The only time I've ever had a "serious" autoinflation problem with a BCD was the very first time I used one while diving off Santa Cruz Island in 1989 with a Cousteau team. I had been diving for 27 years by then, and had never used a BCD or horse collar, but it was required equipment on that dive.
Every time I tried to go down, the BCD quickly autoinflated and I popped back to the surface. I told the DM (who was my buddy for the dive) what was happening and she said impossible. I told her to watch. It happened and she was stumped. "What do we do now" she asked? I replied "I'll just disconnect it and dive without the BCD." She asked "You can do that?" I responded "Have been for 27 years."
I have had minor autoinflation problems at depth on other dives. They were almost always shore dives where grit (sand) had gotten into the inflator. A good cleaning solved the problem. However, in an emergency situation the above suggestions re: use of dump valves or inflator exhaust work fine.
Every time I tried to go down, the BCD quickly autoinflated and I popped back to the surface. I told the DM (who was my buddy for the dive) what was happening and she said impossible. I told her to watch. It happened and she was stumped. "What do we do now" she asked? I replied "I'll just disconnect it and dive without the BCD." She asked "You can do that?" I responded "Have been for 27 years."
I have had minor autoinflation problems at depth on other dives. They were almost always shore dives where grit (sand) had gotten into the inflator. A good cleaning solved the problem. However, in an emergency situation the above suggestions re: use of dump valves or inflator exhaust work fine.
