CO2 Canisters

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nwbrewer

Contributor
Messages
321
Reaction score
20
Location
Woodinville, Wa
# of dives
200 - 499
Does anybody know if the CO2 canisters used to inflate old vintage BC's are available anywhere? Are these things safe to use? Any info appreciated, thanks.
 
Originally they weren't BC's, they were surface flotation vest similar to today's snorkel vest. The first true BC's were oral inflation only so the co2 cartridge was a backup emergency inflator. Even after the power inflator arrived most BC's also had the co2 cartridge or at least the firing mechanism for it.
They are still in common use with military divers.

As safe as any piece of diving equipment when properly used.
The BC I am wearing in my avator picture has a co2 cartridge.

The cartridges come in different sizes depending on the volumn of the BC.

GAS-DEPOT.com
 
Thanks for that link, Captain!

I've been stocking up on 8oz. CO2 cartridges for my Sea Hunter spear pistol at a local kitchen store for over a buck per shot. With Gas Depot, I can save myself $7 on 30 of them, for a per-shot cost of 77 cents!
The cost of fresh fish just went down! (I haven't used the pistol yet, but can hardly wait)
 
Diver's supply has them in your choice of sizes, that's where I get mine...
 
....and if you don't want to use one you can plug the hole with a 3/8 port plug.
 
CO2 cartridges are available in various weights and thread sizes at Boaters World. As was stated, most are 3/8 neck regardless of weight. However, if you have a SAR or UDT military (SEAL) vest the cartridges are a special 25 gram size, eg, they have large, 5/8 necks or 7/16 necks and may be harder to find. Buy the correct weight for your vest. If the vest does not have a relief valve blowing the gas cylinder could damage your vest. Also, same thing if the vest has been partially inflated by mouth. As the diver ascends the gas will expand.
 
Sweet thanks. I think the BC is a gonner, (rodent damage) but I was thinking the CO2 mechanism might be kind of nice to incorporate into a DIY SMB, like the Buddy SMB's.
 
CO2 cartridges are available in various weights and thread sizes at Boaters World. As was stated, most are 3/8 neck regardless of weight. However, if you have a SAR or UDT military (SEAL) vest the cartridges are a special 25 gram size, eg, they have large, 5/8 necks or 7/16 necks and may be harder to find. Buy the correct weight for your vest. If the vest does not have a relief valve blowing the gas cylinder could damage your vest. Also, same thing if the vest has been partially inflated by mouth. As the diver ascends the gas will expand.
I think that the military version was even larger than the 25 gram CO2 cartridges. Its been a long time since I saw them an a vest, but in the USAF we used Underarm Life Preservers, and they had the larger CO2 cartridge. I may still have one, and if so, I'll post about it.

SeaRat
 
Sweet thanks. I think the BC is a gonner, (rodent damage) but I was thinking the CO2 mechanism might be kind of nice to incorporate into a DIY SMB, like the Buddy SMB's.
That's fine, but realize that if you are using a modern rig, and you plan that it could be a backup for emergency breathing, a CO2 cartridge could compromise that function.

SeaRat
 
Does anybody know if the CO2 canisters used to inflate old vintage BC's are available anywhere? Are these things safe to use? Any info appreciated, thanks.

Just a small point, NWBrewer, but a CO2 canister is usually thought of as a part of a semi-closed or closed-circuit breathing system, and would be the canister which scrubs out CO2 from the breathing gas. A CO2 cartridge is one that contains the CO2 for emergency use on a life vest or BC. It's a small point, but I thought you'd like to see it.

SeaRat
 

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