The Isolation Manifold, lessons not learned and a small defence of the IUCRR

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Turning a valve behind one's head is not all that intuitive. When my wife and I were first learning to dive doubles and do valve drills she struggled with it. In one instance, she checked her isolator before our dive, just as we made a habit of doing, and found it was closed. Well, of course it was actually open, and she closed it before we dived. Fortunately, our dive was a practice dive on a shallow platform in a lake. It was a great lesson for both of us. After that experience, I got ahold of a "practice valve"--a cheap plastic water valve--and helped her learn which way to turn the valve no matter what orientation I held it in behind her head. That experience made me realize that even with practice, it may never become completely intuitive for everyone, and mistakes can be made.

That's why I use right-hand-rule/left-hand-rule (righty tighty - lefty loosy). If I'm tired, I pause to think.

 

[inquis]

one of those valves is in the opposite direction as usual

Lefty-loosey applies to both, but somehow it gets messed up.

Even a normal orientation valve, though, on a single. I've had the tank shut off, no quarter turn back, by deck hands. I ALWAYS run my tank high enough to reach the valve and check it if I feel them grab it.

 

[bakodiver391]

I have a cheap pair of adjustable wrenches I don't use,
they adjust backwards,,
Talk about frustrating...
Reminds me I should throw those away...

I've run into those, talk about frustrating. They were all made in Indonesia.