Speed/Impact FAQs

Is the maximum descent speed of the DEUS 3100 affected by weight?
How is descent controlled?
Do I need to be concerned about the DEUS 3100 getting hot during descent?

Is the maximum descent speed of the DEUS 3100 affected by weight? No. Within the safe working load limits of the DEUS 3100 (300 lbs), the maximum descent speed is limited by the internal centrifugal brake to about 3 meters per seconds.

How is descent speed controlled? Descent speed is controlled using two of the four braking systems in the DEUS 3100. First, turning the control knob between "engaged" and "disengaged" changes the setting of the disk brake which controls descent speed. Turn the control knob toward stop to go slower; turn it toward full open to go faster.

Second, regardless of how the disk brake is set using the control knob, the manual brake can be used to control descent speed. The manual brake is very simple to use: just hold the free end of the rope in your gloved hand and pull the rope away from the descent device. The harder you pull, the more braking effect. The manual brake can be used to completely stop descent even if the control knob for the brake is turned all the way toward full open.

The beauty and safety of the DEUS 3100 braking system is its four independent brakes. The first brake (the fixed-path, hands-free figure 8) keeps the rope under control and backs up the centrifugal brake to guard against free-fall. The second brake (the disk brake) can be used to adjust descent speed from zero to up to about 3 meters per second hands-free. The third brake (the centrifugal brake) limits maximum descent speed to about 3 meters per second and guards against free-fall. The fourth brake (the manual brake) can be used to manually control descent speed between "complete stop" and a maximum of about 3 meters per second.

Do I need to be concerned about the DEUS 3100 getting hot during descent? While heat is an unavoidable consequence of controlled descent, the DEUS 3100 and our Fire Ropes have been designed to handle it. Two of the four redundant brakes in the DEUS 3100 work without putting friction on the rope. And, the DEUS 3100 is durable so it can absorb a lot of heat before getting hot. Read about heat in the "descent" section of the DEUS Vertical Rescue System Instruction Manual. Then, contact a DEUS Certified Trainer for specific instruction on ways to manage heat during long descents.