Linke Seitentasche
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Exactly how does this help against a zip-tie failing?
A reminder about deep air/ or not
- Thread starter lermontov
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Exactly how does this help against a zip-tie failing?
TrimixToo
Contributor
Proper X-ray and untrasonic inspections could doubtless have detected the impending failure, rendering it wholly avoidable! (Sorry. Don't know what got into me. I'll go back to sleep now.)
More on point, I had this failure on an OMS "workhorse" reg. Since the mouthpiece retained the exhaust baffle too, it was retired after the dive. It was weird using it for the rest of the deco stops that tank was for without the baffle, but the reg kept working. It's never happened before or since; the zip ties always seem to last two years...except when they don't.
Great post.
The point, obviously, is not about mouthpieces. It could have been any unexpected situation - a free flow, buddy OOA, lost mask, entanglement, etc. The point for deep air divers is having to deal with it while narced vs using tmx.
I generally feel fine (normal) on deep air - i.e., I don't really feel narced. Right up until I have to deal with something out of the ordinary, that is. I'm pretty tuned into the feeling of having one drink too many, even if I'm just sitting around. Not the same for me with narcosis. I don't generally sense it until I have to do something more complicated and only then do I become aware that I'm impaired.
A good example of a situation that might have been much more difficult if you'd been fuzzy. I'll keep to diving mix and an END <100' on any dive other than open water with good vis and no more than modest deco.
The point, obviously, is not about mouthpieces. It could have been any unexpected situation - a free flow, buddy OOA, lost mask, entanglement, etc. The point for deep air divers is having to deal with it while narced vs using tmx.
I generally feel fine (normal) on deep air - i.e., I don't really feel narced. Right up until I have to deal with something out of the ordinary, that is. I'm pretty tuned into the feeling of having one drink too many, even if I'm just sitting around. Not the same for me with narcosis. I don't generally sense it until I have to do something more complicated and only then do I become aware that I'm impaired.
A good example of a situation that might have been much more difficult if you'd been fuzzy. I'll keep to diving mix and an END <100' on any dive other than open water with good vis and no more than modest deco.
seeker242
Contributor
It has to do with the fact that it's easier to handle any failure when you have a clear head.
martincohn
Contributor
Visual inspection and wiggle test is better than not even bothering to check. It's always better to find problems before you hit the water. If you loose a mouthpiece you can still breath off the reg, just need to hold it.
And I carry zip ties on every dive, don't you?
I carry zip ties but not on the dive. Probably good idea.
In case of my buddy who had the failure she was on rental gear, first dive post cert in a lake, we were in the ocean at 40 fsw, and she did not know she could breath off the reg and assumed it was a failure. Her other reg was in her pocket where the captain had put it, not where she had it in training, so she came over, we did an air share while we sorted things out, and then finished the dive.
OP
lermontov
Contributor
Exactly, any failure has potential to escalate into a bigger drama and to underscore the situation if you think about he process I,ve already exhaled and then agin to 'clear' so not a lot of time to dither. That is not even accounting for the time to work out what's going on, it's a mind trick to have what you think is a reg in your mouth but only sucking in water. At least with an empty tank you can feel it running out .
The potential escalation can come about quickly If say the diver has not done a lot of reg switching or not got the muscle memory's or gear set up to go straight to another gas source, this maybe more relevant to someone what has just done say an extended range course using twins who has Yet to got mileage in and feeling comfortable at depth.
It's such good advice that I've read not to do a pinnacle dive if you've got new setup or just achieved a cert for deeper or demanding diving and certainly not doing them with a high pn2
martincohn
Contributor
Look at it, give it a tug, if it looks OK then dive it. If not replace the zip tie, and dive. You have one in your saveadive kit don't you?
Zip tie fails in water, so what, just hold it there and keep suckin gas (with or without a mouthpiece). Or pull out a spare, if you have one and fix it.
Same for a torn mouthpiece. (for those folks that forgot to look at the mouthpiece during predive check). Pull that puppy off and just breath the reg. And if you have a spare, fix it.
If I may, I’ve yet to see any Diver include a “zip tie” in a predive check.....sounds ridiculous. Even with a thorough predive check, bubble check and an S drill a zip tie can let go without warning. That’s why we drill......now I would certainly agree that it could have been significantly more challenging at 65m on air compared to mix.
I think helium has a serious side affect, it seems to cause an irrational dislike of divers who dive deep on air or maybe it’s a fear that deep air divers know something that they don’t, either way this post has nothing to do with zip ties or mouth pieces
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