Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] When is a new design OK to be used on Persubs in General?

[Jon Wallace <jonw@psubs.org>]

Officially, PSUBS recommends building your sub according to ABS and ASME 
standards.  If there is a conflict between two or more authorities on a 
particular design or standard, we recommend you choose the stricter 
standard or the one that provides the highest margin of safety.  PSUBS 
is not an enforcing authority and therefore can only recommend these 
standards, not insist, require, or demand adoption of them in the 
fabrication of your own personal submersible.

The "old standby's" as you call them, are proven solutions that work.  
The odds are in your favor, that if you interpret and implement them 
correctly you will return to the surface safely.  So from that 
perspective, the old standby's are not stagnant, but safe bets.  I think 
that for components which are critical to survival, primarily the 
pressure hull and life support, stagnant is a good thing and we want to 
be careful not to move quickly for a replacement.

However it seems like there is plenty of room for improvement in a 
number of other components to ensure we don't become stagnant.  And I 
think you are correct, if people like you didn't forward new ideas some 
of these areas could become stagnant if for no other reason than 
technology moving forward.  For example, propulsion motors, motor 
placement, propellers, lights, CT design (steel, acrylic dome, acrylic 
cylinder), battery placement, VBT + MBT design and placement, scrubber 
design.  I'm sure there are many more.  These are components where you 
can be as unique and innovative as you like without high risk of 
disturbing the integrity of the pressure vessel.

So I think you've cast innovation vs stagnant as an all-or-nothing 
argument, when it probably has to be applied and interpreted at a 
component level. 

I think if you make it to the convention it will give us all an 
opportunity to talk face to face and get to understand each other better.

Jon



Brent Hartwig wrote:
> *So how many times, for how long does a design need to be tested 
> before it's considered ok in general by PSUBS.org?  Do we go by the 
> ABS testing requirements? Or ASME?*
> ** 
> *You can always say well ya it worked for 1000 dives, but I won't even 
> consider it until it's been on a dozen different boats for 20 years in 
> all kinds of temperatures, and heavy use, and worked flawlessly as it 
> was first conceived.  If people only use the old stand bys we would 
> stagnate, wouldn't we?*
> ** 
> *
> Regards,*
> *Szybowski*




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