But, within these groupings, there are still standardized procedures for valve shut-downs that cover the various failure possibilities.
Example:
Start with bubbles that sound like they're from your right post.
Signal team (if you're separated...well...uh oh)
Shut down right post; breathe it down.
Switch to backup reg.
Have team check it out (if you're separated...)
Are there still bubbles?
Shut down isolator.
Are there still bubbles?
This is really useful, thankyou.... as is the nine failures list.
It actually resolves one of my issues, which is questioning whether a valve drill will always identify a problem. It's the re-opening of the manifold that I'd not be sure about, whereas reading between the lines here it seems like the "standard procedures" are subsets of the valve drill chosen on particular basis, which is great.
So, if I were seperated and had an unknown failure I would start with the right post, isolate it and breathe it down before swapping to backup reg.
If the bubbles continue, I'd close the manifold. If the bubbles continue, I'd reopen right post, test and breathe from it whilst shutting down the left post - if this still hasn't fixed it, I'd check the SPG and see whether the pressure was dropping. If it is, I know that I've got a left post issue.
If the SPG is static, left post should be good - but with the isolator closed and breathing off the right post, I'm at risk off being OOG whilst the left post is shut down, so that needs to be reopened, but I'd still leave the isolator closed (if shutting down the post hasn't fixed it, it must be a manifold, burst disk or similar?). I'd probably breathe off the right post as long as possible whilst still monitoring the SPG for changes. As long as it's not dropping, I'd leave it and only swap to the backup reg when required.
Very much open to critique on this, fire your thoughts away!
isn't there supposed to be a GUE sidemount protocol coming out soon? that way we can just take a look at any valve failures.
And I thought I was asking for a DIR answer to a non-DIR problem.... and here's a non-DIR solution!
Totally off topic, and meant to be non-contentious... but I do actually do some solo dives in a sidemount configuration for this reason. If there was a DIR sidemount configuration on the way, that would certainly be an interesting discussion to have!
