Inflating DSMB from exhaled gas

[BlueTrin]

@JohnnyC if you have a BOV you can fully exhale into the breather, switch to bov, and use the oral inflation tube if you don't want to use an inflator. I have tried it with a DSV and it works fine though is a bit annoying having to swap back and forth. Easier to use the drysuit hose though

So up until now I was only familiar with inflating from my octopus.

Yesterday I tried as well inflating in the pool by disconnecting my BCD hose, I was surprised at how fast the DSMB filled up and pulled me.

I’ll connect an extra hose when I receive my dry suit in a few weeks, I’ll practice more this technique although I plan to use oral inflation in the future.

Someone at my club has a blowgun attachment which can be used to fill up a DSMB as it is smaller than an octopus. (Not something I plan to use myself)

 

[almostDIR]

one of the benefits of the oral inflation is that it does not change your buoyancy much or at all until you put the regulator back in your mouth and breathe in again. so you have some extra seconds to make sure that nothing is entangled and the dsmb is good to go, you will not immediately shoot up polaris style if you hold it some time like happens with the reg inflation dsmb's.

I tried to manage with the open end style one for a while but ended up purchasing the smallest Halcyon oral inflate model and attached some (A LOT) Solas tape to it to make it more visible.
tech divers didn't burn it yet so I'm sure I did something right


( I think the open end regulator infl. models are really meant to be used with "normal recreational diving setup" meaning you would have the octo somewhere hanging around free to use. With a longhose and necklace octo it becomes much more challenging to shoot those open end models I think )

 

[stuartv]

( I think the open end regulator infl. models are really meant to be used with "normal recreational diving setup" meaning you would have the octo somewhere hanging around free to use. With a longhose and necklace octo it becomes much more challenging to shoot those open end models I think )

If I were going to inflate using a 2nd stage, I think the long hose/bungee setup makes it easier. First, I swap to my bungeed reg, then I inflate with the long hose reg. When done, I swap back. This is in contrast to needing to stow an octo when done, which, at least with my conventional setup that I use when teaching, would be a little bit more tedious.

 

[tbone1004]

@BlueTrin I have one of these on a drysuit length hose that I use for training. Can also easily use it to inflate something, but as mentioned above, I find it just as easy, if not easier to inflate with the tube. From 30ft you only need to get it half full, from 100ft only 1/4 full and it will be full at the surface.
DGX Adapter: HQ Air Nozzle = BC Inflator QD Post

 

[uncfnp]

If I were going to inflate using a 2nd stage, I think the long hose/bungee setup makes it easier. First, I swap to my bungeed reg, then I inflate with the long hose reg. When done, I swap back. This is in contrast to needing to stow an octo when done, which, at least with my conventional setup that I use when teaching, would be a little bit more tedious.

Actually easy with any primary donate set up including the so called streamlined recreational configuration we use.

 

[hroark2112]

I was taught to dump my BC into the open bottom of the SMB. No change in buoyancy since the air in your BC just moves to the SMB. Works great at 30' or 180'.

 

[johndiver999]

I do indeed inflate mine by catching exhaled bubbles from my reg.


I also don't like the idea of using a low pressure inflator hose to fill the SMB. Where does it come from? Am I disconnecting my LPI from my BCD to briefly jam the SMB inflator into it? Disconnecting and reconnecting the inflator is usually a 2-handed operation (for me, anyway). I don't like that. I also don't like taking an important part of my gear apart while underwater, unless I have to. Which means if there is another, easy, way to accomplish the task, I prefer that. Am I adding a second BCD inflator hose to my 1st stage, just so it's there to use to inflate my SMB? I like that better than disconnecting from my BCD. But I still don't like it. It's extra "stuff" that I really don't need. One more thing to catch on stuff and/or break.

I think it's good to practice more than one way - for a variety of reasons. But, for normal deployment, filling using exhaled gas may take a little more practice, but I think it's easiest and safest, once you've gotten the hang of it.

I think the idea of using the BC inflator is to dump air from the BC and/or press the inflate button and deflate button at the same time to inflate the SMB. That's my understanding anyway, I don't do it.

Also I think the people who are using an air nozzle on the LP hose to inflate are using a redundant, dedicated hose for that application. I can't imagine connecting and disconnecting the power inflator. I know several people who inflate SMB's often who have gone the redundant hose route. It is very easy, to use, but you are adding another hose to your regulator that is going to fail someday. So if you don't frequently inflate bags, this is probably not a good trade off.

Sending an SMB up becomes dangerous when you put a lot of air in it. That's why it seems easier and safer to do it deeper, where you need only a puff of air and if it snags you or your gear, you can just pull it back down and fix it. Once released the expansion effect is considerable and if the reel gets a bird's nest or fouls, you can just let it go, it should not present a hazard that could drag you to the surface.

 

[JohnnyC]

@JohnnyC if you have a BOV you can fully exhale into the breather, switch to bov, and use the oral inflation tube if you don't want to use an inflator. I have tried it with a DSV and it works fine though is a bit annoying having to swap back and forth. Easier to use the drysuit hose though

Yeah, I had to demonstrate both methods in my Meg MOD1 course. I think the most annoying part was that the Meg DSV, because it’s just a little flippy bit instead of a turney bit, is harder to manipulate one handed. It wasn’t a very good looking endeavor. Much easier with a well-lubed Shrimp, but still annoying. LPI is definitely easier, but for OC oral inflator still reigns supreme for me.

 

[KenGordon]

So up until now I was only familiar with inflating from my octopus.

Yesterday I tried as well inflating in the pool by disconnecting my BCD hose, I was surprised at how fast the DSMB filled up and pulled me.

I’ll connect an extra hose when I receive my dry suit in a few weeks, I’ll practice more this technique although I plan to use oral inflation in the future.

Someone at my club has a blowgun attachment which can be used to fill up a DSMB as it is smaller than an octopus. (Not something I plan to use myself)

Eventually someone, probably a skipper, will take the piss out of you for your inadequate size.

Keep the toy DSMB for backup or puddle jumping and get a proper sized one for use in the sea. Inflate that with a regulator, an LP feed or bottle. You can inflate those from your regulator exhaust but that brings bits of string close to things you probably don’t want to send directly to the surface. Start with the simple approach you were taught and only get adventurous when you are quite confident.

 

[BlueTrin]

Eventually someone, probably a skipper, will take the piss out of you for your inadequate size.

Keep the toy DSMB for backup or puddle jumping and get a proper sized one for use in the sea. Inflate that with a regulator, an LP feed or bottle. You can inflate those from your regulator exhaust but that brings bits of string close to things you probably don’t want to send directly to the surface. Start with the simple approach you were taught and only get adventurous when you are quite confident.

Agree, I use normally an AP buddy DSMB and inflate with my octopus, as I was taught. AP Self-sealing Surface Marker Buoy | AP Diving

I thought I would use my smaller DSMB to practice as it would be easier with a smaller one. I was wrong: the small one was too small to put the reg in, that’s why I tried different things.