Power Snorkel 12vdc Electric Floating Hookah

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Tellie

Not to be a pain Fstbttms because I believe this is a very rare occurance, but since salt water is a better conductor of electricity than fresh, how do you come to the above conclusion?

I am no electrician, but the physics bear it out. I'll post more when I get back to the office tonight and can look up the thread on Sailing Anarchy where this is explained.

[DotDun]

For the purpose of working on the boat and already being a certified diver, I went for an extra tank, bought a 60' hose (~$140) and used regulator off fleebay (~$40). A tank will give you more than an hour under a boat and I've got less than $275 in it. I figure if the fleebay reg craps out, I'm only 3-4 feet under the surface, I believe I can handle that disaster.

Yep, hookahs are a never ending air supply (theoretically), in addition to the upfront cost, but they are also yet another something to maintain. A tank is a yearly visual inspection and a 5 year hydro.

Tanks are much cheaper if they meet your needs, IMO of course!

[Seahunter]

Originally Posted by Crak

I am looking at purchasing a hookah for shallow diving. (max 12m)

This is a great cruising tool, but I'm not sure if you'ld be wanting to leave it in your dink or using it as a spare battery. There are any number of manufacturers who build hookahs and a lot cheaper than $3000.
For a spare battery, you might want to buy a Black and Decker jump starter with air compressor (for fenders etc - not breathing ) for $50.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Tellie

Not to be a pain Fstbttms because I believe this is a very rare occurance, but since salt water is a better conductor of electricity than fresh, how do you come to the above conclusion?

In salt water, the salt water is a better conductor than you are. Since you offer more resistance, the current doesn't pass through you.

In fresh water, you offer better conductivity (since you're a bag of salt and water), so you'll often complete the circuit and allow a current that otherwise wasn't able to connect because of too much resistance to shoot up in amperage and zap, there you go.

[mindsofman]

If you want simplicity and you only want to do a quick bottom check (and believe me,
this works,i've done it).originally i used a normal snorkel,attached a light hose to it then
attached the other end to the double draw dinghy pump.Ok ,i had to get my girl friend to
pump,,she lasted about 10 minutes before the coffee hit her.
Since then i pulled the internals out of a regulator and use that,,,down to 10 feet,it
works gr8,,just make sure your pump buddy does'nt have ADH

[SvenG]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Saltwater electrocutions are uncommon. Freshwater is much more dangerous in that regard. That being said; if you are diving on a boat, it is always a good idea to unplug it from the shorepower before getting in the water.

Right, just google "drowning electric current".



-Sven

[olaf hart]

These look interesting

Third Lung Accessories

How much dive time would you have with a 6cf or a 13cf tank ?

[fstbttms]

"Regardless of the size of the AC fault, (in freshwater) the potential may rise to lethal levels as low as 15VAC. Even with a poor ground, a boat in salt water won't develop enough potential to cause a problem for a swimmer, making this an unheard of phenomenon with boats in the ocean. However, lakes are a different story. Fresh water is a very poor conductor by comparison, so an ungrounded fault will raise the potential on the hull as it attempts to enter the water. A swimmer represents a much lower resistance fault path, even if only in the electric field and not touching anything."

The Case of the Hot Marina#

[Maggie-K]

Been using a Seabreath for years very high quality and great support

Sea Breathe, The Electric Snorkel

I have no affiliation but would highly recommend this company , Made in Vancouver Canada, I use mine in the dinghy with a booster battery pack I get about am hour of run time.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

...it's manageable/rare even over there.

Rare, most certainly. But manageable? How? Is there some way to test the water before you get in?

If so, I've never heard of it. In fact, my understanding (which, I readily admit, could be faulty) is that one of the reasons it is so dangerous is that there is no way to know, no warning, just suddenly a "tingly" feeling and then--if you are not out of the water within, literally, a second or two--you drown.

[GordMay]

See ➥ http://www.abycinc.org/lucas_ritz.pdf

And ➥ The Case of the Hot Marina

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by olaf hart

These look interesting

Third Lung Accessories

How much dive time would you have with a 6cf or a 13cf tank ?

If you have reasonable breathing rate and you stay in the 10-20' depth range you should get 2-3 minutes per CF. Cleaning a hull you would be working a bit harder and probably use more air.

By the way, if you already have a regulator you can buy these small tanks from any dive shop and make your own harness for a lot less money.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

In fact, my understanding (which, I readily admit, could be faulty) is that one of the reasons it is so dangerous is that there is no way to know, no warning, just suddenly a "tingly" feeling and then--if you are not out of the water within, literally, a second or two--you drown.

Swimming in a saltwater marina is not particularly dangerous. Nobody swims in marinas more than hull cleaners. I have personally done it at least 20,000 times and have never once had any kind of problem. Further, during the last 16 years, approximately 1.3 million in-water hull cleaning events have taken place in the Bay Area alone, with not a single drowning due to electrocution occurring.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Swimming in a saltwater marina is not particularly dangerous. Nobody swims in marinas more than hull cleaners. I have personally done it at least 20,000 times and have never once had any kind of problem. Further, during the last 16 years, approximately 1.3 million in-water hull cleaning events have taken place in the Bay Area alone, with not a single drowning due to electrocution occurring.

Is that poetic license or an actual 20,000 times? 20,000 = 5 times per day, 5 days per week, 50 weeks per year (assume you do take weekends off and an occasional holiday, probably to go diving ) for 16 years. That's a lot of marina diving.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Is that poetic license or an actual 20,000 times? 20,000 = 5 times per day, 5 days per week, 50 weeks per year (assume you do take weekends off and an occasional holiday, probably to go diving ) for 16 years. That's a lot of marina diving.

How often do you go to work? This is how I make my living. I don't understand what's so remarkable about it. There are a thousand others just like me doing it in California alone.

To be honest, 20,000 is a conservative estimate.