Yoke o-ring

[Scubaroo]

How long do you think it took for the tank to bleed down to 400psi? --- it sounds like quite a while since you surfaced, inflated BCD, and swam over to the boat before your air was shut off.

Total distance was only about 45 feet - 16' to surface, 30' odd to the boat. It would have been less than a minute.

Bubble check would have accomplished little (I normally do them as part & parcel of diving) - it was a sudden failure.

 

[Hoya97]

I'm frequently leading dives to various locations throughout Florida. As a lot of the folks are visiting, they are using rental tanks probably more than average. This results in my seeing a lot of well used O-rings on any given dive.

I've found that while you won't eliminate the problem altogether, you will greatly reduce it by gently shoving the first stage seat into the tank mount and holding it hard into position while tightning the screw. Frequently divers will lightly hold the first stage generally in position while they tighten the screw, allowing the screw to, in effect draw the first stage seat into position.

By shoving it into position and firmly holding it, the seat is properly aligned, holding the O-ring where it should be until assembly is complete.

I've found that this proceedure works even if an O-ring has popped (not destroyed itself) out of position a couple of times.

Just my 2 cents worth and doubt if it would have made any difference regarding the incident that started this thread.

Hadley Killough
Kissimmee, FL
NAUI 38418