Thimble SPGs on Deco Bottles?

[Viscya]

I have a hard enough time reading those tiny gauges on the surface, so I don't want to futz with them under water. I only use the thimble gauge on my argon bottle, because I don't need to check the pressure during a dive.

Same here. Have on for argon bottle. Used to use it on pony, but did away with it when I went to doubles. On argon bottle, I only need to check rough qty before dive. When it's out, it's out.

 

[Reinoud]

Same here. Have on for argon bottle. Used to use it on pony, but did away with it when I went to doubles. On argon bottle, I only need to check rough qty before dive. When it's out, it's out.

Why don't you use your normal first stage and pressura gauge for that (or another pressure gauge that stays on shore)? It seems to me that having a (although beit tiny) SPG on your argon bottle is another point of faillure. And since you do not need it during the dive, why take it with you?

 

[scubaputz]

No - stay with your gauges on the 6 inch hose.

That's what I'll do. Thanks everyone.

 

[TX101]

Same here. Have on for argon bottle. Used to use it on pony, but did away with it when I went to doubles. On argon bottle, I only need to check rough qty before dive. When it's out, it's out.

Hows that different to a deco bottle?

If you have planned the dive properly, you know you are carrying enough deco gas. All you need to do is confirm the pressue before the dive and then turn off the reg so it has no chance of freeflowing while diving. When it's out, it's out - having an SPG accurate to 5 significant figures isn't going to change that.

I thought one of the central tenets of DIR was elimination of non-essential gear? On a deco bottle, I don't think it's essential - providing you plan your dive.

(you can probably tell I use a button guage)

edit: I know this argment isn't as strong for stage bottles while cave diving, but I'm not talking about stage bottles containing bottom gas, I'm talking about deco bottles you will use to deco with.

 

[Lane Zimmer]

Hows that different to a deco bottle?

If you have planned the dive properly, you know you are carrying enough deco gas. All you need to do is confirm the pressue before the dive and then turn off the reg so it has no chance of freeflowing while diving. When it's out, it's out - having an SPG accurate to 5 significant figures isn't going to change that.

I thought one of the central tenets of DIR was elimination of non-essential gear? On a deco bottle, I don't think it's essential - providing you plan your dive.

(you can probably tell I use a button guage)

edit: I know this argment isn't as strong for stage bottles while cave diving, but I'm not talking about stage bottles containing bottom gas, I'm talking about deco bottles you will use to deco with.

One of the more fundamental tenents of DIR is standardization of gear. All stage/deco regs should be configured the same, regardless of the bottle's contents or the environment.

As far as the thimble gauge on the argon bottle, who cares? Are you breathing from it? I sure hope not. It is not essential to know the exact pressure of the argon bottle. If it runs out, who cares? If you have your stuff together (which you should at this point in the game), it's not a big problem. You can either ascend or borrow some argon from your buddy. Most people I dive with have no SPG on their argon regs.

 

[J1M1]

if you are caving or wrecking there is the possibility that you could shear off the gauge. You may lose your deco gas and the gauge. If a 6 incher gets bumped its got room to give....JD

 

[lairdb]

if you are caving or wrecking there is the possibility that you could shear off the gauge. You may lose your deco gas and the gauge. If a 6 incher gets bumped its got room to give....JD

Not sure that holds. The button is no larger than the steel hose fitting, which is probably at least as fragile. You could just as easily argue that the 6 incher is 6 inches more likely to get bumped in the first place.