What's a cave fill?

[MaxBottomtime]

In Flodida, the numbers stamped on the tank refers to turn pressure.

 

[BabyDuck]

3600-ish last time i was there, but that was january & times change...

 

[TSandM]

I can't remember where I heard that joke: How does a cave diver know when the dive is over? His tanks are full!

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I like 3600 'cos it makes the math easy.

That way I just turn when my tank is "full."

Works for me....

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As I said in another post, to me the added margin of having lots of reserve far outweighs the risk of overfilling. This is especially true since many cave divers are more diligent about keeping their gear in top notch condition. (One of my open water buddies freaked when I dropped $400 to get my regs serviced before a cave trip.) With 99% of cave divers doing it, it's become standard operating policy with a proven safety record.

I often see discussion about real world diving that deviates from the PADI manual causing quite a stir (no insult intended, really!), which usually results in someone quoting the chapter and verse. But they are completely missing the point. There is no end all be all authority on how to dive.

I participate dives and enjoy conversation about the type of diving I'm involved in, obviously. My hope in talking about what people are doing real world vs diving acedemics will allow more open discussion and ultimately change. Heck, we got PADI into tech diving and we now even have a solo diving certification.

I have buds that tell me I shouldn't talk about such taboo subjects online because it will set a bad example or lead others to do something they aren't ready for. My feeling is that it's hypocritical to do one thing in practice and say something different, online or not. The old do as I say, not as I do routine.

But it's probably time to take this subject off-line. When people start naming-names and calling-out dive shops by name, it makes everyone a little nervous and it might jeopardize our SOP. At minimum, there's sure to be some flaming post telling us that we're stupid, going to die, should get bigger tanks, HP tanks or rebreathers. It may only be a matter of time before someone drops a dime on somebody and ruins the whole thing. The question has been asked and answered, let it die...

 

[Dive-aholic]

DSE, I think you're reading this the wrong way. With this thread, I'm trying to find out what the common practice is. I don't want shops called out on it or regulation to begin. I just want to know if the 4000+ psi fill is now common or if it's one person spouting off about one experience. From the responses in this thread, it appears 3600 is still the standard cave fill.

BTW, I have had 4200psi in my tanks before. I wasn't real happy about it either. But it wasn't intentional. It was someone not paying attention to the board and setting it to too high a pressure. I now fill my own tanks 99% of the time.

 

[battles2a5]

On a hot day, I really like to ease my way into the water with a something like this on my back

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I consider 3500 in my lp's a regular fill up here. Course i can fill em myself. I consider a wreck fill, very few caves in these parts, 3800+. A short fill in the lp's is 3000 and good only for training dives with new students.

 

[stairman]

3600 and up.

 

[bigken462]

Not yet started to service my own regs, but I wonder how these higher pressures affect the longevity of our equipment? I don't yet cave dive, but never realized 4K was common practice.

Ken

 

[marchand]

If you don't specify most of the time they will fill to 3600 - 3800. If you ask for it or a certain person is working you get 4000.