diaphram. Does anybody know what allen head size the screw is underneath the head? " It's smaller that a 5/32. Other than that, I'm not sure where the air is getting out.

If that screw is between 5/32 and 1/8, my money is on 3.5mm.

The word I get on those things is that service can get to be a pain. It might be cheaper to get a pony bottle and a used regulator than to get it fixed.

 

[lobsterhead]

at Walmart for 12 dollers today (nice set of metrics and standards) and turns out the little allen head screw is 1/16". Got that adjusted and lubed all the o-rings w/ silicone, filled 'er up and tightened everything back up. Looks like it's holding. We'll see in the morning.

 

[MikeC]

Lobster, first, you should really rethink using the Spare Air as a save your a$$ device. The biggest Spare Air is 3 cubic feet, not a lot of breathing gas. The others are 1.7 and 1.8 cubic feet. Just consider the "what ifs" that could happen at "only" 60 feet. Do you dive alone? Is your buddy more than an arms length away?



Second, please don't buy Wal-Mart Chinese cheap hand tools. Go to Sears or another place that sells US made stuff. rant off.

 

[lobsterhead]

Mikec, well I think I'll stick with the set-up I have now. The people/buddies I dive with are pretty good at staying close at hand without fumbling over each other down there. Got the tiny leak fixed anyway.

On a related note...the wrench set was a Stanley...made in the good ol' USA! :wave: