How often do you check your gauges?

[RonMurray]

I have to admit I check my gauge before I hit the water, and usually once or twice during the dive, and that's about it. For uneventful technical dives, I am mostly monitoring my SPG for purposes of my turn pressure - I know because of my plan that I have plenty of gas for the planned dive.

For shallow recreational dives, 30-40' drift dives for example - on single tanks, I will check more frequently, every 10 minutes or so - just a glance down at my gauge - but I don't time it, just feel. For me, I know that I'm going to likely be cold and ready to surface before gas is a problem. For deeper recreational dives - 100' range, my NDL time will be the limiting factor outside of an equipment failure of some sort. But again, I am monitoring my turn pressure.

I would also note that if I have a failure that involves gas "quantity" - my gauge is not what is going to inform me of that kind of problem. That ominous burst of bubbles will definitely get your attention.

I have students however check their gas frequently because their consumption is often very high (although some students will surprise you). Some students can burn through a surprising amount of gas in a short time so monitoring is very important. They are also looking for turn pressure and end pressures for purposes of informing their buddy and me.

Be comfortable, don't get complacent. I think you are on the right track.

 

[BoltSnap]

@tbone1004 You are using land/distance/time markers to alert you when to check, not a "I have a feel for it" type of thing. You are still dependent on measure markers to know when at the end not "gut feeling" or "revelations from God."

 

[BoltSnap]

rough guess.

That's what gets people in deep trouble eventually.

 

[uncfnp]

I check my dive computer (non AI) frequently but on no set schedule, varies with average depth.

My SPG I admit to some complacency in the past with routine dives. Since no one has admitted to an "event" related to monitering gas I will share mine. Its been posted before so skip if familiar.
...

The second and most recent was all me and complacency. It was an easy dive, again lobster hunting solo but really hadn't seen anything. So I was just drifing along at about 25 minutes into the dive, I admit I had not checked the SPG at this point since "experiece" told me I should have well over half a tank, when I noticed a change in the work of breathing off the reg. Took another few breaths. Yep. A glance at the SPG confirmed no gas. Switched to pony and went up. I had neither heard nor seen a significant gas loss. Back on the boat I could find no source for the loss and to this day I am not sure what happened to the gas. I did have a bad leak of the DIN o-ring 2 dives later.

...

So yes, experience does give one a feel for gas use but surprises do still happen.

 

[kelemvor]

That's what gets people in deep trouble eventually.

Until there's some kind of reasonable HUD like the nerd for OW, it's going to have to do.

 

[tbone1004]

@tbone1004 You are using land/distance/time markers to alert you when to check, not a "I have a feel for it" type of thing. You are still dependent on measure markers to know when at the end not "gut feeling" or "revelations from God."

don't think I ever said I check based on gut feelings. I use the cave markers to estimate time if I'm not looking at my computer. If I'm looking at my computer, then I when I see certain time intervals, I will validate my gas and make any adjustments to the time interval after that.

 

[scubadada]

I check mine often. Probably every 5 minutes or so. I just don't like the idea of not knowing where I'm at. That said, when I'm doing a dive with a computer that has audible alarms I'm a little more relaxed about it. Might go every 10 or even 15 minutes. Knowing that I've got an alarm warning me of both "low" and "reserve" gas levels on an OW dive with no deco and no overhead keeps me comfortable.

Funny how people use or do not use alarms. When I got my 1st hosed AI computer in 2002, seemed to me the alarms were a great, high tech, idea. I initially, activated the audible alarm and set the alarms for depth, dive time, dive time remaining, turn pressure, end pressure, and pO2. It was not long before my audible alarm and many of the setpoints absolutely drove me crazy. Other divers audible alarms also drove me crazy.

It did not take long for me to change my opinion and deactivate the audible alarm and all the alarms I could. I graduated from my Oceanic Pro Plus to a Pro Plus 2, to my current VT3. Now, I mostly dive by myself and only have visual alarms that I cannot disable. These include dive time remaining of zero (entering deco (no NDL), hitting my end pressure, hitting O2 exposure limit). I also get a warning at a pO2 of 1.4 and an alarm at 1.6.

My backup Nitek Q has no activated alarms (max depth and time can be turned off). When my VT3 eventually dies, my new primary will not have alarms. I think it is best if a diver pays enough attention to not require external alarms.

 

[scubadada]

Until there's some kind of reasonable HUD like the nerd for OW, it's going to have to do.

Oceanic DataMask, now defunct

 

[Kevrumbo]

On a more difficult dive, or a dive I'm not particularly familiar with, I will look at it more often. How often is determined by depth profile and conditions ...

The only gauge you should really "need" is time, everything else can be done accurately enough with proper dive planning and you should only need to see depth and pressure for validation purposes.

This is - IMO - what we who think we're fairly experienced should be aware of. How do we know if it's a familiar dive where we can forget checking our gauges, and how do we know it's an unfamiliar dive where we should check more often? That's a danger of moderate experience, IMO.

Deep depth and increased breathing rate especially with physical exertion, I will always check the SPG at least twice to "gauge" and get a feel for my consumption rate -initially at reaching planned depth and then five minutes later, or anytime upon noticing an increased breathing cycle. If the SPG indicates a higher consumption rate than expected -usually 30% more- over two 5 minute intervals, then I might thumb the dive. So for example, if I'm at 21m on a single 13L tank, I expect to consume 20 bar in five minutes -if the SPG shows a delta of 25 bar in those five minutes, then I'm breathing & working more than accounted for, or I have a leak somewhere like at a 1st stage/tank valve connection..

If at anytime the SPG indicates 50% more consumption than expected along with obvious hard & forced exhalations, then I immediately abort the dive -cease and desist all physical activity causing the dyspnea, relax and try to regain a normal breathing rate while ascending to the surface or any mandatory deco stops.

 

[ScubaDoo83]

Since my wireless transmitter died I rely solely on my SPG. I have my SPG clipped on my waist during splash time but after descending I unclip and lay it over my shoulder so I can glance at it as often as I like (pretty often). Once I am almost done with my safety stop I clip it back to my waist.