Gas failure kills local diver - Washington state

[eelnoraa]

My wife had a main spring fail in her Atomic T2. That will mess up your whole day.

Yep, that will do it.

Can you explain why 1st stage will shut off when main piston spring break? I heard this a few time before. So once when I was serviing my atomic, I purpose left the spring out. I guess spring break is same as no spring. What I got was 2nd stage free flow due to very high IP, so high that my IP gauge max out, so I don't know what is the IP. Of course this all happen on land in my garage. But I don't think it should be any different at depth. Did I do this experiment wrong?

 

[diverintheflesh]

Actually, if the main spring broke, the IP would probably drop so low that one could not draw air out of it...

On a diaphragm reg

 

[diverintheflesh]

Can you explain why 1st stage will shut off when main piston spring break? I heard this a few time before. So once when I was serviing my atomic, I purpose left the spring out. I guess spring break is same as no spring. What I got was 2nd stage free flow due to very high IP, so high that my IP gauge max out, so I don't know what is the IP. Of course this all happen on land in my garage. But I don't think it should be any different at depth. Did I do this experiment wrong?

The atomic is a piston reg...with no spring on the piston, the piston would be blown off the HP seat

 

[redacted]

I believe it depends on when the spring fails. If it fails while the valve is closed, then it should sttop all air delivery as there may not be enough force to open the valve. If it fails while open, it could probably go either way. A venturi effect is working to keep it open and pressure on the piston head is working to close it. Plus, most BP 1sts are not perfectly balanced and that immbalance is usually working to keep the valve open.