View Full Version : St Abbs Free Flow
Last nights jaunt down to St Abbs didn't go too well :(
On the boat, ready to go in a group of 4. Roll into the water first, as I was righting back up my mask strap had come off and as I let go of the face mask it gently floated away. As I hit the surface the reg went into free flow. I collected my mask and tried to get the reg to stop free flowing, shook it a bit, breathed into it hard, knocked it against my hand - no luck. Tried this a few times.
Also, had put a bit less air into my bc this time, which would have been fine floating on the surface with reg in or snorkel, but was just a bit too low with nothing in my mouth trying to stop the reg from free flowing. Also irritating knocking against my leg, which was my camera released from its short clip, but still attached floating round at knee level - pretty sure what it was, but distracting anyway.
Anyway, decided that stopping the freeflow was now becoming less of a priority due to the fact my calves were now tired from constantly finning to try and keep my head above water and the fact this had been going on so long there was probably not much point in keeping trying. So stopped to fully inflate my bc, had a look at the guage - game over :rolleyes:
Lie back, swim round to ladder, back up, get someone to turn off tank before it is totally empty and requiring visual.
Packed the night before, left work at 4pm, home at 11pm, 1 1/2 hours trip on boat - priceless! - maybe not!
Time to practise turning off my cylinder myself while wearing it I guess :o - first task to go give it a practise in the garage today then.
Also, note to self - when mucking about with general set up do it one bit at a time - I put a bit less air in my bc on the same dive as I decided to unclip my camera to save doing it in the water. Neither caused the problem or would have actually made any real difference, but they were an unwanted distraction. Added to losing my mask and reg going into freeflow that it wouldn't stop.........
Jennifer had a good dive! :D
Yogi Diver
16-08-08, 09:50
Yep!!
That's why they call it the Incident Pit.
Small, insignificant, irritations on the surface have a tendency to become major problems in the water and lead to other problems until, before you know it, you have a major incident.
Bet you put more air in your BCD next time?
At least you stayed on the surface and the only harm was an aborted dive.:)
Glad Jennifer enjoyed herself.:)
Yep, bc fully inflated to look like michelin man as usual and camera clipped up until time to use it - no more trying anything new for me! ........ ooops, thats' prob ably not good either :o ........ so many choices :confused:
Dive Tramp
16-08-08, 10:16
Any Incident that you walk away (or swim away) from is a lesson in diving. Glad to hear someone got a nice dive, and you're OK Peter.
I wear my camera on a wrist band, the right wrist but it's only a F50 compact, never been an issue for me. Is yours a bigger setup?
Camera is a compact too, no strobes or anything.
It is clipped to my bc with one of those spiral clips that can be clipped short or long. To avoid unclipping it in the water and be ready to use straight away I unclipped it before rolling in, which wouldn't have been a problem as I was holding it while doing so, but I let go of it (knowing it was on a clip) to retrieve my mask and was then also running out of hands when the reg went.
As I said, I did know what it was bumping my leg while I was otherwise occupied, but it was a distraction - should I keep pointlessly trying to stop my reg free flowing, should I add more air to my bc so I can stop finning, should I retrieve my camera which I know it still clipped to me, but can't avoid worrying that it might be sinking to the bottom, should I put my mask back on, should I simply give up and go home and practise turning the valve off, which may not have been the best of ideas when I wanted to inflate my bc :confused:
:rolleyes:
I don't know, I don't come diving with you and everything goes wrong :rolleyes:. The extents you go to, to make me come diving with you :D.
Glad Jennifer had a good dive!
Unclipping the camera, why? Its not like you, also the BC again not like you, were you worrying about Jennifer more than usual last night and forgetting about yourself? Possibly! Remember to think about you too.
On another note when are you going get rid of those dam regs and buy a reliable set??
I presume Jennifer was OK diving with someone else without you...How did that feel sitting on the boat with Jennifer diving with strangers???:eek:
Camera clip was a change, won't do it again. :o Again, just trying something new with the bc, won't do that either. As I said, not trying 2 new things at once again and not much help when doing that and something goes wrong, but these were conscious decisions not oversights.
Apart from the 2 changes I didn't see me doing anything different. Obviously didn't do the mask very well, but didn't notice any changes there - so don't think I can put it down to not paying enough attention to myself. Reg free flow - don't know ....... yet?
Think my wash tank may need changed more often and wondering if I am putting more salt and sand on the regs rinsing there than not bothering. Taste test coming up, but wonderig about a small bath/bucket to be filled fresh each time for the regs (and probably camera and computer too, although they also get washed in a bathroom sink as well).
Jennifer went in with Paul, one of the instructors we know - I wouldn't have let her go with just anyone. Yes, vaguely unsettling feeling, but okay. Certainly watched for three heads coming up after the dsmb and kept and eye on my watch for dive time. She was fine with the whole thing.
Yogi Diver
16-08-08, 11:43
Think my wash tank may need changed more often and wondering if I am putting more salt and sand on the regs rinsing there than not bothering. Taste test coming up, but wonderig about a small bath/bucket to be filled fresh each time for the regs (and probably camera and computer too, although they also get washed in a bathroom sink as well).
I have the luxury of a wash bay at the back of my garage which gets fresh water every time but I still give my regs and computer an occasional soak in warm soapy water in the house. The regs definitely benefit and the Vyper I find stays on "AC" a long time, draining the battery if the contacts aren't kept clean
I rinse my bucket out every month or so and it is amazing the amount of salt and sand in it!! When was the last time you emptied it??
Glad Jennifer had a good dive.
When was the last time you emptied it??
4:30 :D
Regs are okay, managed to replicate this problem, eliminate it and replicate it again. Away to read up on whether that's it or if anything else needs done.....
dive granny
16-08-08, 20:10
[QUOTE=chris;30789]I rinse my bucket out every month or so and it is amazing the amount of salt and sand in it!! When was the last time you emptied it??
Do you leave your regs etc in the bucket till your next dive, or just not change the water? I bought a plaster bucket from B&Q to rinse my regs, mask, torch, computer etc in . I just leave it a few hours. Is that enough.
Dive Tramp
16-08-08, 20:46
I just hang all my gear up on the washing line (or out the back of EDNA) and then just hose everything down and leave to drip dry. No salt, sand or weed (or wee beasties) after the hosing down.:)
Don't forget to empty your BCD of salt water, and then flush it thro too...
I dunk them in the "B&Q" bucket for 10-15mins then hang them up, sometimes I leave them in for longer. But everything else goes in the same bucket. The drysuit usually gets hosed on whirlygig.
There was sand in my bucket last time, can't say I didn't see it! :o I changed the water a couple of times this year so far (remember not that many dives) but clearly not often enough.
dive granny
16-08-08, 23:24
Mine is only for cleaning my kit in. My D.I.Y. hubby is not allowed near it:eek:
craigdiver
17-08-08, 09:10
but I still give my regs and computer an occasional soak in warm soapy water
I'm with Steve on this one, it's the only thing that will prevent build up of salt deposits, dunking the gear in fresh water will only clean off loose salt particles, warm soapy water will dissolve any exisiting build-up.
Yes, I was going ask about that when Yogi posted. So you rinse your regs in warm soapy water? That's fine is it. I assume you rinse in soapy water then rinse in fresh later?
Yogi Diver
17-08-08, 11:21
Yes, I was going ask about that when Yogi posted. So you rinse your regs in warm soapy water? That's fine is it. I assume you rinse in soapy water then rinse in fresh later?
Yes. :)
craigdiver
17-08-08, 14:56
Yes, I was going ask about that when Yogi posted. So you rinse your regs in warm soapy water? That's fine is it. I assume you rinse in soapy water then rinse in fresh later?
Most important part is make sure the wife is not in before you turn the kitchen sink into a dive gear cleaning station!.
It is fine to let your 2nd stages soak in warm soapy water (DO NOT press the purge button or you will be breathing bubbles for weeks!!!). As your 1st stage will be (probably) dry sealed (for cold water use) it would not benefit from soaking in warm water and I personally would not submerge it due to the risk of water getting in to a-clamp / din connection.
But as for mask, 2nd stages, torch, camera case, computer, gloves, hood - get them all in for a good soak.
Cheers
Craig
dive granny
17-08-08, 19:57
[QUOTE=craigdiver;30837]Most important part is make sure the wife is not in before you turn the kitchen sink into a dive gear cleaning station!.
Tee Hee! I don't have that problem as I am 'the wife':D
Good evening tinkering inexpertly with regulators - a bit less temperamental now ........... tbc
The bit of green sludge out of the pony reg wasn't too pleasant - but it was working fine :D
The bit of green sludge out of the pony reg wasn't too pleasant - but it was working fine :D
Nice, maybe you need some green sludge in the main one ;)
scubagranny
17-08-08, 23:25
A tip I got from an Australian girl was every 2/3 months, put loads of Listerine in warm bath, soak everything for a few hours and should give it a good clean
dive granny
17-08-08, 23:40
Why Listerine (mouth wash):confused: Guy in Sharm told us to soak it all in Dettol once home.
Airmonster
18-08-08, 07:51
I mix up a new solution of Milton every so often and let the regulators soak in it for a while, usually overnight. Makes a big difference.
/Colin. :D
Some interesting uses of mouth wash and sterilising fluid.
Can't see how either would be any good at breaking down salt build ups :confused:
Hot water and something acidic like vinegar is best in my book. Heard of lemon juice as well because it tastes better.
Always a good idea to sterilise the bladder of your BC once in a while in case you need to orally inflate (or breathe off it :eek:) Some nasty stuff can grow in there. Wouldn't hurt to do your regs as well.
glad to hear all ended well Peter, good learning im sure.;)
on the note of cleaning fluids...detol, milton, mouth wash etc..
salt is alkaline so requires an acid to neutralise it, such as lemon, orange or vinegar as regthing suggests.
most other cleaning fluids are of a fairly neutral PH so IMHO would be less effective.
i just use hot water, nothing more, manufacturers specification.
just dont ask how often i clean them..:rolleyes:
Don't steep your reg's too long in a solution of vinegar/water, it will damage the diaphram, exhaust valves etc. As for washing Reg's, I have also been told that warm water and a very small amount of washing up liquid will do the trick. Use Milton to clean the inside of the BC.
i dump everything into fresh water a Milton tablet for 24hrs. leave th e1st stage hung up after a quick dunk to get rid of any surface salt.
The APEKS service manual does say that once the reg is disassembles it should be washed in a soapy solution, rinsed in fresh water and then dried using filtered air. So the soapy solution does[n't] appear to be a problem, although it didn't particularly specify what.
I am slightly confused, read your post about 4 or 5 times now Peter, what is it you are saying...have you missed some words out like a "not" somewhere??
Amended and quite obviously I hope.