Am I going to die? BCD repair

[Bob DBF]

Am I going to die? BCD repair

Yes you are, we all are. I would be quite surprised if your BC has anything to do with it, especially because you are taking steps to insure it works properly.


Bob

 

[neevo]

Well I have to say I'm very impressed with AP Divings aftercare. Considering my BCD is over 10 years old they've been amazing at talking me through the service of the dump valves.

I spoke to them a while ago about replacement grommets which they duly sent me for free from the UK to Australia so this weekend I'll be supporting their impressive aftersalea care with $100 of brand new parts for the BCD to get it back up to top notch condition.

It's also very impressive they carry all the spares for my BCD too.

If you're in the market for a BCD I highly recommend the AP Diving products.

 

[Fathom044]

Yes you are gonna die. And that has nothing to do with your bc

 

[neevo]

Well my new dump valves arrived yesterday plus a few tools to be able to completely take the BCD apart.

Dump valves were relatively simple to do. Unzip the back to access the bladder, undo the outer valve part and pull the bladder out enough to access the holes. Then you need to fiddle around and separate the inside plastic thread from the rubber surround. Once that's done you can take each part out through the hole.

I got new black pull grips with the dump valves but the BCD is black enough, so I've kept the silver ones for now as the contrast is better.

I also saw how easy it is that undo the grommets that hold the entire BCD together. So if I have any bladder dramas in the future or need to repair another seam, I now have the option to take it completely apart.

Have it inflated now and will report back on whether it fixes the slow leak. If not I will remove the entire bladder and get it in the bath to find where the leak is.

Once again cannot fault AP Divings after sales care. They are a top notch outfit that 200% stand by their product. Very impressive in this age.

 

[neevo]

It's already losing pressure. I did find one of the dump valves needed a pull to set it (as there was a slight hiss). But even after that it's not holding pressure and I can't hear any leaks around the dump valves or areas with o-rings.

Do it properly the first time is always the best approach I reckon, so now I'll be pulling the bladder out and reattaching all the dumps and hoses to get it under water and find the leaks.

 

[divad]

nevermind

 

[Couv]

Dunk the entire assembly in a tub of water to find your leaks. Alternatively, use a paintbrush and soapy water over all the suspect areas.

Obviously you've figured it out by now, but for others following-here is a "how to" video on installing the hardware in question:

 

[neevo]

So I pulled the bladder out of the BCD and set it all up with the dump valves etc. Half filled the bath, pumped the BCD bladder right up and started dunking.

Good news: the bladder is rock solid. As are the dump valves (new), the old spare air blanking plug and the inflator connector.

So where are the leaks coming from?

They are coming from the seal between the inside valve, bladder and outside valve.

The setup is a little different to the video above. It has a rubber coated plastic cup and thread on the inside of the bladder, which sandwiches the bladder and BCD material inbetween the outer plastic valve. It appears this setup is not air tight and I've reached out to AP Diving to understand some tips and tricks and on how to connect the valves. I could tighten it right up to pretty much eliminate the bubbles but I was worried about breaking something.

I have all the right tools, so I suspect it's just technique that's holding me back at the moment.

Photos attached.

1. The plastic inner valve and rubber surround. This goes inside the bladder.

2. The plastic inner valve and rubber surround together. This is done inside the bladder.

3. The inner valve inside the bladder and poking out the hole. The BCD material also goes over the top of this once complete.

4. The outer valve part that threads on to the inner part.

 

[neevo]

Reading another thread on another site, the OP mentioned that AP Diving recommended really tightening up the valves as hard as possible, then a bit more.

Looks like I need to get the muscle out to really compress things hard and stop the leaks.

 

[Diver0001]

Did you actually find and repair a leak or did you just sew the seam back up?

You need to do an over-night pressure test. If it's still losing a lot of air in 24 hours then that needs to be fixed before you dive with it.

R..