Make sure you use the right o-ring on your valve!!!!

[TxHockeyGuy]

I hadn't planned on posting about this until last night when I learned what caused the incident. Last weekend I had an o-ring blow out at depth, we weren't very deep, only 30 ft but it did force me into a shared air ascent. The cause of the problem was I put the wrong o-ring on my yoke valve. I bought an o-ring kit which has many different types of o-rings in it and there are two different o-rings in that kit that will fit the yoke valve, and they are very very similar. Well I put the wrong one on and it blew. The wrong size o-ring is every so slightly too large but it fits in well enough. The correct o-ring goes in a little more easily and is slightly smaller than the other nearly identical o-ring. I hope someone else can learn from my mistake and avoid this. I plan on picking up a set of just yoke o-rings so I can avoid doing this again in the future.

[gtjason2000]

I guess the regulator stopped working when the o ring blew? A couple weeks ago during a rescue class when we were doing some surface rescues my wifes tank valve oring blew but I don't think she was using the regulator at the time. It cause a huge commotion but luckily the unconcious victim was able to shut the valve. In a couple of seconds she lost a couple hundred psi.

[TxHockeyGuy]

Originally Posted by gtjason2000

I guess the regulator stopped working when the o ring blew? A couple weeks ago during a rescue class when we were doing some surface rescues my wifes tank valve oring blew but I don't think she was using the regulator at the time. It cause a huge commotion but luckily the unconcious victim was able to shut the valve. In a couple of seconds she lost a couple hundred psi.

The reg was still functioning but at the rate I was losing my gas I wanted on someone's octo quick. I managed to lose 1000 psi before the tank was shut down.

[Black-Gorrilla]

thanks for the heads up. im sure alot of people (just like me and you) also have one of those o-ring kits. i never had to use it... but now i know.
thanks

[chewyjr15]

wow im glad to hear that you are okay, and o hope that people can learn from your mistake.

[BuzzGA]

Glad everything worked out ok...it certainly is a wake up call for me. I'll pay even more attention to which o-ring goes where.

[ScubaToys Larry]

Just so you guys know... a stand tank valve uses a 014 o-ring. R014 (R meaning rubber) or s014 or v014 (silicone or viton.)

[Illini_Fan]

Larry, do the O-rings have that information printed or displayed on them in any fashion.

[MissDirected]

What about nitrox ready?

[quarrydiver]

nitrox rings are brown or green so you can tell the diff.