stage diving

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I was taught to pressurize and turn it off. For all the reasons mentioned above.
 
PerroneFord:
I was taught to pressurize and turn it off. For all the reasons mentioned above.
same turn on off tell ready to use then turn it on follow the house to the right reg and in to the mouth
 
Loss of pressure + increase in depth = water inside first stage.

When dropping a bottle, I pressurize it and then turn it off. When carrying a sling bottle, I pressurize it then dial the valve back so that it is barely open - just enough to repressurize the system should the regulator accidentally be burped and keep the water out.
 
reefraff:
Loss of pressure + increase in depth = water inside first stage.

I've never had that happen, but in fresh water so what? Depress the second stage purge, turn the valve knob on and any moisture will be blown out. Obviously, in salt water a first stage rebuild might be in order- but I don't dive salt.

I agree with the concensus- charge the IP hose and turn the valve off. The consequences of an empty bottle outweigh the slight possibility of a wet- but fixable- first stage.

Johnny
www.cavedving.com
 
cool thanks guys you answered my question.
 
wallacm:
I was talking to a buddy of mine, and we got onto the subject about turning the air off of your stage bottle when you drop it. I said to keep it on, but his rebuttle was what if there was a small leak that went unnoticed, and when you arrived back at your stage it was empty.

It got me thinking, anyways was wondering what yall's thoughts were.

In both stage and deco bottles....'charge' the line and then turn the valve 'off'....very simple.
 
Johnny Richards:
I've never had that happen, but in fresh water so what? Depress the second stage purge, turn the valve knob on and any moisture will be blown out. Obviously, in salt water a first stage rebuild might be in order- but I don't dive salt.
www.cavedving.com
A couple of "so whats":

  • Most of my diving is in very cold (and fresh) water. At low temps, water in the first stage all too often means freeze related free-flows. This didn't have to happen more than a couple of times for me to get tired of feathering valves all the way to the next gas switch.
  • As a repair tech, I've seen how much silt can get inside first stages that are allowed to flood. Banging around inside a dirty old wreck in zero visibility and the 2nd gets bumped, drop down a couple of decks and the system floods with more than just water. Not recommended as a way to ensure good performance.
With the valve open just a crack, you maintain positive pressure in the system even if the 2nd is burped. You risk a only a small volume of gas (assuming you're paying attention) which strikes me as a fair trade-off. YRMV.

It is a different story if you're staging the bottles - I turn the valve off - but the chances of depressurizing the system also decrease dramatically in a static environment.
 
My thoughts are, its a din, and if its on right and the pressure does get bled out of the bottle, it's not very likely to flood. Now if you're using a yoke on the stage, then loosing IP could cause a decent little 1st stage flood, since there's no captured O-ring. In that case, I'd go with the slight opening and bleeding into the IP, but static, leave her off.
 
Just to add to what Diver0001 said as did Johnny and Perrone.

You turn the valve on to pressurize the system, breath the reg wet to test it as part of your S drill then shut it down leaving it pressurized. As a final check after dropping the stage (if you do that) check the valve to make sure it is off and hasn't opened on you. Part of your procedure to picking it up is to turn that valve on and check the pressure before use. You may of had a leaking tank O ring. In any case you will know your status of gas when you need to breath it.

If the reg was emptied by some means say a pressing on the purge or a leak of a hose don't worry even in salt water it will most likely still function after you recharge the system. And As a Johnny said in salt water should this have happened don't be afraid to flush the reg out with fresh water after the dive and then pressurize it to blast out the moisture and get it serviced soon there after. The best regs for stages are diaphragm-ed and environmentally sealed regs
 
Reefraff, I assume you never look or check your bottles after you hit the water.

It seems to me instead of this half-pregnant approach could be easily fixed by doing a quick roll-on-roll-off approach every few minutes as a part of regular diving activities.(you don't even have to look at the bottles to do it either) If you do want to look, great, you'll see you need it recharged or you don't.

Very simple, and takes nothing away from the dive, infact it becomes part of the program before you know it and you don't even consciously know you're doing it. It is SOP with our divers.

If you bump it, it's the same as any valve or piece of gear - check it.

What you don't want to get into is the idea that leaving anything half-way, part way, whatever, is anything other than a cludge where none is needed.

I'm sure the first time you forget to shut off a bottle when you're dropping it and it runs off will be the last time you do it that way. I'd rather someone just use a safer approach than learn the hard way where your only inwater concern is the loss of the gas.

It really doesn't matter if it hasn't happened to you yet either.

I will admit I tend not to bash the crap out my gear while penetrating wrecks which is why I guess I don't flood them....yes even in salt water.

Dropping them down a couple decks? Whatever are you doing dude?
 
http://cavediveflorida.com/Rum_House.htm

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