Stupid me

[billt4sf]

Be honest -- how many times have you tested your secondary air supply before entering the water? I know in my 50+ dives, I have only put it in my mouth and breathed from it when the instructor told me to do so. Usually I just "test" it by purging it.

Last night after the manta ray night dive I came back to the boat, there was alot of surge and near the ladder I wanted my reg while I was taking off my fins. Couldn't find it so what the heck I grabbed my octo and -- could not breathe from it! Maybe it was because I was low on air -- just under 500 lbs.

I think my buddy and I need to actually breathe from our secondaries each dive before jumping in. And we need to practice buddy breathing. And another good reason to buy a "good" reg for the secondary, not just "something that works".

Great dive BTW - 10 rays and the largest was 14' they said.

- Bill

 

[spectrum]

Did it fail to deliver air or was the purge valve stuck shut? I do try to test mine while setting up. Even with a good rinse many exhaust valves will cling while drying.

500 PSI should have provided more than adequate IP unless you SPG is out of tolerance.

Pete

 

[billt4sf]

It delivered air but was so difficult to suck that it wasn't worth it since I was already at the ladder.

 

[Bellaco]

Yes, I do test mine before every dive. Having it on a bungee necklace makes it very easy to do so

 

[Nemrod]

I check all equipment in the pool before going on a trip. Before each dive all equipment is cycled on and off or breathed as is appropriate. N

 

[KD8NPB]

Octo inhalation resistance should be set at about 1.5 in-h2o, or around 1.0 if you're a performance junkie.

 

[Nwcid]

As others have said I check mine not out of just the need to check but out of habit. Since my second is right around my neck I usually test breath it on shore. It often gets breathed again in conditions where I need a reg in my mouth to put on fins or other task before starting the dive that requires a reg.

Then before we are ready to descend I test my primary and we are on our way.

 

[Mitchell Teeters]

I make it a point to breath off of all three, before and during. Got to practice for muscle memory.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Scared Silly]

When I was playing DM I taught my students to descend on their backup reg. Once at depth they could switch over to their primary. If at any point during the descent they did not feel their backup was performing they should abort the dive and get the damn thing fixed because if it was not performing then, it sure as hell was not going to be performing when they really needed it. I practice the same during many dives.

BTW The above is like checking the air in your spare tire before a trip.

 

[wedivebc]

you should also breath it with your face in the water. If a diaphragm is damaged it will breath very wet in the water but still purge and breathe ok at the surface