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KMACS 5 MANUAL
© 2003 KMDSI Document # 041112001
to “suit” the term “dressed-in” has remained to
describe putting the suit on. A diver who is “dressed-
in” has a suit on. The term is also used to describe
a diver who, in addition to his suit, has more, or all
of his/her equipment on.
Bailout Bottle: This is the emergency tank of
breathing gas. “Bailout” which is the familiar term
for parachuting from an airplane, also applies to the
shallow water diver who ditches part of his diving
gear and swims to the surface. The “bailout” bottle
term came from this use.
The bailout bottle is an independent air source con-
nected directly to the diver’s mask or helmet via a
first stage scuba regulator and hose. The first stage
regulator must be equipped with an overpressure
relief valve (Part #200-015). The overpressure
relief valve will vent pressure in the event of a first
stage leak and prevent the low pressure hose from
rupturing, causing a complete loss of the diver’s
bailout supply.
The bailout bottle is worn on the diver’s back,
mounted to a harness. The diver’s umbilical should
be attached to this harness to prevent a direct pull
on the diver’s mask or helmet.
The size/volume of the bailout bottle should be
determined by the diver’s depth, or the distance
required for a direct ascent to the surface. For
deeper dives, or penetration dives inside wrecks
or pipelines, a larger capacity bailout bottle should
be used.
1.2 DESIGN PURPOSE
The Kirby Morgan Dive Control System 5 (KMACS
5) is designed to provide a central control center
for the operator/dive supervisor during a surface-
supplied air dive. Provisions for the control of the
breathing air supply, diver depth monitoring, and
voice communications are all located on a simple
panel. The KMACS 5 is a full service control system
for all Surface Supplied Air diving operations.
The KMACS 5 is fitted with shut off valves on the
diver’s air supply. The shut off valves are designed
to allow air to be shut off on either or both of the
diver’s umbilicals. When the handles of the valves
are vertical the valves are open and air is flowing to
the divers. When the valve handles are horizontal the
valves are shut and the air to the divers umbilicals
is off.
By having total control located at one panel, the
KMACS 5 operator can rapidly respond to the
diver’s needs without leaving the control station.
In a standard commercial SSAir diving operation
the KMACS 5 provides a backup air supply system
which the operator can activate in the event of the
main air supply failure (such as compressor malfunc-
tion). This can be accomplished without leaving the
control panel, which allows the operator to inform
the diver and continuously monitor umbilical supply
pressure and depth at the same time.
The compact size of the KMACS 5 usually makes
it possible to locate it at the water entry site, allow-
ing the operator to tend the diver’s umbilical while
maintaining control of the KMACS 5.
In addition to its compact size, the ability of the
KMACS 5 to use high pressure air allows SSAir
diving from small boats or remote locations where
transportation and setup of a compressor would be
impractical. Two or more standard scuba bottles can
be used as the breathing air supply.
For example, when commercial divers are working
on an offshore rig, a common SSAir diving job is
the inspection and cleaning of a propeller on a crew
boat. This job can be performed easily and simply
with the KMACS 5, a couple of scuba bottles, a full
face mask or helmet, and an umbilical. Transporta-
Fig. 1 Divers with all of the gear they need to dive.