Boltsnap breakaways

[ferris213]

Hi,

This is a question that arose on a different thread and I wanted to get some opinions on it.

Do you use breakaway connectors on your longhose and SPG boltsnaps? What is the Hog position on this and why?

I have no tech training but was told by an instructor that you should always use a doubled over O ring. I have heard others on this board say that caveline is better.

The only reason I can think not to use the O ring method is it will degrade over time, but I would have thought this was fairly easily addressed during basic routine inspections of your kit.

Thanks.

 

[lv2dive]

In my experience, o-rings break at the most inopportune times, leaving one with a dangling spg/no way to clip off a long hose. I had to switch out cave line for o-rings for a couple of classes I took last year, that *required* breakaways, and I thought I would go nuts by the end of the class... I had to replace the cave line with o-rings at least one time each on the SPG and the long hose 2nd stage, and they were new o-rings!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

As someone who sees a lot of o rings both as a reg repair tech and in my regular job when servicing our HP waterjet systems, I would not trust them for any job other than what they are designed for. Making a seal and preventing leaks. Even brand new ones as the previous poster noted can fail when used in ways they were never intended for. Early on when I was considering tech training and tech diving styles I got a copy of the DSAT tech deep manual. Still have it.

Using o rings was what they suggested along with some other pieces of advise that seemed contradictory to good common sense practices.

Using cave line is introducing a reliable method to secure an item that can easily be INTENTIONALLY defeated with a knife, shears, or z knife. O rings can unintentionally be defeated by damn near anything and result in dragging gauges or regulators, damaged items or damage to the environment, lost items, and just general sloppiness. The whole point is that the items need to be secure when stowed and not be subject to random failures of that securing method. O rings are too much of a risk for those random failures because again, you are using an item that was never designed for such useage.

 

[The Chairman]

I have found 1/8" bungee to be better than cave line. It has just enough give for me.

 

[lv2dive]

As my instructor read it, it was actually a REQUIREMENT to use breakaways for that program. We discussed pro's and con's and in the end I respected his wishes for the class, put the o-rings on for the class sessions, then replaced with cave line after each session. Although I learned a lot in those classes, changing out the o-rings/cave line did get tiresome!

 

[DevonDiver]

Personally, I think 'cut-away' is sufficient mitigation of risk - provided that the diver has suitable cutting devices, intelligently located for immediate use.

 

[rongoodman]

Only when diving sidemount, when my long hose is clipped off half the time. Last trip I used this one. Otherwise, cave line.

 

[Doppler]

Only when diving sidemount, when my long hose is clipped off half the time. Last trip I used this one. Otherwise, cave line.

Ron: how did you find the plastic breakaway... worth the bother or a bit clumsy?

 

[buddhasummer]

I use cave line and usually replace every year, I like to play.

 

[rongoodman]

Ron: how did you find the plastic breakaway... worth the bother or a bit clumsy?

The only problem is its tendency to slide down the hose from time to time, off the metal fitting. I don't mind having tried it, but I would be open for a neater suggestion.