Spare Air: some thoughts

[halocline]

No Matt, in fact that is not necessarily why one might carry a Spare Air.

Can you count how many other reasons there are in the "21 ways you can run out of air" in the list below that have nothing at all to do with poor gas management or buddy skills?

Good boy.

I'm not going to go through your whole list, but every single one of those scenarios is solvable by other means; the equipment related ones through the buddy system or, in some cases, standard recreational gear (like with the mouthpiece)or simply by aborting the dive (free-flow) and heading for the surface, and the others are all gas management or poor planning/dive behavior related. This is really basic information.

Given your weak understanding of OOA situations, their solutions, and what causes them, I am quite frankly a little tired of your condescending and defensive tone. Grow a thicker skin and learn something about diving. If you say you have years of dive experience, then my response is "why haven't you learned this stuff?"

 

[TSandM]

1. Forgetting to watch the time and staying down too long. Either lack of dive plan, or failure to adhere to dive plan.
2. Using air quicker than planned due to overshooting depth, getting caught in a current, getting lost, nitrogen narcosis, diving in cold water, getting caught in kelp or fishing line. Poor situational awareness; lack of buddy support.
3. Sudden regulator malfunction due to corrosion or too much time between overhaul. Easily solved with buddy support, given adequate dive plan.
4. O-ring failure on any of the First stage regulator ports.
5. Regulator stuck in "free-flow" due to foreign particles or sand.
6. Regulator "freezing up" in cold water leaving you suddenly without air.
7. Stuck Pressure Gauge reflecting incorrect pressure in your tank. All easily dealt with with buddy support, given adequate dive plan.
8. Air cut off due to tank valve not turned on all the way. Caught in head-to-toe equipment check, when you breathe your regulator while watching your SPG.
9. Rupture of SCUBA tank o-ring due to misalignment or wear.
10. Second stage regulator diaphragm develops a tear or slips out of place. Easily managed with buddy support, given adequate dive plan.
11. O-ring failure on BC air inflator or valve stuck in the open position. Disconnect LP inflator hose.
12. Burst disc failure on SCUBA Tank valve due to corrosion or age.
13. Clogged filter on first stage regulator due to sediment or rust from tank. Easily dealt with with buddy support, assuming adequate dive plan.
14. Leak develops at any one of the High or Low pressure hose fittings. Lots of time to abort dive and make controlled ascent, with buddy as insurance if leak is large.
15. Mouthpiece on second stage suddenly coming off regulator. Switch to own backup reg; not an issue.
16. O-ring failure on pressure gauge. Causes champagne bubbles, doesn't impact gas supply within reasonable ascent time.
17. Rupture of either High or Low Pressure hoses. HP hose -- doesn't impact gas supply within reasonable ascent time. LP hose, easily dealt with with buddy support, assuming adequate gas plan.
18. O-ring failure on Octopus regulator. Unsure what this means, but LP gas loss, although fast, still permits plenty of time to establish air-share with buddy.
19. Rental tank not filled completely. Completely avoidable problem, given adequate pre-dive check.
20. Damaged First stage regulator due to falling object / impact.
21. High or Low pressure hose cut or severed on sharp rock / impediment. Again, either a non-issue due to slow gas loss, or a gas loss amenable to establishing air-share with buddy.

ALL of these issues are either completely avoidable or easily dealt with, given a competent buddy and an adequate gas plan.

 

[Atomic_Diver]

I hope this becomes a stickey so everyone that has ever had a question about Spare Air should come to this Thread... This Question goes out to people who actully own a Spare Air: what are the pros and cons? And this for all that oppose it... Why? Now this in general.. Should one eitheq A: have good enough skills that they don't need one. B: Get the 1.7 cu ft spare air. C: get the 3.0 version. D: get a ___ cu ft pony. E: or dive doubles or use an H or Y valve..

 

[scubafanatic]

what I want to know is how everyone out there is recommending using a pony 19cf bottle over spare air. How do you travel with gear and a pony bottle if you are a vacation diver? I know you are limited to only 30 breaths in a Spare Air bottle but if you can pick one up cheap why not get one. Like some others have posted before for most recreational divers isn't something better than nothing even though you plan and use good gas management.

...30 breaths AT THE SURFACE (1 atmosphere of pressure) = 6 breaths at 130 ft (5 atmospheres of pressure) ........

 

[Papa_Bear]

1. Forgetting to watch the time and staying down too long. That planning thing and scan pattern of your counsel, training!
2. Using air quicker than planned due to overshooting depth, getting caught in a current, getting lost, nitrogen narcosis, diving in cold water, getting caught in kelp or fishing line. Bad excuse and should never happen if you do above!
3. Sudden regulator malfunction due to corrosion or too much time between overhaul. You still have time to surface safely, been there done that!
4. O-ring failure on any of the First stage regulator ports. Still have time to surface been there done that!
5. Regulator stuck in "free-flow" due to foreign particles or sand. At a 150psi free flow you still have time, keep reg in mouth go up!
6. Regulator "freezing up" in cold water leaving you suddenly without air. Shouldn't be in that cold of water without proper reg
7. Stuck Pressure Gauge reflecting incorrect pressure in your tank. I learned to dive without a gauge!
8. Air cut off due to tank valve not turned on all the way. Stop and open it or have your buddy do it, should be no big deal
9. Rupture of SCUBA tank o-ring due to misalignment or wear. Same as above O ring failure!
10. Second stage regulator diaphragm develops a tear or slips out of place. Back up reg in mouth surface!
11. O-ring failure on BC air inflator or valve stuck in the open position. Plenty of time to surface been there done that!
12. Burst disc failure on SCUBA Tank valve due to corrosion or age. Funny, fly across your buddies face!
13. Clogged filter on first stage regulator due to sediment or rust from tank. You will still get air, surface!
14. Leak develops at any one of the High or Low pressure hose fittings.
15. Mouthpiece on second stage suddenly coming off regulator. Hold it in your mouth, put mouth piece back on!
16. O-ring failure on pressure gauge. Look at video of how long you have! Plenty of time!
17. Rupture of either High or Low Pressure hoses. No problem surface!
18. O-ring failure on Octopus regulator. Same!
19. Rental tank not filled completely. You have to be kidding, look at gauges!
20. Damaged First stage regulator due to falling object / impact. Underwater?
21. High or Low pressure hose cut or severed on sharp rock / impediment Watch sea hunt!.

Not one thing a spare air would help over a buddy or surfacing!

 

[scubafanatic]

...as far as I'm concerned, the main 'con' about Spare Air is they're not filled from the factory with Cyanide Gas....might as well get it over with anyway huh ?

 

[Papa_Bear]

As the OP said it's about attitude based on your type and level of training! I kind of go by this rule: If it works in a cave it will in open water, not the other way around! So no SA for me! Follow this rule and you will be as safe as is possible in a column of water!

 

[idocsteve]

I'm not going to go through your whole list, but every single one of those scenarios is solvable by other means; the equipment related ones through the buddy system or, in some cases, standard recreational gear (like with the mouthpiece)or simply by aborting the dive (free-flow) and heading for the surface

Yes Matt boy, there ARE oftentimes more than one solution to a problem.

"Aborting a dive and heading for the surface" certainly being one of them. And of course, while heading to the surface, it's rather nice to have..um...a secondary source of breathing gas, dontchya think?

 

[idocsteve]

Pro - One breath is better than no breaths. 20-30 breaths (average amount that you get from a 3 cf cylinder) is better than one breath.

Con - If a diver allows him or herself to be lulled into a false sense of security because they have this redundant gas supply, the risks may outweigh the benefits.

 

[Tanked]

"Aborting a dive and heading for the surface" certainly being one of them. And of course, while heading to the surface, it's rather nice to have..um...a secondary source of breathing gas, dontchya think?

Not if it runs out 15 feet from the surface.