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teksimple · 10th August 2006, 08:07

Not strange at all, ScubaDad -

When I received my Mark 15.5 after purchase, it's PRISM DSV had a slightly loose zip tie. Slightly in that I could twist the mouthpiece a bit around on the DSV. I though nothing of it until after several dives, including my first ever CCR dive, in my training course. I encountered serious gurgling after just a few minutes on every dive. I was first thinking it was the hoses or the counterlung as this thing had been in storage for quite a while. My instructor thought I might have been opening my mouth and letting water in...from bad OC habits, etc. It was only when I closely inspected the mouthpiece that I noticed light holes on the top and bottom of the mouthpiece and that water was readily getting in there THAT way. NOT GOOD ON A REBREATHER THAT HAS LITTLE FLOOD TOLERANCE. Of course you can't test the mouthpiece seal with the standard swimming pool dunk-for-bubbles test because the mouthpiece is outside the loop when the DSV is shut.

Since then, the mouthpiece zip tie issue has been a serious fear of mine and I now only use mil spec UV resistant zip (cable) ties and replace them regularly.

10th August 2006, 08:07	#2 (permalink)
teksimple Enlightened Alpinist Current Rebreather/s: MK 15.X Other Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Classic Kiss Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Back in Hawaii Posts: 503	Re: Talk About A Strange Leak Not strange at all, ScubaDad - When I received my Mark 15.5 after purchase, it's PRISM DSV had a slightly loose zip tie. Slightly in that I could twist the mouthpiece a bit around on the DSV. I though nothing of it until after several dives, including my first ever CCR dive, in my training course. I encountered serious gurgling after just a few minutes on every dive. I was first thinking it was the hoses or the counterlung as this thing had been in storage for quite a while. My instructor thought I might have been opening my mouth and letting water in...from bad OC habits, etc. It was only when I closely inspected the mouthpiece that I noticed light holes on the top and bottom of the mouthpiece and that water was readily getting in there THAT way. NOT GOOD ON A REBREATHER THAT HAS LITTLE FLOOD TOLERANCE. Of course you can't test the mouthpiece seal with the standard swimming pool dunk-for-bubbles test because the mouthpiece is outside the loop when the DSV is shut. Since then, the mouthpiece zip tie issue has been a serious fear of mine and I now only use mil spec UV resistant zip (cable) ties and replace them regularly.
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