Bladder repair?

[LisaS47]

I'm the happy owner of a 20 year old secondhand, obnoxiously brightly colored Zeagle BCD.

That is, I was happy until the bladder separated from the seal at the top of the BCD at the end of my dive vacation last week. One of the guys I was diving with told me that his LDS not only repaired his, but also installed a retrofit tug dump valve--although he noted that the parts they used were manufactured by Trident. His LDS is half a country away, and doesn't normally handle Zeagle equipment.

I know that this isn't covered by warranty because it's used. Our LDS was surly about looking at it in the first place, so I don't think they'll be interested in helping me. Zeagle.com offered no information about factory repairs.

Bottom line, I like the BCD and would like to repair it--and yes, a dump valve would be great too.

Any suggestions for those of us stuck in Middle America?

 

[texdiveguy]

My advise would be to invest in a 'new' Zeagle BCD.

 

[pupdiver]

Maybe you could find a cheap and old Zeagle on eBay to replace the one you have.

 

[rcontrera]

Waterbed repair kit. Excellent glue and patching material and priced so that anyone can affor it.

 

[texdiveguy]

Maybe you could find a cheap and old Zeagle on eBay to replace the one you have.

:-0

Thats a good idea....replace a worn out old BC with another old BC....accident just waiting to happen,,,,remember folks this is an essential part of your gear underwater...many deaths and serious incidents occur in diving each year because of BC failures,,,,you better treat it with the care you do your regs.,,,,its your closest dive buddy.

 

[redacted]

I added a dump valve to an older scubapro finseal BCD. Got the valve from http://www.diveriteexpress.com/bcs/aircells.shtml . Part number BC2748. Remember, it's easy to make the hole a little larger but a lot of work to make it a little smaller.

 

[pupdiver]

:-0

Thats a good idea....replace a worn out old BC with another old BC....accident just waiting to happen,,,,remember folks this is an essential part of your gear underwater...many deaths and serious incidents occur in diving each year because of BC failures,,,,you better treat it with the care you do your regs.,,,,its your closest dive buddy.

So...old = worn out???

These things are serviceable after all. I never advocated neglecting the BC. The fact is, you can pick up BCs for very cheap in nearly unused condition if you are judicious and have them inspected.

 

[texdiveguy]

So...old = worn out???

These things are serviceable after all. I never advocated neglecting the BC. The fact is, you can pick up BCs for very cheap in nearly unused condition if you are judicious and have them inspected.

Old = Old.

You are more than welcome to search out and dive used 'cheap' BC's....go for it.....I fully understand that dive eqpt. is servicable....I maintain all my gear on a reg. schd. of service. But a 20 year old BC with a degraded bladder is subject to future failure.....but its a personnal choice,,,,not one I would want to use.

 

[LisaS47]

I'm not saying that using degraded or poorly maintained equipment is in any way okay. I agree with texdiveguy that a BCD is in many ways your closest buddy; that's why I asked the question. This BCD fits me and my dive style perfectly, better than anything else I've ever dived with, including some of the newer Zeagle rigs. It's clean inside and out and appeared to be well-maintained when I bought it. I had it inspected by the LDS at time of purchase and serviced regularly, the last time the week before vacation. I hope that they would have told me if it were dangerous to use.

I'm looking for options. It looks like the seal has simply come uncrimped from the hose elbow to my untrained eye, but I don't think I'll be self-repairing with a waterbed patch kit, even though I own one. If the bladder is degraded, can I replace the internal pieces with identical and keep the external frame that I'm comfortable diving with? Can I get a more modern shoulder dump installed on it? Where do I find information about this?

This thread has brought a question to mind, though. From a safety perspective--when is a piece of equipment "too old" to dive with? If I were the original owner of this BCD, would Zeagle tell me that it was time to let go and get a new one for my own safety? Should you get a new rig every 10 years whether you maintain it properly or not?

Why am I not asking the LDS these questions? Because all that has ever been mentioned to me when I bring it in for service is that the new ones are much nicer, and I have the sense that they're looking for the sale first. I want to go in armed with information.

 

[ScottZeagle]

You have a few different options:

1. If the BC and the bladder cover are still in good shape, you can simply purchase a new inner bladder for it. That part # is 0400E. The inner bladder would cost you in the $75 range. You dealer can order you one and install it for you - they may charge you labor...I don't know.

2. If you want a completely new bladder cover and inner bladder, you can have the dealer send the BC back to us, and we will fit it with a new bladder assembly, Remote Exhaust, corrugated hose, and power inflator. I am going to estimate that the cost for this would be around $300-$350.

3. You can buy a new BC.

It all comes down to what you personally want to do. It seems like you really like this BC, so maybe just getting the basic repair done will work fine for you!

Thanks,

Scott