Instantly out of air!

[johnmckenzie]

Normally and out of air situation happens over the space of breath or two as the air drains out. But in this case, my partner had an instant stoppage in her air flow. We handled the issue with a text book air sharing. On shared air, we found that the regulator had started breathing again.

On the workbench we found the problem. Small bits of beach grit had entered the second stage and then the air barrel. One bit got stuck and this made it impossible to for the lever to push down and start the air flow.

Why:
My partner had a back problem. So we had been taking her gear into the water for her to don sans gravity. While the regulator was sitting in the water beach grit was free to enter. We are now being much more careful with the regs pre-dive.

 

[fisheater]

Thanks for posting.

 

[Keith.M]

Tie a bolt snap onto the hose right after the second stage and clip it onto a chest D ring until she is suited up in the water.

 

[jcaplins]

first... good job and thanks for sharing.

2nd... If I may ask, did your partner attempt to use her own Octo before signalling and sharing your air?

I ask, because that is where I would go first. The line for the octo 2nd stage may still be pressurized and might give you 1 or 2 more breaths. Also, there would no need to share air as in this case her octo would have worked just fine.

 

[halocline]

The way it was described, the diver's alternate 2nd stage should have worked fine, if it didn't, there was an additional problem. Anyhow, this is just another example of how regulator failure is a nuisance, NOT life threatening, with good safe dive practices. Life support indeed

 

[redacted]

2nd... If I may ask, did your partner attempt to use her own Octo before signalling and sharing your air?

I ask, because that is where I would go first. The line for the octo 2nd stage may still be pressurized and might give you 1 or 2 more breaths. Also, there would no need to share air as in this case her octo would have worked just fine.

I thought about that but realized, with such a failure, the octo will also not be working if the problem is the 1st stage. The buddy is a pretty sure thing.

 

[spectrum]

I keep a silcone alternate second stage holder on my RH shoulder D-ring and park my primary there before and after use. It also keeps it off the ground when setting the rig down after the dive.

 

[guruboy]

I would go with an octo holder as well, so that there isn't a bolt snap hanging off the reg while in use.

 

[fisheater]

I, like many divers, have a bolt snap handing off my primary reg hose.

Not a problem.


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[Adobo]

Normally and out of air situation happens over the space of breath or two as the air drains out. But in this case, my partner had an instant stoppage in her air flow. We handled the issue with a text book air sharing. On shared air, we found that the regulator had started breathing again.

On the workbench we found the problem. Small bits of beach grit had entered the second stage and then the air barrel. One bit got stuck and this made it impossible to for the lever to push down and start the air flow.

Why:
My partner had a back problem. So we had been taking her gear into the water for her to don sans gravity. While the regulator was sitting in the water beach grit was free to enter. We are now being much more careful with the regs pre-dive.

Do you do gear checks before getting in the water/descending under water?

---------- Post added August 7th, 2013 at 07:37 PM ----------

I would go with an octo holder as well, so that there isn't a bolt snap hanging off the reg while in use.

What's wrong with having a bolt snap on your primary reg's hose?