Tighten your nuts!

[doctormike]

This is more of a near-near miss, but it could have been a big problem, and it highlighted an often overlooked practice that we all should keep in mind. It came up in another thread…

I was diving in Florida with my rebreather, with an aluminum 80 bailout tank slung on the left in a sidemount configuration. In the middle of the dive, I felt something stabbing me in my left side. I looked down to see that the tank’s valve handle had fallen off! Unlike a deco bottle (where I charge the regulator and then shut it off during the dive), my bailout is always open with the regulator on a bungee necklace, but this could still be a big problem.

Losing a valve handle could be a disaster if you need the gas and the tank was closed. It would also be a problem if you had a free flow and the tank was open (closing and opening the valve sometimes gets the reg stop flowing).

Tightening the valve handle nut is not something that is discussed frequently in training, but it’s very important and only takes a second. Pick up one of these and snug down your valve nuts every once in a while.

 

[tbone1004]

Valve Knob Retainer Tool scuba

I keep one of these guys in my save a dive kit as well as another one in my tool box. It's part of my pre-trip checks along with checking the IP of my regulators. Two simple maintenance things that are almost never taught to divers, but they can make all the difference in the world

 

[scubadada]

I don't have my own cylinders in Florida and rent. I have had very loose valve handles several times, making it difficult to open or close the valves. I'm adding a valve nut driver to my tools immediately. Too bad the owners of the rental tanks don't tighten the nuts periodically.

 

[drrich2]

I didn't even know that could happen. One more thing in Murphy's toolbox, I guess.

Richard.

 

[Scott]

Those slotted spring nuts are always coming loose. Really should be a slotted tool at every fill station that uses them.
I have a tool in my kit and have to check as part of gear assembly after having a knob come off a deco bottle during setup.
Wonder if you could convert slotted nuts to a nylon lock nut and a washer. I have yet to have a nylon lock nut come off a valve with those.

 

[Bob DBF]

I carry a factory made one now, my first was an old Craftsman screwdriver that I filed the center of the blade out to solve a problem. I'll have to check and see if I still have it, a handy tool indeed.


Bob

 

[dumpsterDiver]

All you have to do is take a peak at it. if the nut has backed off too far, you can use a normal (wide) screw driver and tighten it up enough to make it safe to use for the next dive or two. A slotted screw drive is nice, but you can also make do with a small flat head and just work one side of the nut and tap it.

 

[kafkaland]

Has happened to me as well. On some dives I now carry a spare tank knob in my pouch. I wouldn't be able to screw it on underwater, but I woul d e bale to open a closed tank with it. Or close a tank if air is slowly leaking. Deploying it in a n all-out free flow would probably take too long.

 

[BenjaminS]

Alot of tech divers put valve handwheel tools in their wetnotes. It's a great place to hide essential dive saving tools that you might need to employ underwater.

 

[fmerkel]

Never had one come loose in 20 years of diving. The opposite mostly. Since the valve doesn't get a soak, just an occasional rinse the threads get somewhat corroded and probably very quickly. Getting them off is the issue, even after a good grease with thick silicone on rebuild.