Ways you can use a spare air tank other than as scuba redundancy

[muddiver]

On a serious note: You still need to adhear to the 30 feet per minute ascent, and breath out or breath continiously when surfacing. It is the last three feet that can cause the most damage to your lungs from over expansion.

You will find that filling from a larger cylinder will get you one to three fills and then the to will start to equilize in pressure. It is not just the volume that you are looking for, but the pressure will become the same in the larger cylinder as the smaller cylinder unless the larger cylinder holds a much higher presure. I don't know what the working pressure on a SpareAir is, but if it is too low you could damage or rupture it using a high pressure cylinder to fill it if you do not use a pressure gage on the smaller SpareAir to see where you are at during the fill.

 

[mike_s]

Carry two, and you got 16, see what I mean?

oh man.... what a perfect opportunity to make a set of Spare-Air Doubles?

the spare air 3000

or down in central Florida, when we're cave diving, we give our Spare-Air's "Cave Fills", pumping them up to 4000psi, like this... will increase your bottom time from 8 minutes to about 12 minutes (+/-)

any news about the new titanium spare air?

you know they have a Nitrox version of it available also don't you?

in a pool of a depth of roughly 8 feet and I can expect no abnormal disasters...if it runs out of air, I surface,

wow.... you can do the same thing in an 8ft pool with a snorkel.... (or without one for that matter.)

 

[muddiver]

any news about the new titanium spare air?

In testing it was determined that it was not commpatable with any mix over 20.9% Oxygen. There are concernes that it could be a hazard to DIR and Tech divers that intend to exceed that level of oxygen mix.

 

[mike_s]

I just picked up a "Spare Snork" in case my main snorkle runs out of air...

RJP,,, if you're worried about snorkel failure, you should go with the completely redundant "iso-later valve snorkel"

or as a last resort, keep a spare snorkel "bungee'd" around your neck for extra redundancy....

 

[Docc]

I just picked up a "Spare Snork" in case my main snorkle runs out of air...

Do they make that in black?

 

[muddiver]

you know they have a Nitrox version of it available also don't you?

Yep

 

[redacted]

It is a pretty expensive pool toy. And your "fill station" is only going to give you 3 cuft for the first few fills. When your supply tank is down to 1500 psi you will only get 1.5 cuft good for about 4 minutes. Why not just put a regulator on your supply tank and take the whole tank into the pool. It would be much more efficient.

 

[maged_mmh]

I just picked up a "Spare Snork" in case my main snorkle runs out of air...

Be warned: This corrugation will cause turbulent air flow and increase WOB.

 

[scarefaceDM]

Man you guys are quick....

Safe. it is as safe as you make it.
If your playing around at 8 feet and happen to run out of air. There are risks of lung expansion injury. Risk is there even at 4 feet. The risk is; if you happen to run out of air and happen to panic there are chances that you are not going to gargle your way up. Releasing the the air in your lungs from your last breathe off the Spare Air. That risk is eliminated if you exhale slowly on your way up from 8 feet. So do the GRRRRR if you happen to run out of air at the bottom as you go up. It seems senseless to say that but injuries can occur from the last 4 feet of any dive. Lung expansion injuries, ear popping or not equalizing. Forcing your ears to clear can cause you to POP your ear drum and cause some serious damage.

The other risk that comes to mind is your ears. going up and down at a quick pace can cause you to not equalize your ears CLEAR yoru ears properly. Just be aware of this when you swim around in the pool breathing off your spare air.

So to recap.
At any depth in a pool from 12 feet 8 fet or even 4 feet. You should be in control of your acent at all times when breathing off an air source. Making a controlled accent is crucial to avoiding injuries related to breathing gas at depth.

Releasing the gas in your lungs to avoid a lung expansion injury if you happen to run ou tof air at depth. Making a grrr sound in yoru throat to release the air in your lungs from your last breathe. will avoid an injury.

Equalizing your ears. Being able to gently equalize your ears when your descend and making sure to not FORCE equalization. Forcing equalization in your ears can rupture your ear drum and cause you to have a really bad day. even from 4 feet.

Simple and clear enough

just play safe and take it slow.

 

[brandon429]

great information muddiver will be ready for that. Regarding the refilling I haven't seen the exact procedure but the site says you can refill it off the scuba tank you are meaning to have as the primary...I was wondering too how one would know when it's full, the kit version is suppsed to come with everything needed but I wasn't sure what to expect. Maybe some of you guys use em, but in that case I bet you don't ever have to refill them because most people would only use this as a backup...I was wanting one for a quick-deploy 8 minute dive anytime...if it turns out to be a pain to refill or if there's any equipment needs I hadn't thought of I'll probably send it back. I was hoping to just have a simple quick deploy pool toy... and when feeling adventurous I wouldn't oppose a little dock diving with one>?