BCD/Octopus failure....

[PRL]

Odly enough I was at a Zeagle seminar Yesterday and we talked about that problem.
Aperantly High Flow Inflators and combo octo/inflators are more prone to failure due to the huge shreider valve.
Zeagle is reverting to Low Flow Valves.
Red Button on a Zeagle = High Flow
White Button = Low Flow
Zeagle authorized dealer will service the inflator at no cost and will install a white decal on the button.

 

[archman]

PRL, could you perhaps translate what you just said to all of less technical folks? What exactly is Zeagle doing?

 

[jonnythan]

Problem: Big, high-flow valves are more likely to fail and freeflow than smaller, low-flow valves.

Resolution: Include both the valve that's prone to failure and the valve that's more robust, and add a third button to inflators so you can use both.

Brilliant, huh?

 

[rcohn]

Yeah, my AIR2 often got stuck in a barely audible (but cumulative of course) inflation mode when I first got it. After a couple years of "banging on it" to make it stop, I eventually took it in for service and the techs adjusted it, no sweat. .

My LDS said AIR 2s had some problem with the seats about 5 or 6 years ago. Mine did the same thing after a few months of use, but was easily fixed with no problems for about 5 years.

Ralph

 

[juggernutt]

Thanks guys...
Tell you the truth.Never done that drill before...what to do in case of BCD malfunction.
I dontr think it's in my padi handbook either.


Th eproblem this time...was that it didnt happen gradually...but all of a sudden. I pressed the button inflate the BCD. But when I released it..it just kept inflating. At first I thought I pushed the wrong button.

Trouble is...certainly with an unfamiliar equipment. If you get confused with the buttons...you wont able to hear or see if you're pushing the right button.

 

[String]

Being as ive only ever used 1 BC (Mine!) i dont know masses about others but mistaking buttons isnt easy on mine. Hitting the inflator gives an audible thumping noise and you can feel the bladder move slightly where you get nothing with the dump button.

As i said i cant vouch for PADI but certainly here oral BC inflation and stuck valve drills are both taught and assessed as basic training.

Reference the comment with Air-2s. I dive with several people who have them and they do seem prone to self-inflating along with leaking. Id go as far as to say MOST over a year or so do it at some point to some extent.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Odly enough I was at a Zeagle seminar Yesterday and we talked about that problem.
Aperantly High Flow Inflators and combo octo/inflators are more prone to failure due to the huge shreider valve.
Zeagle is reverting to Low Flow Valves.
Red Button on a Zeagle = High Flow
White Button = Low Flow
Zeagle authorized dealer will service the inflator at no cost and will install a white decal on the button.

The biggest problem with high flow inflators isn't that they are more prone to sticking it's that when they do stick you have less time to react before being sent skyward.

The Zeagle inflators use a schrader valve (sp?) and the return spring for the inflate button is just a bent washer. Every one we've have ever baught, used or sold started to leak before long. In the early ones the lube would get sticky and the valve could be freed up by cleaning. They may have stopped lubing it and that might help but I want a SPRING on the button. W've gone around and around with Zeagle on this from the time they went to the current inflator and eventually went to using after market inflators an all of our rental BC's.

BTW, PADI OW training standards require a student to practice responding to a stuck inflator by venting and disconnecting the inflator hose and it's been in the standards for a long time.

Oral inflation is required to be performed at the surface in CW module 2 and while doing a fin pivot in CW module three.

 

[PRL]

This is not an equipment board, but I'll respond. Now Zeagle is putting regular springs into the inflators (white buttons) and in the past they were putting a spring washer into them (red button) But the spring is not the problem because it has no affect on the shreider valve (it wont help to release the valve)
The problem is that the shreider valve was sticking"
This is all according to Zeagle at OWUW saturday at Rosemont

The biggest problem with high flow inflators isn't that they are more prone to sticking it's that when they do stick you have less time to react before being sent skyward.

The Zeagle inflators use a schrader valve (sp?) and the return spring for the inflate button is just a bent washer. Every one we've have ever baught, used or sold started to leak before long. In the early ones the lube would get sticky and the valve could be freed up by cleaning. They may have stopped lubing it and that might help but I want a SPRING on the button. W've gone around and around with Zeagle on this from the time they went to the current inflator and eventually went to using after market inflators an all of our rental BC's.

BTW, PADI OW training standards require a student to practice responding to a stuck inflator by venting and disconnecting the inflator hose and it's been in the standards for a long time.

Oral inflation is required to be performed at the surface in CW module 2 and while doing a fin pivot in CW module three.

 

[PRL]

BTW I do agree that with the High flow the biggest problem for a recreational diver is the volume of air going into the BC and the potential for an instant runaway.

 

[Rick Murchison]

I wonder if this is chronic not just for AIR2's but other alternate inflator regs?

No.
The Air 2 uses the exact same shraeder valve as most every other power inflator on the market, integrated or not.
Rick