Bail Out - On or Off

01RMB · 13th April 2007, 13:24

I raised the issue of not having bailout tank/s turned on ready for use in another thread and a number of people advised that they also dived with their bailout tanks turned off to avoid losing gas.

It surprised me the number who dive with their bailout off. (Although it does seem to be mostly prevalent amongst the Floridians

)

My view is, stage tanks and deco tanks are turned off until they are needed to preserve the gas and prevent using them below the MOD, but, bailout tanks, as the alternate life support system, should always be on so that in an emergency you have immediate access to good gas without having to fluff around turning it on.

I see the bailout tank when diving a rebreather as similar to the alternate regulator on a set of doubles where it is always available for use if required. Now, people don’t dive with their alternate regulator turned off no matter how afraid they are of the current causing it to freeflow so why do it with your rebreather alternate.

I would concede that if you have a BOV (connected to the onboard tank) that your bailout is the onboard tank and then to the offboard tank so the offboard tank could be considered a stage and okay (if you insist) to be off. If you use your Airsource as the first option then maybe this would also apply (if you insist).

What do people think?? Is diving with bailout turned off the majority or is it a locality issue?

Gary · 13th April 2007, 13:42

Hi,

I dive with bailout turned off but pressurised as that was how I was taught on the MOD1 course and find the reasoning behind it to be sound advice. As or if I need to inflate my dry suit I just open and close the valve to keep the system pressurised. During skills and drills practice I have found there is sufficient air to breathe as I open the valve up.
It works for me and is how by my buddy and I dive.

Juz · 13th April 2007, 13:43

It took me a while to switch my 'stage tank' thinking, but now I have.

If I dive with one tank, it's ON. If I dive with 2 tanks, the deep one is ON and the shallow one is PRESSURISED AND OFF. These states are reversed as I approach the shallow tank MOD.

If I have to bailout, I want breathable gas and plenty of it, without having to faff with turning it on.

Juz

Gilles · 13th April 2007, 13:48

Quote: (Originally Posted by Juz)

If I dive with one tank, it's ON. If I dive with 2 tanks, the deep one is ON and the shallow one is PRESSURISED AND OFF. These states are reversed as I approach the shallow tank MOD.

If I have to bailout, I want breathable gas and plenty of it, without having to faff with turning it on.

Juz

Mark Chase · 13th April 2007, 14:00

Quote: (Originally Posted by Juz)

It took me a while to switch my 'stage tank' thinking, but now I have.

If I dive with one tank, it's ON. If I dive with 2 tanks, the deep one is ON and the shallow one is PRESSURISED AND OFF. These states are reversed as I approach the shallow tank MOD.

If I have to bailout, I want breathable gas and plenty of it, without having to faff with turning it on.

Juz

What he said.However i use a BOV plumbed in to off board so on is the only sensible option.

ATB

Mark Chase

Nick uk. · 13th April 2007, 14:06

Mine's OFF....... not much 'faffing' needed to give half a turn to open a valve on a tank at your side.

RAL · 13th April 2007, 14:11

I use a bov plumbed to the manifold. The manifold is run by the left sidemount tank. The left hand bottle also has a second stage worn on a neckless. The dil is plumbed to the adv only. The right hand sidemount is carried pressurized & closed.

Regards
RAL

lizardland · 13th April 2007, 14:20

My bailout is on, deco bottles are off. Like others have said, I want gas without having to identify which bottle to turn on. A twinset diver wouldn't dive with one side of his set switched off or worry about losing gas so why should I? I'd hope that I might notice a major gas loss and I check the gauge occasionally during the dive as well.

Cheers,

Stuart

***ScubaDadMiami*** · 13th April 2007, 15:15

I guess that part of the answer to the question depends on configuration. I dive a BOV connected to onboard gas. It's purpose is either for the occasional sanity breath or for a few breaths while firing up and deploying my bail out.

My bail out bottles are sidemounted, and the regulators are stowed on the bottles, not from a neck cord. So, if I did leave them on, the gas could drain without me being aware.

The Gulfstream has some of the strongest prevailing currents in the world, and there have been plenty of occasions where divers have drained bottles due to current passing over the regulators while diving. So, you will find that most people from this area will charge the regulator and then shut it off. Every so often during the dive, they will turn the regulators back on and back off again in case the regulator has become discharged.

If I were leaving the regulator stowed from a cord around my neck, I could more easily monitor whether gas were bleeding from it during the dive. Since I do not stow it this way, I charge and shut down the regulator.

**Monkey** · 13th April 2007, 15:26

What about DETUNING the Reg? so you could leave the BO charged and ready to go?

View Poll Results: How do you have your bailout tank?
Bailout tank turned on	93	69.40%
Bailout tank turned off	26	19.40%
Bailout tank off but I use BOV or Airsource for bailout	14	10.45%
Bailout tanks are for wuses I am an alpinist	1	0.75%
Voters: 134. You may not vote on this poll

13th April 2007, 13:24	#1 (permalink)
01RMB Evolving Current Rebreather/s: Evolution Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: May 2005 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 193	Bail Out - On or Off I raised the issue of not having bailout tank/s turned on ready for use in another thread and a number of people advised that they also dived with their bailout tanks turned off to avoid losing gas. It surprised me the number who dive with their bailout off. (Although it does seem to be mostly prevalent amongst the Floridians ) My view is, stage tanks and deco tanks are turned off until they are needed to preserve the gas and prevent using them below the MOD, but, bailout tanks, as the alternate life support system, should always be on so that in an emergency you have immediate access to good gas without having to fluff around turning it on. I see the bailout tank when diving a rebreather as similar to the alternate regulator on a set of doubles where it is always available for use if required. Now, people don’t dive with their alternate regulator turned off no matter how afraid they are of the current causing it to freeflow so why do it with your rebreather alternate. I would concede that if you have a BOV (connected to the onboard tank) that your bailout is the onboard tank and then to the offboard tank so the offboard tank could be considered a stage and okay (if you insist) to be off. If you use your Airsource as the first option then maybe this would also apply (if you insist). What do people think?? Is diving with bailout turned off the majority or is it a locality issue? __________________ Cheers Rod
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13th April 2007, 13:42	#2 (permalink)
Gary New Member Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Norfolk, England Posts: 16	Re: Bail Out - On or Off Hi, I dive with bailout turned off but pressurised as that was how I was taught on the MOD1 course and find the reasoning behind it to be sound advice. As or if I need to inflate my dry suit I just open and close the valve to keep the system pressurised. During skills and drills practice I have found there is sufficient air to breathe as I open the valve up. It works for me and is how by my buddy and I dive.
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13th April 2007, 13:43	#3 (permalink)
Juz Team Kinky Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: London UK Posts: 147	Re: Bail Out - On or Off It took me a while to switch my 'stage tank' thinking, but now I have. If I dive with one tank, it's ON. If I dive with 2 tanks, the deep one is ON and the shallow one is PRESSURISED AND OFF. These states are reversed as I approach the shallow tank MOD. If I have to bailout, I want breathable gas and plenty of it, without having to faff with turning it on. Juz __________________ ~KINKY DIVERS~ Because going down is fun We are all prompted by the same motives, all deceived by the same fallacies, all animated by hope, obstructed by danger, entangled by desire and seduced by pleasure. Welcome to Kinky Divers!
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13th April 2007, 13:48	#4 (permalink)
Gilles Worship the feminine Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Den Haag (Netherlands) Posts: 762	Re: Bail Out - On or Off Quote: (Originally Posted by Juz) If I dive with one tank, it's ON. If I dive with 2 tanks, the deep one is ON and the shallow one is PRESSURISED AND OFF. These states are reversed as I approach the shallow tank MOD. If I have to bailout, I want breathable gas and plenty of it, without having to faff with turning it on. Juz __________________ Gilles http://www.dirrebreather.com
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13th April 2007, 14:00	#5 (permalink)
Mark Chase RBW Member Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Kent Posts: 2,856	Re: Bail Out - On or Off Quote: (Originally Posted by Juz) It took me a while to switch my 'stage tank' thinking, but now I have. If I dive with one tank, it's ON. If I dive with 2 tanks, the deep one is ON and the shallow one is PRESSURISED AND OFF. These states are reversed as I approach the shallow tank MOD. If I have to bailout, I want breathable gas and plenty of it, without having to faff with turning it on. Juz What he said.However i use a BOV plumbed in to off board so on is the only sensible option. ATB Mark Chase __________________ See my "Doing It Chasey" video where I'm locked into a padded room, naked, with two ball bearings and within an Hour, I manage to lose one and break the other!!! Kevin Juergensen 16/11/08 [/quote]
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13th April 2007, 14:06	#6 (permalink)
Nick uk. Made in England. Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Azimuth Other Rebreather/s: Azimuth Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Viale C.Colombo 75 Marina di Carrara. MS 54036 Italy Posts: 575	Re: Bail Out - On or Off Mine's OFF....... not much 'faffing' needed to give half a turn to open a valve on a tank at your side. __________________ If it aint broke....don't fix it, and if it is.............well......get another one! divechief2000@hotmail.com
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13th April 2007, 14:11	#7 (permalink)
RAL Longbottom Time Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: North Florida Posts: 391	Re: Bail Out - On or Off I use a bov plumbed to the manifold. The manifold is run by the left sidemount tank. The left hand bottle also has a second stage worn on a neckless. The dil is plumbed to the adv only. The right hand sidemount is carried pressurized & closed. Regards RAL __________________ The sea does not care about you.
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13th April 2007, 14:20	#8 (permalink)
lizardland Yak Current Rebreather/s: MK 15.X Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Home Build Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: North... Posts: 1,386	Re: Bail Out - On or Off My bailout is on, deco bottles are off. Like others have said, I want gas without having to identify which bottle to turn on. A twinset diver wouldn't dive with one side of his set switched off or worry about losing gas so why should I? I'd hope that I might notice a major gas loss and I check the gauge occasionally during the dive as well. Cheers, Stuart __________________ Can you imagine drifting along in the sea with your mouth open and a load of f***ing plankton going in? You'd like it, would you? www.westons-cider.co.uk Azerbaijani Association of Technical Divers Publicity Officer and Goat Wrangler
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13th April 2007, 15:15	#9 (permalink)
*ScubaDadMiami* Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 2,215	Re: Bail Out - On or Off I guess that part of the answer to the question depends on configuration. I dive a BOV connected to onboard gas. It's purpose is either for the occasional sanity breath or for a few breaths while firing up and deploying my bail out. My bail out bottles are sidemounted, and the regulators are stowed on the bottles, not from a neck cord. So, if I did leave them on, the gas could drain without me being aware. The Gulfstream has some of the strongest prevailing currents in the world, and there have been plenty of occasions where divers have drained bottles due to current passing over the regulators while diving. So, you will find that most people from this area will charge the regulator and then shut it off. Every so often during the dive, they will turn the regulators back on and back off again in case the regulator has become discharged. If I were leaving the regulator stowed from a cord around my neck, I could more easily monitor whether gas were bleeding from it during the dive. Since I do not stow it this way, I charge and shut down the regulator. __________________ Howard Packer IANTD CCR Instructor Miami Beach, Florida CCRDiveTraining.com
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13th April 2007, 15:26	#10 (permalink)
Monkey Supporting Member Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lauderdale By The Sea Florida Posts: 338	Re: Bail Out - On or Off What about DETUNING the Reg? so you could leave the BO charged and ready to go?
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