V-Planner Tutorial

Team Blue Immersion

Erik Brown

V Planner Tutorial

The V Planner is an essential tool for any technical diver. The available options of settings and configuration make it the primary choice for any serious diver. As with any dive planner, the output of information will only be as reliable as the information inputted. The planning of each dive must be taken seriously, as it’s this outputted dive profile that will be followed precisely on every dive. Mistakes in the primary planning of dives can have serious consequences in each dives outcome.

Every dive is different. Personal preferences of conservatism, environmental factors of fresh vs. salt water, and dive profiles of depth and bottom times must almost certainly change from dive to dive. For each dive, it is important to make sure that these small discrepancies are known.

Initial steps in dive planning always start in 'config' - 4th icon from the left on the top. Inside 'config' there is a list of options and information that is imperative to make sure is correct pertaining to each dive. Most will remain static, but must be double checked each time to ensure that no settings or parameters have been changed or altered. Most mistakes will be easily noticed in the outputted information, but simple inaccuracies such as salt vs. fresh water might be overlooked. These discrepancies can change a dive profile enough that serious consequences may occur.

The following is meant as a tutorial for new users and a refresher for divers with substantial time out of the water ONLY. It is NOT an instructional guide. Dive planning must be taught in

depth by a technical diving professional.

1. This column deals primarily in basic parameters; mostly in the units (imperial vs. metric) desired in the dive plan. Double check each is correct.

2. 'conditions' will remain relatively static unless changes are needed as result of environmental

conditions.

'Stop Size' represents the interval (in meters) that is desired for your profile. This is set to

3m. There are options available for CCR dives if necessary.

'Max Depth for 100 O2' is typically set to 6m - the deepest depth to safely breath pure oxygen based on 1.6pp02. This may change if surface swell is a factor. A 1m swell can drastically change the PO2 levels, so decreasing the max O2 levels to a more conservative depth might be appropriate.

'Max ppO2 for deco mix...%O2' enables you to set the desired partial pressure (pp02) for

each range of oxygen percentages. The standard and default setting are as follows: 'Up to 28%' 1.4 pp02 28-45% 1.5 pp02 45-99% 1.6 pp02

This coincides with the industry standards of 1.4ppO2 in your back gas or working part of the dive. Gases with high oxygen content (50% and 100%) are most often used, falling into the range and industry standard of 1.6 ppO2 for deco gases.

The ‘RMV’ (aka SAC rate) must be altered based on each individual’s gas consumption.

This information will be used to calculate the gas consumption for each dive. This accuracy of this information is essential (correlated with depth/time) for the overall gas consumption of each dive. This is crucial as dives are planned/carried out down to the meter and minute. Its imperative that your SAC rates are known before planning any decompression dive, always conducted in initial training dives or after long periods out of the water. Everyone dives the same plan, ensuring the highest sac rate of the group to be used as the parameters. Most SAC rates seem to be around 16 or so. Increasing this to 20 increases a level of conservatism. Your training will provide you with the ability to fix any problem with enough time. This time is a byproduct of safe and conservative dive planning.

SCR is...fiO2 adjustments. This setting (for SCR) adjusts the inspired mix by the values

supplied.

3. ‘Extended Stops’ can be enabled for training level dives where NOTOXs (gas switches) might

take longer then ideal. Debates behind extending stop where gas switches occur in dealing with your oxygen window are also viable.

4. ‘Conservatism’ Nominal is for navy divers and the super fit. Plus 2 or 3 is the normal setting for most divers. Set a plus 3 or 4 with strenuous, cold, a series of multi day dives, extra safety, or a prior history of DCS or symptoms.

5. ‘Elevation Data’ is simply used by inputting the appropriate information when diving in elevated situations.

6. ‘VPM Model’ The VPM-B is the current model in wide spread use today. VPM-B/E is an extention

made for divers undertaking very deep and long dives. For most divers, the B and B/E plans are the same, because B/E only begins to deviate after large gas loads (90-100 mins deco required).

7. The ‘Decent Rate’ might vary depending on your dive profile. 15 is standard. Increases to

25 might be desired on deeper dives

The ‘Ascent Rate’ will definitely vary each and every dive. Changes in ascent rates are based on the ‘off-gassing point.’ Our recommendation is 9m/min from the bottom depth to the off-gassing point providing a safe ascent without affectting the on-gassing portion of the dive. Once the 'off-gassing' point is reached, the ascent rate is slowed further to 6m/min in the off-gassing and important decompression part of the dive. Decent rates from 3m to surface are further slowed for added conservatism and safety. Treat the surface as another decompression stop; leave mask and regulator in place for an extended period of time.

Double check all information and click ‘OK”

Now that the appropriate information is provided to formulate a dive plan, the parameters of the dive itself must be inputted. ‘Bottom mix & travel’ lets you input the depth, time and gas

contents. Double click on an

existing dive to edit or 'add a level

or mix' at the bottom to input new

information. Keep in mind that the

decent time is included in the

inputted time. This could be

substantial on deeper trimix dives.

Times of 'zero' indicate the use of a

travel gas. Input the oxygen

contents of your back gas and

helium content (if any) and click OK.

Make sure the box in front of the

‘Bottom mix & travel’ is the only

icon enabled, unless planning a

multilevel dive or use of a travel gas.

‘Deco gas’ permits you to input required decompression gases. Any number of gases can

be added/enabled depending on the dive profile. It does not matter what order they are arranged. Input helium level is required to avoid IDC or left vacant if not.

Before you’re allowed to "calc" your plan, a surface interval must be chosen. Choices of 5

days, 48hr, 24hr, or precise hours/minutes are options. Once the surface interval is entered the 'calc' bottom above lights up and becomes active.

Once you ‘calc’, the dive plan information is displayed over 6 columns.

1. Designates the particular ‘actions’ of the dive. Whether the information is a decent, ascent, level (bottom time), or stop at (deco) time are the available outputted options.

2. Delegates the depth that the subsequent information conforms too.

3. Depicts stop time. This is very important and the most vital information that informs us our ‘bottom time’ and subsequent ‘deco time.’

4. The ‘run time’ is only really important in the planning part of a dive. It’s very important that we never chase our run time and use this information only as a guide of our whereabouts within the dive.

5. This is simply the chosen/inputted gas mix. It will inform the diver of the type of gas, the O2 and helium contents, and required depths of gas changes (NOTOX)

6. Vital information regarding the particular gas properties at that depth are shown. If it is a ‘decent’ or ‘ascent’ rate it will inform the diver of the rates entered in the ‘config’. If it is a ‘level’ (bottom time) or ‘stop at’ (deco level) then information about its PP02, EAD, and END are shown. This data is important and might cause changes in the dive profile or gas contents if there are undesired levels of END or large spikes in PP02s.

1. The ‘off gassing’ point is presented directly under the dive profile. This information will be used to control our ascent rates back in the config. Remember the desired ascent rate from the bottom level to the ‘off gassing’ point is 9m/min, 6m/min from the ‘off gassing point’ to 3m, and then 1m/min from 3m to the surface. This can be left to the end of dive planning because changes in depth and time will alter the ‘off gassing’ point.

2. The OUT’s and CNS Total deal with oxygen exposure. Deep trimix dives with long periods of breathing 100% 02 can cause complications. OTU's must remain under ‘300’ and the CNS Clock is simply a percentage, so anything under 100% is acceptable. It is rare to see these close to their limits unless you are doing multiple deep dives over consecutive days or extremely deep/long trimix dives.

3. Gas consumption is vital to safe dive planning. With a virtual ceiling existing in every decompression dive, making sure you have the required gas allowance is critical. With the SAC rate entered in the initial ‘config’, total amount for each gas are calculated using depth and time. This is the minimum required gas needed and does not include any concept of reserve gases. That must be done manually depending on your philosophy. Standard is the ‘rule of thirds’ requiring 33% more gas then needed.

The presented information must be appropriate for the dive mission. Bottoms times, PP02s, END's, OTUS, gas consumption, and decompression obligation must be checked. Return and altering the depth, time, or gas contents if appropriate.

Red or yellow warnings will appear if problems occur with hypoxic gases, ICD, or oxygen exposure. The absence of these warnings does not mean that the profile is perfectly safe and should always be doubled checked with a dive buddy to ensure trivial mistake are not overlooked.

Additional information about the dive can be found in the tool bar on the top

‘Lost Gas’ will automatically recalculate your gas

consumption and decompression obligations if you

were too lose a deco tank. Keep in mind, any

malfunction with the tank that makes it un-

breathable at depth should be considered a lost

gas. Broad calculation (next highest gas X 2) are

nice concept to know, but the presented

information is precise and important for most

deeper dives with multiple gases. This information

is often kept in the wet notes for emergency

purposed. The rule of thirds is not applied to lost

gas situation as this is the logic for implementing

such rules in the first place.

The '+ or -' is another

function that automatically

recalculates your gas

consumption and deco

obligation in the event you

break your desired profile

in regards to time and

depth. You may choose

from a few standard depth and times or input your own. This is

important to know in emergency events if you drop passed your

desired depth or for any reason stay longer. This info is also

important to have in your wet notes.

Multiple dives can be calculated by clicking on 'Dive 2' in the top middle. A surface interval will be needed along with the dive profile of the second dive. Make sure to pay attention to the OTU's and CNS clock as spikes may often occur during consecutive or multiple deep dives.

The 4 icons at the top right corner allow information for the dive to be

presented in specific methods depending on its purpose.

is the standard text version of the

dive that has the vital information needed

to plan a dive. It is also the best option for

transfering the profile to your arm slates

and wet notes.

is a graph showing the partial pressure

levels for each gas. A visual representation helps

to ensure you have no large spike in any of the

gases and are kept under manageable and

reguired safety limits.

shows the dive profile again with increased info on the CNS, OTUS, and gas consumption

at each level without including relavent decent or ascent data

Is a graph of the dive profile represented by depth vs. time. This helps visualize the dive

and how the profile should look if followed perfectly. Please note that 'stop' depths' of 1 min are not decompression stop, but steady slow accents over minimal distances. It isn’t until you have

2mins or more then actually decompression stops occur.

Transferring this information to your slate can be done a number or ways. It’s most important that the profile makes sense to the user and it is easy understood. Be sure to fully look through the plan and think it through before starting, as minor changes may be necessary to achieve a safe and easily understood dive profile. Ascent times that cover a large depth range may be confusing. 30m over 3min is a long distance over quite a long time to keep track of your where abouts within a dive. Breaking these gaps into 10m increments may help in making sure you don’t loose your place. Don’t get too complicated with abstract depth and time. Keep it to 10m increments until deep stops or deco occurs. Round times to the appropriate minute, always being conservative. Most bottom timers’ only show minutes. Seconds will only confuse the process further. If there are extra min left over when breaking down long gaps, be sure to add them to the lowest possible level (denoted in a 1+1 rather then a 2 so not to confuse it with a decompression stop). Never deviate to far from the original plan and only make minor changes if necessary to avoid confusing or increase safety.

The dive profile used through this tutorial should look similar to the below profile:

Action Depth Stop Run

Dec 50 3 3

Level 50 16 19

Asc to 40 1 20

Asc to 35 1 21

Asc to 30 1 22

Asc to 24 1+1 24

Asc to 21 1 25

Stop at 18 2 27

Stop at 15 2 29

Stop at 12 2 31

Stop at 9 4 35

Stop at 6 4 39

Stop at 3 6 45

Stop at 0 3 48

Gas

Air

50%

100%

Written by: Erik Brown

Team Blue Immersion ©

www.blue-immersion.org