My old dive partner in Norfolk swore by using a flathead screwdriver to clear a jammed umbilical quick-disconnect. Tried it on a job last week and nearly flooded my comms box.

We were doing a hull clean on a tug in the James River. My comms started cutting out, and the surface tender said the video feed from my helmet was flickering. I remembered what he said about tapping the metal collar on the QD with a screwdriver to free up any grit. Gave it a light tap, and the seal popped completely. Had to abort the dive right there. Anyone have a better method for clearing a stuck QD underwater without risking a seal failure?

3 comments

3 Comments

blair_dixon13d ago

Try a shot of silicone spray next time.

abby_wilson5113d ago

Silicone spray, blair_dixon? That stuff is a short term fix at best. It attracts dust and grime like crazy, making the real problem worse later on. You're just putting a band-aid on something that probably needs a proper clean or a different lubricant. I learned that the hard way on a few projects last year.

rileynelson2d ago

Man, that's a classic "works until it doesn't" fix.