How long does your setup take?

Underwaterbear

Hey all,

Last night I spent a happy hour and a bit setting up my rig for the weekends' excursions below the surface. I got to wondering how much time the rest of you guys spend setting up your various units.

I'll start a poll here to keep track of replies but first I guess I should put a few parameters out...

1. Firstly, let us know what you dive (for context).

2. Tell us how long it takes. By setup time I mean from complete stripped and/or stored state (as if you might have just arrived at your holiday spot or it has been a week or four betweeen dives) but don't include filling tanks etc. Go to the nearest 10 mins.

3. Do you follow a checklist?

4. Is there anything special you do (ie that's not in the normal pre-dive checklist)?

5. Anything you generally leave out?

6. What takes the most time?


I'll kick off:

1.PRISM
2. 60 mins
3. No checklist - I wing it
4. I do a pos/neg on each part of the loop as it goes together.
5. I hardly ever analyse gas since I generally fill myself and do it at the time of the fill. Also I always check the calibration but don;t bother recalibrating unless it's out by more than .05 (mostly because the prism pod is so hard to get apart.)
6. Getting a really good 100% in the bag seems to take forever.

Cheers
Andrew

jradomski

1. Unique rig (parts of insp,meg and custom)
2. 30 mins home / 60 mins for travelling,
3. No PHYSICAL checklist - But I always put my rig together and check the same way
4. I do a pos/neg, and really watch the neg
5. Always analyze. Also I always check the calibration but don't bother recalibrating unless it appears out (mostly because the HH holds calibration well.) add 15 mins if cal was off
6. Using my adapters to fll the cannister workes well for a real stable cal but it takes time.. I can verify my sensors to 1.2 at sea level

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Joe Radomski
CCR Trimix Instructor Trainer
ANDI Instructor Trainer Director #10

All posts are personal opinions and DO NOT reflect any affiliated agency unless specifically stated.

silent running

Hello all, realistically on the first day of a trip, it's going to be 60 minutes to set up my Prism. Here's my routine:

1-Check O2 %
2-Check sensor readings in air
3-Grease O-ring seals
4-Assemble the hoses and CLs
5-Pack scrubber and install
6-Positive check
7-Negative check
8-Calibrate electronics
9-Adjust the 2ndry needle gage cal pots, once per trip
10-Open valves and dip test to look for hose leaks, swivel leaks, 1st stage o-ring leaks, etc...

On subsequent days, it can be as little as 15 minutes if no scrubber change is needed:

1-Wipe down and re-grease scrubber bucket O-rings.
2-Install scrubber bucket
3-Calibrate electronics

Typically, a scrubber change is needed every other day, which will add 10-15 minutes to the above sequence for a total of 25-30 minutes of prep. I don't do pressure checks everyday as I think it's better to leave well enough alone. I usually dive with a buddy, so we look out for leaks on the dive. When I dive solo, I do pressure checks at the beginning of every day and bring a small mirror for bubble checks underwater. I always blow out any drool/water in the CLs after every dive through the stem drains on the bottom of each lung, which are very convenient. I also have a look through the Prism's clear scrubber bucket to see if there's any significant amount of water at the bottom. No need to open it up. Both of these quick after-dive procedures saves time and worry about the integrity of the loop.

Every week of a trip I will disassemble and disinfect the CLs and hoses with a weak Betadine solution.

This is the procedure for my typical warm water recreational diving trips, which last anywhere from 7 to 28 days.-Andy

silent running

Hello Underwaterbear, great idea for a poll. It will be interesting to see how many people actually post to the thread. Judging by the high % of 20 and 30 minute setup times in the poll, it seems that some may be reluctant to share the secrets of their fast setup times... -Andy

Rich Sawkins

Well I thought it was around 30 mins but last night I timed it and it was closer to 60 !

1. PRISM
2. 60 mins including scrubber fill. Probably only take 45 mins except I take my time especially with the scrubber filling and have to stop half way through to get a refil - see point 4.
3. Follow the checklist provided in the manual - I generally forget something otherwise !
4. Drinking two beers whilst doing it, a man must not get thirsty whilst concentrating.
5. I don't analyze the gas as I do that when I get fills.
6. Getting the scrubber basket on - easy with an assistant, not without.

silent running

[quote=Rich Sawkins.
6. Getting the scrubber basket on - easy with an assistant, not without.[/QUOTE]
Hi Rich, having trouble getting your bucket on? Sounds like a 60's dance, doesn't it? It is a bit awkward and takes some practice, but I can now accomplish this with tipping it head down, jiggling the scrubber into the center and then quickly push/turning the bucket just a little. If you can line up all 4 pins and get it to catch just a little, you can then lay it down and turn the rest of the way til locking. A bit spazy, but that's my method. I've only pinched an O-ring once doing this goofy maneuver.-Andy

TordoffR

4. Drinking two beers whilst doing it, a man must not get thirsty whilst concentrating.

6. Getting the scrubber basket on - easy with an assistant, not without.


Easy to find the problem with #6...not enough beers in #4. Try harder next time.

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Rich
"It's better to burn out, than to fade away."

paulraymaekers

1. rEvo

2. more to 10-15 min incl scrubber fill

3. no checklist

this is the way

fill scrubber casette if nesseccary (one of the two) takes 3min including tapping :-)
put both casettes in place and close the cover lid

neg check (helps closing the cover :-) 1min, open mouthpiece and hear the sssshhhhhhh (i do a longer check min 5 min if I had doubths the previous dive)

put on the rig, switch on VR3, and gauge/hud
open oxigen and flush once, look if the 3 cells read equal (something between 0.5 and 0.7, diff max 0.03 between highest and lowest) if diff is bigger: callibrate.
open dil and suck shortly to see if ADV works
when OK: one more flush oxigen ( rEvo-rule: always start your dive with PPO2 > 0.5) and..

jump!


after the dive: open cover and take out both casettes and put them in plastic bag: leave open to dry cells... until next dive

ones every 2 days: take of the breathing hose and rince with fresh water and let dry
ones every 10 dives, take out cell-holder and ADV and put water in both casette-holders (lungs), shake and take out, let dry

regards
paul

Mark Chase

I said 30mins. It was a guess. I use an Inspo

Diluent is whipped of same tank every dive so I know thats 16:45

1: Connect whip to dill tank and start fill 2-3mins?
2: Analise 02 and connect tank 5 mins ?
3: Fill scrubber and assemble head and pos pressure test head? 5 mins ?
4: Check fill pressure on Dill disconnect from tank connect to CCR 5mins?
5: Connect head to Ts and connect 02 feed? 5mins
6: Check Interstage pressure on 02 and dill ? 1min
7: connect dill and 02 inject buttons and mouthpiece of loop? 5 mins
8: Pos pressure test inc squirt to check 02 and dill? 2min
9: Neg pressure test inc check ADV then leave in neg whilst i sort out other kit? 2min
10: Switch on check hand sets and calibrate? 5min
11: breath down unit switch off and put in neg before loading car.? 5mins

So looks like it should have been more like 45mins but to be honest I don't think it relay takes me that long. However as rigging the CCR is interspersed with sorting the rest of my dive kit its difficult to tell. I reckon it takes me about two hours to prep all kit and load the car.

ATB

Mark Chase

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apitkin

Exactly. Making sure you've got change for the car park, a packed lunch and wet-weather gear (how I love the British summer) all needs to be factored in.

I reckon it takes me about 20 minutes longer to get all my gear ready to go with a Rebreather compared with OC. It probably also takes about 20 minutes longer to sort out afterwards, assuming I'm not diving the next day.

I did time myself prepping the Prism from scratch early on, and it was about 60 minutes with a checklist. I'd say it's about 45 minutes now, depending on interruptions. I still usually use a checklist, especially if I haven't done it for a few weeks. I also do a quick neg test as soon as the loop is together to pick up any obvious leaks, and another at the end (also just before kitting up).

I found the canister really hard to get on (and off) with the standard setup, but I altered the way it is located when I built my custom backplate, and it's very easy now.

Andy