Technical Diving Skills – Valve Shutdown Drill Explained

This article, posted at Dive DIR, provides a very clear explanation of valve shutdown drills for isolated manifold doubles/twinset cylinders.

Great reading, if you are thinking about technical diving or just doing recreational scuba dives with doubles cylinders.

www.divedir.com

A sample:

Tuesday, 02 November 2010 17:39

This article outlines the process and reasoning behind the GUE approach to a valve drill.

Process Summary

The basic valve drill involves closing and opening all three posts on a twin set starting with the right post, then the isolator, then the left post.

First of all, here’s what it is supposed to look like….

Signal to your team you are going to perform a valve drill
Wait until your team is in place and then continue
Purge backup regulator
Shut down the right hand post whilst simultaneously signalling you are manipulating a valve to your team
When the post is shut down, breathe down the regulator until it “locks”.
Remove the regulator and replace with your backup regulator
Clip off your primary regulator on the right chest D ring
Open the right post
Unclip the primary regulator and purge it
Remove the backup regulator from your mouth and replace with the primary regulator
Shut down the isolator whilst simultaneously signalling you are manipulating a valve to your team
When the valve is closed, re-open the isolator
Move your torch to your right hand
Shut down the left hand post whilst simultaneously signalling you are manipulating a valve to your team
When the post is closed, purge the backup regulator until it “locks”
Open the left post and purge to confirm it is working
Move the torch to your left hand.
Check the position of your right hand post
Check the position of your isolator
Move the torch to your right hand and check the position of your left post
Signal that your drill is complete