Talk About A Strange Leak

***ScubaDadMiami*** · 10th August 2006, 04:21

Last week, while I am in the middle of a dive, I notice that I am hearing a very small leaking sound in front of me when I exhale, and even then only at the end of my breath if the loop is at more than minimum loop volume (which is how I run it most of the time anyway). It sounds like it is coming from where the hoses attach to the DSV. I can't see any bubbles coming out in front of myself anyplace, and they sound like they are very small.

Hmmm, perhaps the hose is starting to come off a bit somehow (eventhough the hose clamps seem to be in order). Let me feel to see what's going on here.

I feel along my exhalation hose to where it connects to the DSV. Nothing going on. How about pushing the hose on to see if that solves the problem? So, I give this a try. No real change.

Maybe the clamp has worked its way loose or away from the right spot on the hose. After all, it has the HUD on it, and I might have moved it around a bit somehow. No real change.

No gurgling, no problem with anything related to breathing, and I don't see that I am losing gas. Again, it only happens if I pump up the loop enough for there to be pretty significant volume. So, there is no need to do more than finish up my dive normally.

After the dive, I check out all of my gear at home. Everything seems to be fine. No problems with positive or negative check. Could it be . . . the mouthpiece attached to the DSV?

I close the DSV, cover the purge hole (where I can clear water), and I exhale. Sure enough, the hissing noise comes back. Somehow, the tie-wrap has slowly stretched over time enough to allow a small leak to develop. I changed the tie-wrap, tightened up the new one nice and snug, and . . . no leak!

I've never had this happen before on open circuit even with mouthpieces that have been on for years. (I recently switched to the ScubaPro mouthpiece retainers for most of my gear, however, they don't fit this size opening.) Talk about the weird and the strange . . . .

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.

***Decodiver*** · 10th August 2006, 08:23

Checking the mouthpiece is one of the prompted predive checks on the Boris.

A few years ago I was at 70 so metres, just on my way back up the shot from a wreck at 80ish in the channel, when I heard a lot of helium soaked Northern shouting!

I looked down and saw a very good friend ascending after a good 30 minutes on the wreck, on open circuit bail-out.

He was shaking his head as he ascended past me, together with his buddy.

It was only when we eventually caught up on the trapeze that I saw what his problem was.

His mouthpiece had flown off the DSV, the cable tie had broken.

I now carry a spare mouthpiece and cable tie, the guy concerned was a very experienced CCR Instructor at the time and we all learnt a lesson that day.

Interestingly he was able to go back on the loop by linking his arm around the trapeze and effectively forcing the DSV back in his mouth. He was on an Inspo.

I cannot tell you who it was as it wouldn't be fair on Andy Hayhurst if I let Andy's name out..............

Cheers,

Dave Cooper.

***EBT*** · 10th August 2006, 09:09

I've had that one too, I ended up switching to a Jax mouthpiece and gluing the bugger to the DSV.

***Beanie*** · 10th August 2006, 09:32

Had that before a dive went to put my loop in having set it all up, sometime between putting the rig on the side of the RIb and putting my mouthpeice in it had gone.

Had the same on OC to was stood ready to jump when I realised somethign was wrong - had mouth peice in mouth but no reg

***diverklondike*** · 10th August 2006, 10:59

It's pretty common.... I just replaced the mouth piece on my BOV for the same reason.

M

***ScubaDadMiami*** · 10th August 2006, 14:58

Quote: (Originally Posted by teksimple)

Since then, . . . I now only use mil spec UV resistant zip (cable) ties and replace them regularly.

Please tell me more about these, and where I can find some. Thanks.

***jradomski*** · 11th August 2006, 01:44

Quote: (Originally Posted by ScubaDadMiami)

Please tell me more about these, and where I can find some. Thanks.

the product of choice in commercial and industrial use is "Ty-rap" by Thomas and Betts

http://www.tnb.com/ps/pubint/index.cgi?a=get_sub&cid=2

jhaaja · 11th August 2006, 10:28

You can find good products also from:

http://www.tyton.com/
http://www.panduit.com/

We use both in military applications.

JH

10th August 2006, 04:21	#1 (permalink)
*ScubaDadMiami* Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 1,939	Talk About A Strange Leak Last week, while I am in the middle of a dive, I notice that I am hearing a very small leaking sound in front of me when I exhale, and even then only at the end of my breath if the loop is at more than minimum loop volume (which is how I run it most of the time anyway). It sounds like it is coming from where the hoses attach to the DSV. I can't see any bubbles coming out in front of myself anyplace, and they sound like they are very small. Hmmm, perhaps the hose is starting to come off a bit somehow (eventhough the hose clamps seem to be in order). Let me feel to see what's going on here. I feel along my exhalation hose to where it connects to the DSV. Nothing going on. How about pushing the hose on to see if that solves the problem? So, I give this a try. No real change. Maybe the clamp has worked its way loose or away from the right spot on the hose. After all, it has the HUD on it, and I might have moved it around a bit somehow. No real change. No gurgling, no problem with anything related to breathing, and I don't see that I am losing gas. Again, it only happens if I pump up the loop enough for there to be pretty significant volume. So, there is no need to do more than finish up my dive normally. After the dive, I check out all of my gear at home. Everything seems to be fine. No problems with positive or negative check. Could it be . . . the mouthpiece attached to the DSV? I close the DSV, cover the purge hole (where I can clear water), and I exhale. Sure enough, the hissing noise comes back. Somehow, the tie-wrap has slowly stretched over time enough to allow a small leak to develop. I changed the tie-wrap, tightened up the new one nice and snug, and . . . no leak! I've never had this happen before on open circuit even with mouthpieces that have been on for years. (I recently switched to the ScubaPro mouthpiece retainers for most of my gear, however, they don't fit this size opening.) Talk about the weird and the strange . . . . __________________ Howard Packer IANTD CCR Instructor Miami Beach, Florida CCRDiveTraining.com
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10th August 2006, 08:07	#2 (permalink)
teksimple Enlightened Alpinist Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss MK 15.X Other Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Back in Hawaii Posts: 480	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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10th August 2006, 08:23	#3 (permalink)
*Decodiver* Administrator Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Ouroboros rEvo Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Inspiration Vision Evolution Sport Kiss Classic Kiss rEvo Other CCR Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Geneva Posts: 2,168	Re: Talk About A Strange Leak Checking the mouthpiece is one of the prompted predive checks on the Boris. A few years ago I was at 70 so metres, just on my way back up the shot from a wreck at 80ish in the channel, when I heard a lot of helium soaked Northern shouting! I looked down and saw a very good friend ascending after a good 30 minutes on the wreck, on open circuit bail-out. He was shaking his head as he ascended past me, together with his buddy. It was only when we eventually caught up on the trapeze that I saw what his problem was. His mouthpiece had flown off the DSV, the cable tie had broken. I now carry a spare mouthpiece and cable tie, the guy concerned was a very experienced CCR Instructor at the time and we all learnt a lesson that day. Interestingly he was able to go back on the loop by linking his arm around the trapeze and effectively forcing the DSV back in his mouth. He was on an Inspo. I cannot tell you who it was as it wouldn't be fair on Andy Hayhurst if I let Andy's name out.............. Cheers, Dave Cooper. __________________ CCR/OC Trimix Instructor Trainer CCR Training to Mixed Gas in Switzerland, France, UK & Germany on Megalodon/COPIS-Megalodon/KISS/Sport KISS/Ouroboros/rEvo/Inspiration/Evolution/Sentinel www.zerogravitydiving.com Rebreather World Terms & Conditions Last edited by Decodiver : 10th August 2006 at 08:31.
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10th August 2006, 09:09	#4 (permalink)
*EBT* Apprentice Luddite Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: UK, Brighton Posts: 1,855	Re: Talk About A Strange Leak I've had that one too, I ended up switching to a Jax mouthpiece and gluing the bugger to the DSV. __________________ Eagles May Soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines! Rebreather World Terms of service Real diving t-shirts for real divers
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10th August 2006, 09:32	#5 (permalink)
*Beanie* Politeness officer Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: In da house! yeah baby! Posts: 3,163	Re: Talk About A Strange Leak Had that before a dive went to put my loop in having set it all up, sometime between putting the rig on the side of the RIb and putting my mouthpeice in it had gone. Had the same on OC to was stood ready to jump when I realised somethign was wrong - had mouth peice in mouth but no reg __________________ Beanie Gallery Admin & Library Assistant. www.outlawdivers.org.uk www.beandiving.co.uk www.beanengineering.co.uk www.divelife.co.uk
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10th August 2006, 10:59	#6 (permalink)
*diverklondike* Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other CCR Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Delaware, USA Posts: 1,463	Re: Talk About A Strange Leak It's pretty common.... I just replaced the mouth piece on my BOV for the same reason. M
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10th August 2006, 14:58	#7 (permalink)
*ScubaDadMiami* Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 1,939	Re: Talk About A Strange Leak Quote: (Originally Posted by teksimple) Since then, . . . I now only use mil spec UV resistant zip (cable) ties and replace them regularly. Please tell me more about these, and where I can find some. Thanks. __________________ Howard Packer IANTD CCR Instructor Miami Beach, Florida CCRDiveTraining.com
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11th August 2006, 01:44	#8 (permalink)
*jradomski* Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Sport Kiss Optima rEvo Other CCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Evolution Megalodon Classic Kiss rEvo Other CCR Home Build Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: "Da" Bronx Posts: 2,817	Re: Talk About A Strange Leak Quote: (Originally Posted by ScubaDadMiami) Please tell me more about these, and where I can find some. Thanks. the product of choice in commercial and industrial use is "Ty-rap" by Thomas and Betts http://www.tnb.com/ps/pubint/index.cgi?a=get_sub&cid=2 __________________ 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. Last edited by jradomski : 11th August 2006 at 10:59.
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11th August 2006, 10:28	#9 (permalink)
jhaaja Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 867	Re: Talk About A Strange Leak You can find good products also from: http://www.tyton.com/ http://www.panduit.com/ We use both in military applications. JH
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