Valve Drills save lives

looka · Apr 7, 2013

Last week the DIN O-ring on my left post popped in a big BOOM!!! After the noise, i saw gas everywhere, shut the isolator on my manifold immediately, guessed the failure was on the right post, switched to my backup reg and shut the right post. My buddy saw the gas was coming out of the LEFT post (the one I was breathing from), so she shut that one as well at the same time. My reg went dry, she gave me her long hose and in less than 15 seconds the leak was stopped.

We re-opened my right post and the manifold safely, then I switched back to my reg and we went for the surface.

In total, I lost 25 bar, which means that tanks would have gone completely dry in about 1 minute.

Practice your valve drills, people, it can save your life.

Luca

rjack321 · Apr 7, 2013

I have no idea how you are configured breathing from you left post... Pictures?

TSandM · Apr 8, 2013

Richard, he said he closed his right post and switched to backup, but he was actually leaking from the left. So when buddy came in and shut off his left, he was OOG.

Glad to hear the story had a good ending. But one of the things my instructors (all of them) would crucify us for, was shutting off the post someone was breathing. If you come in and find someone breathing off the leaking post, you get them to switch (first verifying that the other one is open) and THEN you shut the post. Clearly, you guys dealt with the "out of gas emergency" in a textbook fashion, which IS one of the benefits of valve drills. (I think we have ALL, at some point, shut off all of our OWN gas, and coped with it

)

looka · Apr 8, 2013

TSandM:
But one of the things my instructors (all of them) would crucify us for, was shutting off the post someone was breathing.

Thanks for your comment TSandM. The buddy was actually a TDI instructor. She shought it was quicker to stick her reg in my face and shut the post directly, rather than have me re-open the right post, switch and then close the left one.

As you said, I'm here posting about it, so it worked

ajduplessis · Apr 8, 2013

Great to hear everything worked out well. I have modified my own valve drill over time. There are different ways all with their own pros and cons. My drill/sequence is as follow:

Note: I will shut down the suspected post and isolator in the same move using both hands. Isolator is also only 1/3 turn open. This allows the 2 cylinders to still be equilibrium and only require a single turn to close, saving time and gas.

Ajduplessis Modified Valve Drill

Purge Backup
Shut down both right post and isolator (one move/action) - breath down and switch
Open right post and purge
Shut down left post - breath down and switch
Open left post and purge
Open isolator (1/3 turn)

Drill can be completed in 30 seconds, start to end.

fdog · Apr 8, 2013

I agree that you're here, so that's a happy ending. But.

I also agree with Lynne: having someone shut down your gas, without you directing them to, is a very bad habit to get into and will lead to issues in the future.

If this had happened to me, there would have been words later.

All the best, James

rjack321 · Apr 8, 2013

TSandM:
Richard, he said he closed his right post and switched to backup, but he was actually leaking from the left. So when buddy came in and shut off his left, he was OOG.

I get it now.

TSandM:
Glad to hear the story had a good ending. But one of the things my instructors (all of them) would crucify us for, was shutting off the post someone was breathing. If you come in and find someone breathing off the leaking post, you get them to switch (first verifying that the other one is open) and THEN you shut the post. Clearly, you guys dealt with the "out of gas emergency" in a textbook fashion, which IS one of the benefits of valve drills. (I think we have ALL, at some point, shut off all of our OWN gas, and coped with it )

Yeah that was not the way to problem solve this issue.

Where were you when this issue occurred looka? Overhead? Depth?

PfcAJ · Apr 8, 2013

I don't really have a problem with a teammate coming in, quickly identifying the problem and fixing it, but too many cooks in the kitchen can result in OOG, as we've seen in this example.

IF (and that's a big if) you're going to shut down someones valve, you better be 100% sure about which post they're breathing. While in this particular case everything ended well, a slight misstep could have lead to disaster.

oldschoolto · Apr 8, 2013

The only thing I think she would/should had done is pass you her long hose "FIRST"

..... Other than that, sounds like working the problem.... :acclaim:

Jim.....

looka · Apr 9, 2013

rjack321:
Where were you when this issue occurred looka? Overhead? Depth?

Not overhead, it was supposed to be an open water deco dive along a wall, but this happened at 24m still in NDL, so we could resurface almost immediately. I also had my nitrox 50 for deco with me, so gas was not an issue at that point.

It could have happened deeper into a cave and in that case the margin of safety would have been thinner.

---------- Post added April 9th, 2013 at 02:06 PM ----------

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I'm taking the point on checking what you are shutting, it makes a great deal of sense.

I don't feel my buddy did wrong, and her reg was in my mouth in less than 2 secs, but I guess next time (if there is a next time) we'll do it better.

thank you and safe diving
Luca

Valve Drills save lives

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