I finally stopped trusting air checks after a close call in Port of Long Beach last month

Was doing a 60-foot NDT inspection on a mooring chain. My surface supply air check said everything was fine. But I had that gut feeling something was off, you know? Called topside to double check. Turns out the sensor was reading 3 psi higher than actual. Could have been a real bad day if I didn't speak up. How often do you guys actually verify your equipment readings on site versus just trusting the numbers?

3 comments

3 Comments

tarabell2d ago

Turns out the sensor was reading 3 psi higher than actual." That 3 psi difference is huge when you're at 60 feet because it can mask a real problem with your breathing air. I've learned to always double check with a separate pressure gauge or a manual reading from the surface panel at least once per dive, especially on older equipment. Those sensors drift over time and nobody always catches it during calibration. I keep a little logbook in my gear bag for each site job and write down the surface supply pressure from the panel at the start and end of every shift.

the_elliot1d ago

Yeah I used to think my air was fine as long as the digital gauge looked normal, but after seeing a buddy run low way faster than expected on a deep dive I started cross checking too. Totally changed how I treat those sensors now.

victor_robinson1d ago

Hell yeah @tarabell, same thing happened to me last month on a wreck dive and now I always cross-check with my backup gauge.