Shutdowns - breathing down vs. purging

[alexxred]

When doing valvue shutdowns I understand the DIR method is for one to breath down the reg then switch to your backup.

Would it be acceptable, for example (for R post) to do this instead:

Switch to backup, then shutdown the right post, then clip off and purge primary.

Cheers

Alex

 

[MonkSeal]

Well, the drill is like it is. The old version was breathing down both when shut, now we breath down right and purge left when shut.

 

[johnkendall]

When doing valvue shutdowns I understand the DIR method is for one to breath down the reg then switch to your backup.

Would it be acceptable, for example (for R post) to do this instead:

Switch to backup, then shutdown the right post, then clip off and purge primary.

Cheers

Alex

The issue here is what you do with the regulator between switching to the backup reg and before clipping it off. You can't hold on to it as you need your right hand to shutdown the post.

Breathing down the right post is not difficult and doesn't really cause any issues.

HTH

John

 

[MonkSeal]

The issue here is what you do with the regulator between switching to the backup reg and before clipping it off. You can't hold on to it as you need your right hand to shutdown the post.

I see no issue with holding the way Alex described it:
- shutdown
- switch
- clip
- purge

 

[alexxred]

^^^^^

I agree that breathing down the right post is not difficult. I have done it plenty of times.

But in relation to my first post I got the order wrong. What I'm asking about is (using R post as an example) the following.

Switch to backup
clip off primary
then shutdown the R post & purge primary.

Thinking being by switching to your backup before shutting down the R post you are not risking switching with the possibility of both posts being shutdown at the same time. Is what I am suggesting not DIR, and if so why?

 

[MonkSeal]

Switch to backup
clip off primary
then shutdown the R post & purge primary

This seqence does not make any sense if you think about V-drill as building block for later valve failures resolving procedures. The seqence must start with shutdown.

 

[alexxred]

^^^^
Agreed. I was going to add that in a real world scenario, I personally would start by first shutting the post down. So the drill should equal what would happen in a real world situation.

I raised the question because of a conversation I had with someone regarding the safest way to conduct shutdown drills.

 

[rjack321]

I raised the question because of a conversation I had with someone regarding the safest way to conduct shutdown drills.

with a buddy

 

[rjack321]

This seqence does not make any sense if you think about V-drill as building block for later valve failures resolving procedures. The seqence must start with shutdown.

If you were breathing a stage and had a (presumed) right post failure it would already be clipped off and you'd purge it.

The drill is just a drill. To learn practice manipulating valves and to mentally associate which knob goes with which reg. Breathing the primary down is part of that association. Breathing the backup used to be, but the current drill is a hybrid of failure management and mouth to post association.

 

[ivobj]

Thinking being by switching to your backup before shutting down the R post you are not risking switching with the possibility of both posts being shutdown at the same time. Is what I am suggesting not DIR, and if so why?

To ensure I would not have both posts closed at the same time, when I am closing the right post (breathing from it), simultaneously, with the left hand I purge twice the backup to be sure it is open and functional, if I purge it and there is no gas, I immediately stop closing the right post.

And of course, I practice the drill with my buddy around.