Can we talk about the right way to check your bailout bottle pressure?

I keep seeing guys on the boat just glance at the gauge and call it good. That's a big mistake. You need to actually open the valve for a full second and watch the needle drop to see the real working pressure. My dive partner in Seattle last month had his gauge read 3000 psi, but when we did the flow test, it dropped to 2500 almost right away. That's a 500 psi difference you would never catch with a static check. It matters because if you need that air in a real emergency, you might not have as much as you think. What's your routine for checking your bailout before a dive?

3 comments

3 Comments

walker.jana1mo ago

The real trick is checking it after your main tank is on. I saw a pressure drop of almost 200 psi on my bailout once when I opened my primary valve, just from the pressure change in the manifold. Now I always do my final flow check with everything pressurized and connected.

gray_schmidt81mo ago

Static check" is why my first bailout sip was a sad surprise.

jake19128d ago

And that's exactly the kind of shortcut that gets people into trouble in all sorts of situations, not just diving. People rush past the little checks that actually matter because they assume the big number is the real story. It's the same reason I double check my tire pressure before a long trip even when the dashboard says it's fine, because a quick look never tells you the whole truth.