Rebreather Owners Survey 2006    

 

Discussion on the forums recently has been mainly of the cause of incidents and fatalities on rebreathers. During conversations I was having with Martin Parker, Richard Pyle and others, about some of the trends my old survey showed especially relating to risk taking, the idea was sown of re-doing the old survey, but this time making it general to all rebreathers and concentrating on risk and safety and general operation of the rebreather

Several researchers have also asked about accessing the data and using it for publication etc. So by participating in this survey you agree for the data provided to be used for research purposes and for publication in anonymous form. I will be the only person who sees names and emails

Please fill in the survey as completely as you can and please be truthful. Data you provide truthfully may reveal trends that are causing incidents and may save lives. Yes it is long I'm afraid. Just pity me having to collate it all!!

I will post a summary and results shortly. Please get your dive partners and as many other rebreather divers to respond

 

Your Details (all information above the line will be removed from any data provided to third parties)

Please tick here if this is an update (i.e. you have already filled in this survey before

Your Name

Your email Address This is so I can contact you to clarify details if required


Experience

Years Diving experience OC and CC Open Circuit and Closed Circuit (use ~ for approximate)

Years CC experience (use ~ for approximate)

Number of dives total OC and CC (use ~ for approximate)

Number of dives CC (use ~ for approximate)

Year started diving Rebreathers (use ~ for approximate)

Main Rebreather dived if other please detail

Second Rebreather dived if other please detail


Training

Trainer('s)

Training Agency     if other please specify

How old are you

Gender

Highest Open Circuit Qualifications

Open Circuit Gas Usage

Highest Rebreather Qualifications

Why did you swap to Closed circuit


Modifications    Tick if yes

Have you modified your unit

if so what and why?

Have you a separate independent O2 sensor fitted VR3, oxygauge, HUD etc


Equipment Failures        Tick those that you have experienced. Please use common sense as different units have different features and failure modes

Cell Warning pre dive, during dive

Cell Failure pre dive, during dive

Handset/Electronics Cracked/Broken

Handset/Electronics Flooded

Molex connector or other wiring fault

Loop flood during dive , why

Injection Solenoid stuck open pre dive, during dive

Injection Solenoid stuck closed pre dive, during dive

Scrubber Breakthrough , Scrubber breakthrough time

Diluent or Oxygen injector problems

Dump Valve problems

Mouthpiece O ring unseated

Mouthpiece flapper valve inverted

Oxygen side hose or fixture leak

Diluent side hose or fixture leak

Have you ever had a major Hypoxia event Low Oxygen (ie unconscious)

Have you ever had a minor Hypoxia event (ie felt funny, PO2 < 16 etc)

Have you ever had a major Hyperoxia event High Oxygen (ie fits)

Have you ever had a minor Hyperoxia event (ie twitches, PO2 > 2)

Have you ever had a major Hypercapnia event Scrubber CO2 breakthrough (ie Unconscious or incapacitated)

Have you ever had a minor Hypercapnia event (ie headache, drowsy, temp stick warning)

Brand specific failures and questions

Inspiration Evolution Megladon Dolphin
Auto Air free flow
Handset backlighting failed
Handset on/off stuck
Handset slider stuck
Handset Failure
Handsets turned off entering water
Has your scrubber inner canister failed
Auto Air free flow
Handset backlighting failed
HUD Failure
Handset Failure
Controller Switching Problem
Do you monitor CO2 by
Do you have a cell drain fitted
Has it failed

Scrubber Type
Do you use a Calibration Kit
What Software Version
Gas Jet become Blocked
Do you change jets for each gas mix

 

Azimuth Hammerhead KISS  
Mouthpieces hoses Fallen off
Do you set the flow each dive
Have your connectors leaked
Excessive Battery Drain
What size lungs do you use  

Other failures (Please detail) 

Have you ever had a disagreement in measured PO2 between your unit and an independent PO2 monitor of over 0.1 PO2

Did you ever suffer from a major equipment failure on Open circuit


User Failure    Tick if yes, and please be honest

Have you ever entered the water with the unit turned off

Have you ever entered the water with the Oxygen turned off (Or main gas if diving an SCR)

Have you ever entered the water with the Diluent turned off

Have you ever entered the water with a known cell warning

Have you ever entered the water with a known cell  failure

Have you ever entered the water without doing a pre-dive check

Have you ever entered the water without doing a full 2 minute pre-breathe

Have you ever entered the water without doing any pre-breathe

Have you ever continued a dive after a cell warning (other than to finish a deco obligation)

Have you ever continued a dive after a cell failure (other than to finish a deco obligation)

Have you ever continued a dive with another unit failure (other than to finish a deco obligation)


Operational      Tick for yes

Which diluents do you use Air , Normoxic Trimix , Hypoxic Trimix , Heliair , Heliox

Do you switch diluents on ascent If so what is your normal practice

Do you monitor battery voltage and if so at what voltage do you change the batteries

Bailout Deep Dive: I always carry it Minimal I carry a reserve rebreather Our team shares bailout

Bailout Shallow Dive: I always carry it Minimal I carry a reserve rebreather Our team shares bailout

Do you use a Full Face Mask if so which one

Do you have a BOV, OC/DSV (open circuit / closed circuit selectable valve)

How often do you Calibrate your Primary  , Secondary

Do you check your calibration and if so how

O2 Sensor Cells normally used , if other please specify

How do you change them

At what interval do you change your O2 sensors

Scrubber material normally used , if other please specify

What's the maximum duration you rate your scrubber for and what water temperature do you normally dive in

Scrubber refill strategy 

Do you do a bubble check near the surface on descent

Do you raise PO2 above the set point near the surface on descent if so why

Do you raise PO2 above the set point during the bottom phase of the dive if so why

Do you raise PO2 above the set point during the 6m stop on ascent if so why

What PO2 set point do you use for the bulk of your dive

Do you use a low set point for descent and if so what

Do you use pure O2 when ascending above 6m

Do you ever dive solo on OC , do you ever dive solo on CC

Do you practice "Same Ocean" buddy diving

Maximum Depth you have dived to using the Rebreather Please indicate if m or feet

What is your average dive depth Please indicate if m or feet

How many dives did you do on the Rebreather during the last year

What is the longest single dive you have done on the unit

What is you average dive length

How do you monitor/deco during a dive , please specify which tables, software or computer you use

Which software/tables do you use to Plan your dives in advance other

Have you ever had a bend and if so how many of each type   Joint     CNS     other

Have you ever had a vestibular bend


Thank you for your time.