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John Todd wrote: pyle - the solenoid sticks open due to computer malfunction.explain to me how you even know its stuck open before its too late. John, when you dive a closed circuit rebreather you can hear damn near everything going on. When the solenoid kicks in, you hear the click, hear the rush of gas in the counterlung, then hear the bubbling from any excess gas evacuating the counterlung through the purge valve. This latter sound I'm finding to be a bit irritating, since I really am enjoying the silence down there. If my solenoid stuck open (which, according to Dick King is virtually impossible, since it's design would only allow a failure in the closed position) - I would know it before my ppO2 rose to dangerous levels. I'd say to myself "what the fuck? I'm going to bitch Dick out about this" - reach down, crank closed my O2 valve (conveniently placed where I can easily reach it) and begin my leisurely ascent, including full deco. What's that? My O2 sphere just blew up? Well, I guess I'd have to leisurely begin my ascent relying solely on my diluent sphere. I'd have to reach down and manually add diluent to keep my ppO2 consistent with continued life functions, but that would occupy 3 seconds of my time every few minutes. I'd also have to increase my deco, due to lowered ppO2, but I'd survive. Oh, you say my Diluent bottle, not my O2 bottle just blew up? Well, I guess I'll just have to ascend again, letting the unit add O2 as I need it, automatically. Guess I can't do any more descents, since I have no more mixed gas to make up the volume in my counterlung, and adding O2 for that purpose is a no-no. Oh, oh... One of Pyles fish just ate my electronics pod. Hmmm. Well, I guess I'll just have to rely on that good 'ol Secondary display that is directly connected to my O2 sensors - no electronics in between. When it sez my ppO2 is dropping, I'll have to manually add some O2 myself. Damn. I hate manual labor. I can continue my dive, with the slight distraction of having to watch my ppO2 more closely, or I can leisurely ascend once again. Pyles fish just ate my counterlung? Well, in that case, I better have listened to Farb, and switch to my open circuit bailout that I carry for just such a case. I can exit the water still healthy, and begin to plot my revenge against Pyle and his vicious fish... When it comes right down to it, a properly built rebreather can do sooo much for you underwater - as long as you understand intimately how it works, and what strategies to use for each and every possible failure. I just wish Rich could control his damn fish... Kevin HeyyDude.
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