Air2 Adapter Breaking?

[CelticRavenVA]

The connector is the same design used on air tools but in a different scale (so they are not compatible without an adapter). There is a rubber seat inside the connector that should be serviced periodically along with the rest of your kit. It looks a lot like a rubber faucet washer.

Wrong adapter.... We are not talking about the LP hose fitting. I am talking about the fitting that actually holds the Air2 onto my BCD, literally broke, in half, during standard gear washing. The adapter that I speak of would be connected to the big plastic hose that leads straight into your bcd. If it breaks under water, you will lose all the air in your bcd.... If I suddenly pulled all the dump valves on your BCD and held them open for sea water to rush in, how well are you going to be able to maintain control?

To put simply, if the shop does not have some REALLY friggin good answers I may not dive again until I can put a standard inflator back on there.

I am told mounting one to a scuba pro is different however the adapter that scuba pro manufactures is more then sub-standard.

 

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Help me out here AWAP, this one's new to me... you're saying you could have an Air2 that looks like it's all put together, mounted on the 1st stage and all, but if it's not seated properly, it won't deliver air?

I guess it depends on how closely you look. The basic connection mechanism on the Air2 QD coupling is very similiar to that on a std LPI connection. The outer sleeve or collar is slid upward allowing 3 SS balls to move out of the way of the inflator or Air2 retainer connection. The retainer is inserted but the collar must come back down to move the SS balls into the locked position. If the collar is not slid all the way down, the retainer may not be locked in place. Casual inspection may not notice it, but turning gas on usually pops the connection apart. When I have had or seen this occurr, it usually involved dirt, sand, or corrosion. Cleaning and a little extra care to make sure the sleeve seats completely should avert any real problems.

 

[redacted]

Wrong adapter.... We are not talking about the LP hose fitting. I am talking about the fitting that actually holds the Air2 onto my BCD, literally broke, in half, during standard gear washing.
I am told mounting one to a scuba pro is different however the adapter that scuba pro manufactures is more then sub-standard.

I had considered that but was fairly sure you were talking the QD. Maybe you put too many quarters into the washing machine!!

The connection of the corrugated hose is the same whether you are looking at an air2 or a balanced inflator. However, when I had an air2 on a Seaquest BC, it was necessary to enlarge the two holes on the air2 that engaged the pin on the BC pull-dump. So I guess it is possible you are looking at a defective air2, some pretty rough handling somewhere, or a problem in adapting the SP device to the SQ pull-dump. I'm looking forward to the picture and hearing what the LDS has to say. While this is not a matter of a simple service, the Air2 body can be replaced.

BTW, a failure like that underwater would be a PITA, but shouldn't be life threatening unless the diver was grossly overweighted. You might not even lose any bouyancy unless your body was vertical and you held the open hose up to dump air. But it does put an end to that day of diving unless you have the really good duck tape in your save-a-dive kit.

 

[CelticRavenVA]

AWAP,

Ok the coupling you are speaking of that goes between the Air2 and the hose on the BC. That coupling, which I was talking another look at last night. Has just over .7 square micrometers of rubber that hold it together. (That is assuming while I was 4 or 5 beers into the night I didn't slip with the micrometer and my math-foo was strong) It isn't how the unit fits together, or anything that on a unit out of the package you would see. The coupling (adapter) in the center has 2 VERY small rubber pieces that fuse it together. By my read on it, I bet this problem is more common then not.

I will have pictures by monday. I had a death in the family and don't have access to my digital camera right now.