This dive was a 10+

[MikeFerrara]

Dude,

As stated in an earlier post: been there and had to do it at the 70ft stop in dry gloves, in the river, only once.
In the presents of Dan, Doug and Kevin. If your gloves are too heavy then they are the wrong gloves. I find the Dive Concepts black dry gloves to be the best compromise between flexiblity and warmth. I would prefer to dive wet gloves for flexibility but the cold temps on the bottom in certain places during the summer can make for an uncomfortable dive after 30 mins or so.

When we cannot fix it we change it out. Yes we all know how to feather the tap on a freeflowing tank.

What was fouling the diaphragm? I too tend to use wet gloves when temps and dive times allow mostly because I don't like putting on the dry gloves that I have. They work ok once they're on though. Don't get me wrong, under certain circumstances I would certainly open a reg to clear it but not always and not always immediately.

As an example there's a cave we dive in Missouri where we use a 120 ft bottle. We're not on it very long and those stops are short but it shortens our deco some and at the same time gives us extra deco gas. If we had a problem with a 70 ft bottle we could stay on the 120 ft gas with little effect on our schedule. We use 10/70 for bottom gas so we use the 120 ft bottle for O2 breaks at 20 ft also. If I had a problem with that reg I wouldn't bother to take it apart at 120 ft. I would tough it out and mess with it at a shallower/longer stop after the 70 ft switch if at all. And of course at that point swapping regs is an option. At this point in the dive our stage of bottom gas is useless and that would be the reg I would replace it with and IMO that would be a much more elegant solution than taking regs apart under water.

 

[DPVDiver]

Thanks James,

Do you know if they have an RB80 at NTD to look at?

DPV

 

[JamesP]

What was fouling the diaphragm? I too tend to use wet gloves when temps and dive times allow mostly because I don't like putting on the dry gloves that I have. They work ok once they're on though. Don't get me wrong, under certain circumstances I would certainly open a reg to clear it but not always and not always immediately.

As an example there's a cave we dive in Missouri where we use a 120 ft bottle. We're not on it very long and those stops are short but it shortens our deco some and at the same time gives us extra deco gas. If we had a problem with a 70 ft bottle we could stay on the 120 ft gas with little effect on our schedule. We use 10/70 for bottom gas so we use the 120 ft bottle for O2 breaks at 20 ft also. If I had a problem with that reg I wouldn't bother to take it apart at 120 ft. I would tough it out and mess with it at a shallower/longer stop after the 70 ft switch if at all. And of course at that point swapping regs is an option. At this point in the dive our stage of bottom gas is useless and that would be the reg I would replace it with and IMO that would be a much more elegant solution than taking regs apart under water.

Mike,

I had a little peri-winkle shell holding the exhaust flap open. Purging it only made it worse. I figured that taking it apart was the lesser of all the evils.

I can appreciate all these points. They are all part of the decisions that make up a dive. They are all valid. We also go through the same routine. You pick the best fix for the job. You should take a look at the Dive Concept neoprene dry glove setup. It feels a little bulky at the surface but compresses down nicely once under the water. You can also don and dof them yourself which is a bonus. I have always been hesitant of the ring setups with most systems. I have to say that I do like the D/S design though

 

[Limestone Diver]

James:
I hope Tom gives you a commision on the sales you generate for NTD.

Cliff

 

[JamesP]

At this point in the dive our stage of bottom gas is useless and that would be the reg I would replace it with and IMO that would be a much more elegant solution than taking regs apart under water.

That would be Dan's more elegant solution as well.

 

[JamesP]

Thanks James,

Do you know if they have an RB80 at NTD to look at?

DPV

You would have to check with Tom and Dan. It might be in Mexico. Even if it is at the shop, it might be best to wait for Dan to get back. Again check with Tom if you need to know Dans schedule.

 

[Tom R]

You would have to check with Tom and Dan. It might be in Mexico. Even if it is at the shop, it might be best to wait for Dan to get back. Again check with Tom if you need to know Dans schedule.

Of course Dan took his RB with him to Mexico, he's working with MHK and Andrew G on a Video. You can talk to Dan at the Ford Seahorses show 21 Feb or even the following week during the Ice Diving Course or Ice Dive in Kingston.

 

[Kevin R]

The RB80 does have the OC valve integrated into the DSV, although I think Halcyon may call it something else. I had the opprotunity to watch Dan service his RB80 in Florida and had the basics of its workings explained to me, but not being a RB diver, I am not up on all the correct terminology.

The reason DIR divers use regs that can be disassembled underwater came out of cave country. If a stage reg becomes fouled by clay, mud or silt, or if a diaphram is out of place, the cover can be taken off and the reg cleaned out. Take a look at the entrance to Orange Grove in the Peacock system for example. Steep clay sides, and before the staircase was installed, it was next to impossible to climb back up just to clear out a clogged reg. This is obviously much easier in Florida than up here where we need heavy gloves to dive.

Cliff

I'm overjoyed that you are able to service so many reg's with so few problems. However, as I said these were my personal experiences with this particular brand of regulator. I challenge you to find anyone out there who has had an experience like this with a regulator and can say with a straight face he still has confidence in it. My apologies for confusing you by refering to the HP seat as a donut style, I was merely attempting to differentiate between this style and the style used in most other diaphram 1st stages. I would ask you to clarify on the EN requirement for an oprv on the 1st stage, I have not seen this used with any other of the diaphram 1st stages I have worked on, yet, many of those also meet EN requirements.

I don't deny you can unscrew the end from the cyclon, just that there are much simpler designs out there. Besides, I prefer to use pucks for hockey.

These will be my last comments on the Poseidon for this thread.

 

[Limestone Diver]

Kevin:
I concure- enough about the Poseidon issue. It's kind of like talking trucks you have your chey fans and your ford fans. I'm certian if any reg was truely unsafe it would be recalled by the maker or the Gov.

You had mentioned that you would not dive with upstream valves. Besides Poseidon -does anyone know of other upstream designs. I think the Oceanic Omega might be- it is listed as a pneumatically balanced servo-assisted design- but I'm not certian that means upstream. I used to be a Oceanic Tech but we haven't carried that line for a few years so I don't have the specs book anymore. Perhaps you might have a copy at KDS.

As for the En requirements- I'll have Jack at Canadian Divers look into that. I do know the OPV is required for certian EN certifications (just like commercial dive bailouts in Canada).



Bubbles bubbles bubbles- everywhere bubbles

Cliff
Limestone Dive Centreb

 

[Dan MacKay]

Some RB's have an OC bailout built into the Mouthpiece so with the flip of a switch you can switch to Open Circuit. That is what I was wondering. I was unaware that Dan does RB80 stuff. There aren't too many of those guys around. Maybe I will PM him because I don't know much about that unit.

Thanks James,

DPV

Hi DPV,

I should have jumped in here sooner but I am in Mexico right now and interntet access is a little sporadic. The RB80 has integrated OC bailout. I normally dive a stage/deco on the breater which leaves me with all my back gas for emergency. With total RB failure I still have backgas for me. In the case of a buddy needing gas, I briefly switch to OC, donate my long hose then go back on the breather. He has all my back gas and I have my stage to use. In a perfect world the RB80 is supposed to give you 8 to 1. I personally get about 6 to 1 so a 40cf stage is the same as having 240 cf of gas.

Using 40's limits my depth to around 150' as I need ~52cf for bailout in a dead RB OOA buddy situation. Not likely but it could happen.

I just have one question for the Inspiration divers. Where do they carry their buddies third?

Safe dives,

Dan