Checking your own tank valves

[Leejnd]

This has been a very useful discussion for me -- even if it is re-treading ground that has been covered numerous times before. For me it's not about the 1/4 turn thing, but about when to turn on my air. My instinct, what feels *right* to me, has always been to turn it on right before I slip on the gear, and leave it on...but after that DM told me not to do that, I've tried out waiting until just before I jump in, and having my buddy or the crew at the gate do it. But that just felt...WRONG. I will now go back to what I should have been doing all along, which is trusting my instinct and knowing what is right for ME.

I also usually do a couple deep breaths and check the needle right before I descend, but the key word there is "usually" - it wasn't a guaranteed part of my routine. I will now MAKE it a guaranteed part of my routine...a muscle memory thing. That way, if some bonehead crew turns my air off without me seeing it, it's one more fail-safe.

Thanks for this great discussion!

 

[String]

Does anyone know why we teach divers to Fully Open and then turn 1/4 turn back? (I have a theory but I don't know if it's accurate.)

Older scuba valves had a tendancy to jam if the valve was full in one direction. SOME newer ones suffer from this as well.

Incidentally without realising im so conditioned to the on then back a bit ive noticed i do it on land to water taps etc too!

First thing i do on every dive after descending to 3-5m is a full valve check on my own tank before proceeding. It's a good habit to get into and would stop the tank being turned off issue.

 

[mbwilliamn]

I got taught the 1/4 turn as well, and for the same reasons.
I've seen 'sticky' valves (although none so badly stuck it was an issue), so I have to accept the reasoning.

However, I don't do the full 1/4 turn any more as it's enough travel to allow confusion. I just ease the valve slightly off the 'full open' position - maybe 1/16 or 1/8 of a turn.

I don't mind having other people checking the valve, but I make sure I'm the last one doing it - eventually in the water. Chimp-sized arms help

Several people have commented...damage to valves is the reason for backing off, but I do like the "slightly" version.

Additionally I teach (and practice) the "AAWFL" (pronouced awful) check before standing up - Air (2x breaths from your reg while looking at your SPG...Closed or partially closed valve will show a drop), Air - test your inflator, Weights - put your hands on belt or integrated pockets, Feet/Fins - yes, look at them....I'm not too proud to admit preparing to jump in without my fins at least once! L is for Leap (or Giant stride, but G didn't fit!).

 

[b1gcountry]

2-3 breaths from each reg just before entering the water. This assures me both regs are working and my air is on.

Same here. Re-read the third paragraph in my post above.

Tom

 

[Doc Harry]

WHY

Many, many reasons.... Such as to make sure:
-that a regulator will work when I need it
-that valve didn't get rolled off
-my necklace reg is pressurized after valve drills
-my deco stage is pressured and didn't accidentally get purged
-my deco stage is pressurized after a switch
etc, etc., etc., etc.

 

[thanksforallthefish]

Many, many reasons.... Such as to make sure:
-that a regulator will work when I need it
-that valve didn't get rolled off
-my necklace reg is pressurized after valve drills
-my deco stage is pressured and didn't accidentally get purged
-my deco stage is pressurized after a switch
etc, etc., etc., etc.

it wasnt the reason why you check it ... it was the frequency that i was questioning ... every 5 to 10 minutes

 

[Drew Sailbum]

....they are responsible and each diver is an unknown quantity...they have no idea if any given diver is a newbie....a pro...an idiot...

[hijack]
None of these are mutually exclusive. Work on a dive boat long enough and you will see idiots from all certification levels. You will also see newbies who look like they must have gills.

Every diver is an unknown quantity until observed and evaluated. Every single diver.[/hijack]

 

[RubberDucky]

It took about 15 minutes of us shouting to the guy on the boat for him to finally turn around and notice us (I can say I was truly pissed off). If there were any kind of real current, we'd have been long gone.

Have you invested in dive whistles or those "dive alert" devices (or something similar) since then? Just curious.

In regards to breathing though your reg while observing your SPG prior to jumping off of the boat, that's not necessarily always going to be effective. See this post from Saspotato for more details.

 

[Uraluni]

I have to chuckle since all of the replies in this post.

We've been MUCH more responsible of our tank valve positions since the OP. All of the follow-up post have actually got us a bit paranoid on the subject.

On Julie's and I last few dives I've checked her tanks at theast three times before she gets in the water.

 

[Uraluni]

To follow up on this...

...I caught a boat captain just this weekend in North FL turning a tank valve the wrong way during a check on my wife's tank. While the captain was turning the valve, one of the mates noticed what was going on and said "no, it goes this way." The captain's response was "oh yeah, I'm used to turning it from the other side."

i.e......check your own valve...