ooops!

Smudgegs · 9th July 2007, 19:56

Out diving with the Dolphin on Sunday in the Firth of Forth, had one nice 51min dive in company of an inspiration diver and a pleasant lunch / surface interval. Decided to change from 40% jet to the 50% as my PPO2 was a bit *too* high on the first dive. (40% in the bottle)
Changed nozzle and did pos and neg pressure test. All good. Thought "I really must open up the OPV a little for the next dive".
For a variety of reasons I was buddied on the next dive by a BSAC Dive Leader who hadn't dived with a Rebreather diver before.
I gave him a heads up on the major differences and we kitted up and did a buddy check. Pre-breathe felt good and just before we dropped in I remembered the OPV. Asked him to open it up all the way. He reached behind me and said "which way to open it?" I said anti-clockwise and he then said "It's a bit stiff" "Nah that's better, how far open?" I said to the stop, he said "It just keeps turning", I got the Inspiration diver to check the valve and they confirmed it was already fully open...

So we rolled in... dropped down a couple of metres and I did my 360 for the bubble check, as I was doing this I thought I felt bubbles behind me, I gave buddy an "OK?" and got back an unsure OK.. I'm now concerned so I check my PPO2 and contents, both are ok, I'm just looking back up at buddy when I exhale and there are a mass of bubbles behind me, tongue in the way of the mouthpiece and I'm giving him "Problem, Go Up" as I reach for the bailout.
Surfaced fine and once the boat was there I sent him down with the other OC divers and checked the set.

Guess what...? He'd managed to unscrew the OPV from the bag by almost two whole turns...

Lessons (although I'm sure we all know most of them!):

The breathe felt fine even when the loop was filling with sea water (I poured water out of the bags, the scrubber and the loop once I got home, and I don't mean a dribble, it was sloshing in the scrubber!)

Bubble check is critical.

"If in doubt, bail out" is the best advice I've ever had.

Don't trust a non Rebreather diver to do *ANYTHING* to your kit/set, no matter how basic (It's a dump valve FFS!)

Oxygen sensors don't like seawater

(UWATEC Oxy2, collected that morning, had just been fitted to check how it affected hose length etc! crap crap crap!)

Buoyancy was affected surprisingly little given the quantity of water in the set, certainly not enough to be obvious.

Feel free to add anything I've missed!
Stay safe out there!
Smudge

MrClive · 9th July 2007, 20:04

hey mate, well at least you didnt continue and all was ok.

CeeBee · 9th July 2007, 20:24

Glad to hear all ended well, Smudge.

xxChristine

**Freef** · 9th July 2007, 20:28

If you stay on a slowly flooding loop you will notice the ADV fire every breath. As water displaces the gas in the loop the volume of gas eventually cannot match what your lungs want, so the ADV adds the difference-which is then vented through the OPV as you exhale.

So, after a while you have a 5L supplied OC set.

The Dolph will try to keep you alive though. The lungs have spirals of plastic like some people wrap around their hoses to keep the lungs from completely closing and to preserve the gas path.

If the inhale lung had flooded [sounds like it!] I would get the ADV serviced as it has been immersed in salt water, and the jets have very small holes.

Thanks for sharing.

Smudgegs · 9th July 2007, 20:52

Yup, Dolphin is a nice Rebreather, it tries hard to keep you alive

this is a "good thing" tm.

I think I got lucky(ish) though, Water was filling the Exhale bag of course, and it was transported lying on it's back, I reckon that's why the sensor in the Inhale bag survived and the adv was dry inside (yes I checked

) the one way valves in the loop stopped it running back to the inhale bag and the scrubber soaked up most of the rest (now I know why we fill it with kitty litter

)

So anyone know anywhere good (ie Cheap and preferrably quick) to order a couple of sensors...?

Smudge (who doesn't mind sharing if it helps make us all a little safer..)

Oh and Christine, I've still got your other post laminated in my build up box. Look after yourself babes. I remember it every time

CeeBee · 9th July 2007, 22:33

Quote: (Originally Posted by Smudgegs)

Oh and Christine, I've still got your other post laminated in my build up box. Look after yourself babes. I remember it every time

See that you do, Babe.

xC

**Freef** · 10th July 2007, 17:49

Oh, get a room you two!

Smudgegs · 10th July 2007, 18:18

Quote: (Originally Posted by Freef)

Oh, get a room you two!

you're just jealous

Dried out the cells and the Oxy 2 is playing again, well it was once I'd lied to it and told it I'd put fresh cells in

got to admit I'm a little suspicious of the current ones so a fresh pair are on order...

9th July 2007, 19:56	#1 (permalink)
Smudgegs Divetart Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Fife, Scotland Posts: 125	ooops! Out diving with the Dolphin on Sunday in the Firth of Forth, had one nice 51min dive in company of an inspiration diver and a pleasant lunch / surface interval. Decided to change from 40% jet to the 50% as my PPO2 was a bit too high on the first dive. (40% in the bottle) Changed nozzle and did pos and neg pressure test. All good. Thought "I really must open up the OPV a little for the next dive". For a variety of reasons I was buddied on the next dive by a BSAC Dive Leader who hadn't dived with a Rebreather diver before. I gave him a heads up on the major differences and we kitted up and did a buddy check. Pre-breathe felt good and just before we dropped in I remembered the OPV. Asked him to open it up all the way. He reached behind me and said "which way to open it?" I said anti-clockwise and he then said "It's a bit stiff" "Nah that's better, how far open?" I said to the stop, he said "It just keeps turning", I got the Inspiration diver to check the valve and they confirmed it was already fully open... So we rolled in... dropped down a couple of metres and I did my 360 for the bubble check, as I was doing this I thought I felt bubbles behind me, I gave buddy an "OK?" and got back an unsure OK.. I'm now concerned so I check my PPO2 and contents, both are ok, I'm just looking back up at buddy when I exhale and there are a mass of bubbles behind me, tongue in the way of the mouthpiece and I'm giving him "Problem, Go Up" as I reach for the bailout. Surfaced fine and once the boat was there I sent him down with the other OC divers and checked the set. Guess what...? He'd managed to unscrew the OPV from the bag by almost two whole turns... Lessons (although I'm sure we all know most of them!): The breathe felt fine even when the loop was filling with sea water (I poured water out of the bags, the scrubber and the loop once I got home, and I don't mean a dribble, it was sloshing in the scrubber!) Bubble check is critical. "If in doubt, bail out" is the best advice I've ever had. Don't trust a non Rebreather diver to do ANYTHING to your kit/set, no matter how basic (It's a dump valve FFS!) Oxygen sensors don't like seawater (UWATEC Oxy2, collected that morning, had just been fitted to check how it affected hose length etc! crap crap crap!) Buoyancy was affected surprisingly little given the quantity of water in the set, certainly not enough to be obvious. Feel free to add anything I've missed! Stay safe out there! Smudge
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9th July 2007, 20:04	#2 (permalink)
MrClive Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: cork city ireland Posts: 171	Re: ooops! hey mate, well at least you didnt continue and all was ok. __________________ clive
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9th July 2007, 20:24	#3 (permalink)
CeeBee Found pills and ate them. Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Liverpool Posts: 1,019	Re: ooops! Glad to hear all ended well, Smudge. xxChristine __________________ "In Ceebs We Trust. All others pay cash." Denz 1973-2007 King of the One-Liners www.justgiving.com/markginsberg1
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9th July 2007, 20:28	#4 (permalink)
Freef Custom Title Disallowed! Current Rebreather/s: Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Land of the Freef, UK. Posts: 1,353	Re: ooops! If you stay on a slowly flooding loop you will notice the ADV fire every breath. As water displaces the gas in the loop the volume of gas eventually cannot match what your lungs want, so the ADV adds the difference-which is then vented through the OPV as you exhale. So, after a while you have a 5L supplied OC set. The Dolph will try to keep you alive though. The lungs have spirals of plastic like some people wrap around their hoses to keep the lungs from completely closing and to preserve the gas path. If the inhale lung had flooded [sounds like it!] I would get the ADV serviced as it has been immersed in salt water, and the jets have very small holes. Thanks for sharing. __________________ David. Currently owner of two differently sized ankles.
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9th July 2007, 20:52	#5 (permalink)
Smudgegs Divetart Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Fife, Scotland Posts: 125	Re: ooops! Yup, Dolphin is a nice Rebreather, it tries hard to keep you alive this is a "good thing" tm. I think I got lucky(ish) though, Water was filling the Exhale bag of course, and it was transported lying on it's back, I reckon that's why the sensor in the Inhale bag survived and the adv was dry inside (yes I checked ) the one way valves in the loop stopped it running back to the inhale bag and the scrubber soaked up most of the rest (now I know why we fill it with kitty litter ) So anyone know anywhere good (ie Cheap and preferrably quick) to order a couple of sensors...? Smudge (who doesn't mind sharing if it helps make us all a little safer..) Oh and Christine, I've still got your other post laminated in my build up box. Look after yourself babes. I remember it every time
(Offline)

9th July 2007, 22:33	#6 (permalink)
CeeBee Found pills and ate them. Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Liverpool Posts: 1,019	Re: ooops! Quote: (Originally Posted by Smudgegs) Oh and Christine, I've still got your other post laminated in my build up box. Look after yourself babes. I remember it every time See that you do, Babe. xC __________________ "In Ceebs We Trust. All others pay cash." Denz 1973-2007 King of the One-Liners www.justgiving.com/markginsberg1
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10th July 2007, 17:49	#7 (permalink)
Freef Custom Title Disallowed! Current Rebreather/s: Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Land of the Freef, UK. Posts: 1,353	Re: ooops! Oh, get a room you two! __________________ David. Currently owner of two differently sized ankles.
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10th July 2007, 18:18	#8 (permalink)
Smudgegs Divetart Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Fife, Scotland Posts: 125	Re: ooops! Quote: (Originally Posted by Freef) Oh, get a room you two! you're just jealous Dried out the cells and the Oxy 2 is playing again, well it was once I'd lied to it and told it I'd put fresh cells in got to admit I'm a little suspicious of the current ones so a fresh pair are on order...
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