its not about being a monday morning quarterback . Its about trying to understand what could have happened better so as to hopefuly make sure nobody else ever comes back to a flooded staged Rebreather. I would have thought that makes the discussion worthwhile. I dont see anyone saying 'this is what happened' - just debating the physics. What people are debating here is if physics would allow a normally functioning opv to leak and flood a static Rebreather regardless of orientation- the answer to that question (according to the physics presented so far ) is no. Having established that, the discussion may encourage people to be more vigilant over opv cleaning and checking...which in turn may save a life.

from the diver knocking open the dsv when trying to put his unit back on in zero viz cave. That could explain the flood, the water on cells, the continuous o2 injection, the fact that 24hrs later the lungs were still +ve and floating.

If as you say 24hrs later lungs were full of gas, floating high and +ve then you are suggesting the leak was bad enough to flood a unit bad enough so a diver cant use it after just 1hr, yet 23hrs later the lungs are still +ve and floating up?? That doesnt make sense to me.

I think the whole diagnosis is quite wrong.

Based on the full venting and floating lungs witnessed 24hrs later Id suggest its far more likely that the diver flooded the unit by mistake opening the dsv and that fits exactly with the way the unit was found 24hrs later.


Bottom line is if it flooded in 1 hr due to a leaking OPV why wasnt the unit completely flooded after 24hrs and why was the opv still seen venting after 24hrs with the lungs still +ve and floating up ?

+ve pressure in cls means they simply cant flood no matter what orientation.

I suggest its far more likely the dsv was knocked open by accident causing the flood.