Tank not turned on all the way

[diver-wife]

Good lesson, also why I always check and double check my own gear, although I trust the DM's and my dive buddies, I am ultimatetly affected, so I would rather trust only myself. It sounds like those old J-valves (if I am using the right terminology) that where around before SPG and you had to turn the other lever once you hit 500 psi, I dove on them once and it messes with your mind to see teh SPG bounce up and down.

[crgjpg]

Thanks for sharing. Hopefully I will not have that problem in the future but now I know the solution.

[yellervette]

What Dive Op were you using? I am going to Roatan next month.

[Defman]

Originally Posted by CamaroChick

I thought I'd share a scary experience we had last week while diving in Roatan. This was our Deep Dive certification class and my husband's air wasn't turned on all the way

Somehow he stayed calm and did the whole dive like that.

Cudos to him , sounds like someone was paying attention in class!!

[CamaroChick]

Originally Posted by yellervette

What Dive Op were you using? I am going to Roatan next month.

We dove with Octopus Dive School in Sandy Bay. I don't blame them for what happened - it was a mistake and its ultimately your responsibility to double check your own gear. They were helpful with getting to the root of the problem - they let hubby borrow a tank to test out his theory of the 1/2 open valve, and they let us both do a very shallow shore dive (at no cost) to test out his equipment before the next dives. They are very PADI though , and it took a lot of talking with the owner before they would let my husband dive with his reg again.

I'll include a review in my trip report, which I will hopefully get around to writing in the next week or so.

[ian]

Originally Posted by moosicman

Hey, can anyone explain why some are taught to open the valve the entire way and then go a quarter turn back? I was taught to do this but not taught the why or do not remember. This has caused a very minor issue which I will share regarding my wife but don't have time right now, so keep your eyes peeled for it in this thread.

It's actually a "hold over" from engineering in general.

Anytime you have a gas running through a valve, you have a potential for a temperature change. Anytime you have a temperature change around metals, they will change in size. Anytime you have two or more parts of different metals that all change sizes at different rates, you have an opportunity for something to seize. A gas valve seized in the open position is not good under many circumstances.

By turning the valve fully on and then back a quarter- or half-turn, the chances of the part seizing on thermal expansion are minimized.

At least that's the explanation I remember from Frank Durden, my old shop teach in high school. I think I learned more from that guy than he ever thought he taught!

[Aussie]

I was always taught the 1/4 turn back from fully open as it reduced the chance of seizing.

I have seen this happen on a regular basis with people only half turning on their valves. It is a common occurance.

I always check my own gear as its my own life support equipment.

I practice turning on and off my valves while diving (skill training with a good buddy close by). Especially with doubles. Good to know to turn off your tank when you blow a LP hose at depth.

Aussie

[Truered1]

Thanks for the info, glad your husband is OK and he was calm enough to continue. I on the other hand had a problem and it scared me ALOT - I am fairly new to diving (just hit a year and a little over 50 dives). About four months ago I was going to do my deepest dive to date on that particular day and was used to anchor or drift diving. This dive was straight down to 95 ft as soon as you hit the water or the current would take you and you would lose the group. I always jump in and get what I call set before I go down, takes me a few moments but my partners jumped in after me and had just started down. I started down behind them and at about 40 ft. I couldn't take a breath, and it hurt so much in my chest I went back up. My air read fine and was ok the first 20 or so feet so I tried again. Now everyone was on the bottom and on their way. Even my two buddies figured I was ahead of them as always and with the group leader so they didn't worry or come back. Needless to say I didn't make it. The boat came back for me after 2 attempts to go down. The DM tried to breath on my regulator to see if it was me being too scared. Guess what NO air. We tried the octo and it worked better but not good. The next dive was only going to be a 60 ft. reef so we decided to use my octo as my primary and tell everyone on the boat that I was off limits if they needed air. We jumped off for the next dive and my partners didn't leave my side as we started down. Again no air, so I told them to go without me and not waste their day and I would blow up my sausage so they could take the flag and wait for the boat to come back for me. While waiting I tried to go down a few times and on one attempt there was like a "pop" and I could breath. I caught up with my buddies and was able to complete that dive and another that trip. After talking about it they figured I got water in my first stage after the last time I went diving and it had just cleared itself. When I went up after that dive they changed my octo out for my primary and I was good to go, BUT I was very uneasy. The following week I called Divers Direct where I bought my Mares Abyss and they said to bring it in (it was only 8 months old). They tuned it up for free and said that that has happened in the past with a few of the first stages that they had sold (not just Mares) and that they had just required a tune up. How would I know that before a year old something would need a tune up. I am glad they fixed it for free but am a little wary. How can something that cost that much and your life depend on not have a recall if it happens or instructions like a car (oil change ever 3k or so miles)? I have since been diving 2 - 3 times a month and down to 111 ft. and been fine. I am very uneasy to let any DM or boat personel handle my equipment anymore due to this and always take care to do everything myself. Whether I got water in it or it was a fluke we all have to be very in tune with our equipment and keep it away from potential hazards. Happy Diving

[cummings66]

I'm a big fan of being able to reach your valves, although I must admit to once turning off my valve when I meant to turn it on. Doubles in the beginning are confusing because they go in different directions, that's one reason I do a valve drill nearly every dive.

[RoatanMan]

All of the above advice regarding watching the SPG as you take a few deep sucks is all well and good, but it is only guaranteed to diagnose the tank valve issue if it is an analog gauge.

Most of the digital units will not allow you to make this deduction.