Smallest Safe Second Ever - Scuba Tech Tips: S15E20

[@montypythonish]

Thanks Alec for another blast from the past. Always love your videos. Always educational with a little fun. I've been diving since 2005 and never seen anything like that. I don't think I want one but if it's that or nothing, I'd definitely use it.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

It’s neat but I will stick with a modern, tuneable safe second A

[@meisterlau]

Very cool. Learned something new. Wondering why the compact second stage didn’t become more popular.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

May be due to it not being visible, not locking in the mouth, bright and can't be tuned. Other than that for 1970 it was fantastic. A

[@joshuawade8319]

Great video, Alec. That safe second does look like it would be super small, compact and out of the way. I wonder why that style didn't become more popular? Also, did that pneunomatic yoke have a problem with water ingress when taken off the tank? I'm sure they had some sort.of dust cover for it, but I wonder how well it worked. Thanks for sharing. You are a wealth of information on the history of scuba/sports diving.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

The yoke did come with a dust cap according to the picture Kevin found in the 1970 Scubapro catalog. A

[@tomc.7520]

Another great video. Good job on the close up Kevin. You guys make my day.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Thanks 👍 from both of us. A

[@darrylblondel4154]

Great video Alec. Haven't seen either of those before. Very interesting. Great to see some vintage diving videos again 👍

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Glad you enjoyed. More vintage coming in the fall after our vacations. A

[@davidhubble5283]

tx as always Alec. - Very cool and informative.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

My pleasure! A

[@Teampegleg]

I've seen a few of the pneumatic yoke adapters on fill whips and pressure checkers.

[@tomc.7520]

Same here and I'm old. Don't really think I'd trust it.

[@rifleman1002]

​@@tomc.7520fundamentally it should work just as well as a normal yoke, I mean you don't necessarily need that much tension on the yoke screw. Barely hand tight works fine. What I would be afraid of is the spring breaking or wearing out.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

This is a strange item. No make/model or info other than made in the USA. Kevin researched it in his vintage catalog collection and found nothing like this. A

[@jacquespoirier9071]

probably that it was discontinued because of the panic inducing characteristics. Of course, the gadget is fully functionnal but for a diver that is not fully confortable, it is more than sufficient to trigger a panic situation. It is the main reason why I'm advocate of a technical formation for the divers that reach the certificate. very good topic very good video

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Thank's Jacques. I'm full of strange ideas. Lots more to share. A

[@lordgman1]

Very good point! In an emergency situation its best that the equipment is as comfortable and familiar as possible, and there's no better way than to provide the diver with backup equipment that's identical to the primary equipment!

[@rifleman1002]

That pneumatic yoke was probably exactly just as tight as a normal yoke. What a genius design. It behaves exactly how o-rings work. It seals itself with the pressure.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Image showing up at the next club dive with this as your second! A

[@Pedde]

Looks cool but I'm sure there is a reason why it dident stick around longer 😅

[@rifleman1002]

@@Pedde I have two guesses why. One is the spring could go bad and not provide a strong enough push to adequately put it on the tank. When it's on and the air is open, it works like any other yoke. Two is it was just too "new" and ambitious for the time period. Scuba divers on the whole tend to like "their stuff", and new stuff can scare them off. Like the "great fin debate" or "buddy breathing". I was reading how the introduction of the safe second was actually met with a lot of criticism. It took a long time before it became standard.

[@owenmougenot712]

Hi Alec I remember you mentioned one of these safe seconds before I can't believe you found one to show us, sort of like that teeth operated reg that your friend in Italy sent you a pic of. Do you recall the second stage model? is it a scuba-pro too? My only thought about the first stage is when the tank gets low is it easy to knock it off the tank? You really do find all the weird and wonderful scuba items. Take care Owen m

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Both Kevin and I searched for the make/model but no luck. Not even in old catalogues from the 1950's to 1980's. Never seen it published so sharing mine. A

[@timgosling6189]

Thank you for showing us these two interesting ideas, but I can see why they didn't catch on.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Thanks for watching! A

[@tristanlambert2258]

Any chance you can do a video on Poseidon Cyklon regulators? If I'm correct by all the marketing it was the first single hose regulator and still very much in use today and popular. Many thanks for your videos really informative and interesting.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

I don’t have that reg or the tools and service manual to do a proper job. It’s added to my ideas list if everything I need comes my way. Keep searching, some one should info to help you. A

[@eaf2k]

Aquatec Air Buddy is what that second stage appears to be. Or very close. Can be bought even these days...

[@VoorTrekker88]

Thanks for identifying this safe second! I think Alec forgot to mention what brand it was, and I was just assuming that it was from Scubapro just like the 1st stage he showed with it.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Forgot to mention it is and Air Buddy, still around but not widely used or known. A

[@fatphoca5009]

I used one of those safe seconds for a few years. Doesn't work that well if you really do need air but it's enough to surface with.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

That's why few have ever heard of the "Air Buddy" safe second. Remembered the name after shooting. A

[@barryinkpen6026]

I thought you were joking!!!! Well I'll be damned! I've never seen one of these and I'm an old dude. Tks Alec

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Your welcome and now you have a story to share at the next dive club meeting. A

[@MichaelStrrp]

Alec, I am always wondering why the yoke is so popular in the US and Canada, but in Europe (or at least here in Scandinavia) DIN is almost always the standard. I have mostly had trouble with yoke, because to my experience, the o-ring is more exposed and will not last as long as on DIN. But what is your take on that?

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

The yoke design was the original set up & in the US it's still the most common. Any tanks over 3000psi, whether in the us or elsewhere, use a DIN to avoid the O-Ring problem you mention.

[@MichaelStrrp]

@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter Thanks for the clarification :)

[@JimmyJo-ol9lp]

Now that’s very cool. I like it

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Very cool and strange like a lot of gear from the 1970's. A

[@jonathansantos2271]

so as a primary breathing regulator and a second stage fit for emergency breathing or for soemone else with you? is that a common minimum? ❤

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

It is not good for a 2nd stage reg; NO purge, venturi or diver breathing adjustment, and will fall out too easy. These are also reasons why it's not a popular safe second. A

[@amcaesar]

Bizarre but wonderful.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Totally agree. A

[@michaelleong4445]

Seen the Safe Second for sale in Leisure Pro quite many years ago…

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

It's still around, called the Air Buddy, but not as accepted as the standard safe second regulator. A

[@Mike.4639]

Poseidon are the only safe seconds because you Can deliver and use them anyway ( theres no upside down). I have seen candidates to instructor trying to use a safe second upside down during course. Funny as hell 😄

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

There are other safe seconds with no orientation (use in any position). I have seen instructors and students but seconds in upside down too, funny (in a pool). A

[@finnenjr]

that´s a safe second i want..

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Tell your buddy its a dual purpose safe second, good for breathing and filling tires.... A

[@VoorTrekker88]

@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter Make no mistake... I come to this channel for the cool scuba information, but I stay for Alec Pierce's trademark humor! 😂

[@rifleman1002]

I wonder. Do SCBA tanks use a yoke like that sometimes? I know the fundamental features are somewhat different. SCBA the valve is upside down, SCUBA its up. SCBA is always positive pressure trinkling in the facemask, while SCUBA is on demand regulated. I could see that pneumatic valve working fantastically with SCBA because of how fast you can put it on the tank. Sure its a few seconds more, but for Firefighters, those seconds matter.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Not sure about SCBA but maybe a real fire man/woman in the group can answer this. A

[@Wobbegong_th]

Most of the SCBA I'd seen use something similar to DIN Valve.

[@rifleman1002]

@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter from just a basic observation, the biggest difference I see between SCBA and SCUBA is the tank orientation. The only "upside down" SCUBA tanks I've ever seen were O2 bottles on certain rebreathers. The Megalodon I think has them upside down. Wobbegong_th actually mentioned that SCBA first stages were similar to DIN valves, which makes sense.

[@rifleman1002]

@@Wobbegong_th that does make a lot of sense to use DIN or "DIN like" valves for SCBA uses. ScubaPro was really ahead of the game with those yoke designs though. Compact and fundamentally simple. The spring though was probably the fatal flaw of the design. A spring will most likely go bad before the yoke threads get stripped. Knowing how yokes and o-rings work, I actually could trust the yoke to stay on. I was taught for my NAUI open water certification that the yoke just needs to be hand tight and the air seal would do the rest. Well that spring is providing the "hand tight" yoke screwing. O-rings are almost confounding in how well they form a seal. If that spring was replaceable, I could see the value in it, but I also understand why the typical SCUBA diver would stray away from it.

[@pacediver2594]

That was very interesting

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Thank you. I have collected a lot of strange items over the decades. Glad to share them with divers everywhere. A

[@papabear1503]

Awesome channel sir!!! Pls help me improve my breathing too!!!

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Glad to help. A

[@feynthefallen]

That safe second is kind of a cool gadget, but I wouldn't take it diving, for the simple reason that it isn't big and yellow, like a safe second is supposed to be. Especially with emergency equipment, you want it to work and look the same every time. The other problem I have with it is that you have to bite it to breathe. That takes a conscious effort. As long as I'm calm and alert, that might be fine, but what if I'm woozy or panicky? Or if someone else who isn't used to it would have to use it? Suppose I need to give somebody who isn't my buddy air? Too many uncertainties. Not good in a safety device.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Good points on an alert diver. Back in 1970, they just went with being new and cool, not safe for everyone. A

[@twoknife]

Lots of people don't use a bright yellow safe second. With the increasing number of long hose configurations, you mostly see two (other than length) identical regulators. At this point, it is a coin toss if my buddy is using one or the other configuration. The not working the same way as a normal regular part would be the far more worrying part for me. I wouldn't accept a dive buddy with that thing.

[@feynthefallen]

​@@twoknife Others not doing it properly isn't a justification for not doing it properly myself. There are so many reasons why a safe second should be immediately recognizable. For instance, people should be able to tell immediately if I'm on my safe second myself, because that indicates I have a problem with my gear, and also that they can't access my safe second in an emergency. I feel that, especially in rec diving, where many people participate who don't have a ton of experience, safety equipment should look the same and work the same Every. Single. Time. They make all kinds of gadgets like those safe seconds integrated into the inflator. Not a fan of any of them. Keep it safe and simple. That doesn't apply to tech divers and people of that ilk, they have different standards naturally, But a tech diver wouldn't touch a gadget like that with a ten foot pole anyways.

[@twoknife]

@@feynthefallen Those people are actually doing it properly. The standard set by their diving organization is just different. The safe second on a long hose is very short and reserved for you. So you don't even want it painted bright since you don't want anyone to grab it in an emergency. People - instructors and guides in particular - sometimes use bright yellow hoses or yellow 2nd stages for their primary long hose as a way to signal: Grab this in an emergency. So they will be on the yellow hose basically all of the time. The primary way to show that you have a problem with a second stage would be signaling it to your buddy/group. Regardless it is pretty easy to see which regulator is in use from a decent distance since the position is very clearly defined - and people who don't follow that will have a 2m hose dangling from their gear which is even easier to spot :) And yes those integrated safe seconds are just a bad idea. They just show how little you care about the safety of others.

[@josephdracula7487]

👍😎🤿 Absolutely amazing I never knew!

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Glad you liked it!