incident - air pressure issue...
#1
Posted 17 October 2005 - 07:33 PM
He had just recently had his gear serviced ... He had been at 80' on this dive for 15 minutes .... maybe a little more ... grabbed his computer to check his status and the thing came off in his hand... High pressure hose blowing all over the place....
He couldn't get his buddies attention (he had gone on the trip solo and they assigned him a buddy when he got on the boat)... so he headed straight to the surface.... a little more rapidly than he should have because he had no idea how much air he had left in the tank ....
As he approached the surface, he realized that his BCD had expanded and he was picking up speed ..... and he had his loose computer in the hand that he needed to dump the air from his BCD....
So now he is headed to the surface like a rocket ... He did have the presense of mind to exhale everything he had.... Fortunately no embolisms or DCS.... However, he rupured his eardrums from the inside and it will be a while before he can dive again... (I'll bet he will be carrying a pony bottle from now on).
A pony bottle would have been a more dependable buddy here for sure ....
In Retrospect ........ the orifice is so small on the high pressure side that even if he only had 1000 psi, it seems like it would take a few minutes to drain down... so he could have proceeded to the surface at a little slower rate... and maybe even made a safety stop at 15' till the tank ran dry... then the emergency accent from there...
One never knows what they will do in a situation until faced with it, but I thought that a little input from some of the experiences of divers on this forum may give light to a few other options...
The only real enemy is panic... and the best defense is knowledge.
#2
Posted 17 October 2005 - 07:50 PM
My psi
#3
Posted 17 October 2005 - 08:30 PM
"The edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who know where it is are those that have gone over." Hunter S. Thompson
#4
Posted 18 October 2005 - 07:41 AM
I've heard that a HP hose will drain slower and there is a restriction in the SPG to slow the air flow if the gauge blows but going up and risking DCS is better than drowning. As for me, that's why I carry a pony.
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#5
Posted 18 October 2005 - 07:45 AM
#6
Posted 18 October 2005 - 08:25 AM
Your friend injured himself needlessly. I'm glad he wasn't hurt more.
DSSW,
WWW™
#7
Posted 18 October 2005 - 09:08 AM
That's why I got mine. I depended on it too much for a while, but still nice to have.(I'll bet he will be carrying a pony bottle from now on).
A pony bottle would have been a more dependable buddy here for sure ....
I also like my analog SPG seperate from my computer. I like electronics, but don't trust them. Carry two computers so when one fails, I have the other. And they will fail.
Maybe he could have ascended a little slower, but getting to the surface IS better than not getting there.
Yeah I know: I've been branded a non-group person - doesn't play well with others. I am so upset. Let me know if you want to have some fun, without the drama - I'm good for that.
#8
Posted 18 October 2005 - 09:46 AM
Walter, Donna, and I were on a trip in the Bahama's a while ago (1991?) when one of the people we were diving with had his SPG blow. Sounded like a shotgun going off under water. He and his buddy made a normal ascent.
Dennis
"Suppose you were an idiot ... And suppose you were a member of Congress ... But I repeat myself." --Mark Twain
#9
Posted 18 October 2005 - 10:29 AM
Edited by Walter, 18 October 2005 - 10:29 AM.
DSSW,
WWW™
#10
Posted 18 October 2005 - 11:31 AM
1. The smaller orifice on the HP port makes this a non-emergency situation. Simply start your ascent if you can't your buddy. From the depths and time given, I don't know if I would spend doing a safety stop though.
2. A contributor to this was a vote against a computer attached to the HP hose. This should not have come off this easily. Was this an air integrated with a quick disconnect? If it wasn't, I guess that a manual pressure gauge could have come off just as easily.
3. I am thankful that your friend came out with relatively few injuries.
#11
Posted 18 October 2005 - 02:12 PM
If diving a single tank, the diver can always shut down the tank, turning it on to breathe. This will pretty much eliminate the need to head directly to the surface.
No matter what setup you are using, the diver should check gauges frequently to have a fairly close idea of how much gas is remaining. Then, the diver can make a more informed decision about what to do from there.
"For the diligent diver, closed circuit rebreathers are actually safer than open circuit scuba." Tom Mount
#12
Posted 19 October 2005 - 10:00 AM
#13
Posted 19 October 2005 - 10:40 AM
Stop, breathe, think, act.
The LP hose, or a tank O ring will definitely run it right out. One of my instructors lost her O Ring at 25 ffw, she was OOA almost immediately, and we came up on my air.
If you can see your buddy, I'd recommend normal ascent with your buddy, ready to share air if you run out.
If you can't, I'd go ahead and start a normal ascent.
In either case, monitor your breathing - if it's starting to pull hard, be ready to switch to a CESA.
My vote is for a safety stop if you're still getting air, or have your buddy handy.
Yep, 19CF Pony is on my list too. Too bad they're such a PITA to carry on an airplane.
Jacques Yves Cousteau
#14
Posted 19 October 2005 - 12:12 PM
It's these kind of discussions that really give this site some meat to add to our bank of knowledge. Fortunately I haven't had to deal with any real issues yet, but hopefully the simple act of reading, analyzing and pondering the countless "What if?" scenarios will forge the appropriate reaction in my mind BEFORE it is required. After all, visualization is a very real and effective form of practicing any skill.
This is one of the great things I love about divers is their eagerness to share their experience and knowledge!
TheScubaCowboy
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#15
Posted 19 October 2005 - 02:25 PM
I'm with you on this one Neptuner...the knowledge on this site is incredible!Good advice from everyone, thanks for sharing!
It's these kind of discussions that really give this site some meat to add to our bank of knowledge. Fortunately I haven't had to deal with any real issues yet, but hopefully the simple act of reading, analyzing and pondering the countless "What if?" scenarios will forge the appropriate reaction in my mind BEFORE it is required. After all, visualization is a very real and effective form of practicing any skill.
This is one of the great things I love about divers is their eagerness to share their experience and knowledge!
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