Broken air inflator at the beginning of dive

[tursiops]

I recall being taught this in my PADI OW class, and it being one of the specific skills required (and tested) during my PADI self-reliant/SSI solo diver course. Definitely a good skill to not only know, but to think about during a dive as you may have to react fairly quickly in disconnecting the hose. Certainly always something to work on (along with reconnecting it which is generally harder to do) as it's an easy one to practice.

Luckily, as an emergency skill, you don't need to reconnect!

 

[USdiver1]

The required skills in the PADI OW class are really something that you should continue to practice post certification. Mastery only comes through repetition. Although certified nearly 40 years ago, I still practice mask removal and replace, mask clearing, regulator recovery, etc. on most diving days. There is much to be gained by taking off your mask and, in a controlled manner, replacing it in (salt, cold, murky, you name it) water, so when that mask strap does eventually snap, or you swim too close to your buddy's fins, you won't panic and attempt to bolt to the surface.

I recommend that all recreational divers look over their OW textbooks, make a list of some four or five skills that should be practiced on every dive, and practice them. It's easy to cover all of the required skills over the course of a week long vacation; it will make you a better diver, and more confident in the water.

 

[Centrals]

The power inflator is very easy to service(some models) and dirt cheap to replace(US$15.00). You can order the service kit(some models) from DGX for a few dollars only.
Unfortunately, some divers do not realize that power inflator also need regular check up and service.

Pre-dive check: inflate and deflate the bc couple of times by using the power inflator as stickiness indicate problem.

 

[claymore]

Anvill72 I would not call this the start of an "incident pit" when it is known issue on a recreational dive with no over heads or penetrations and depths of less than 60 feet with a buddy, no camera or anything else to add to task loading just swim down swim around and relax under water.

 

[Doby45]

I'd have to go back and check for sure, but I believe in 1998 the PADI Confined Water class (the pool sessions) already had this as a required skill. I can believe you don't remember it, however. It is not in the SDI curriculum.

It may not be in the curriculum but it was taught to me in my SDI OW that I completed about a month ago. Good instructor.

 

[NateS]

I recommend that all recreational divers look over their OW textbooks, make a list of some four or five skills that should be practiced on every dive, and practice them. It's easy to cover all of the required skills over the course of a week long vacation; it will make you a better diver, and more confident in the water.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/513897-list-fundamental-exercises.html

 

[anvill72]

Anvill72 I would not call this the start of an "incident pit" when it is known issue on a recreational dive with no over heads or penetrations and depths of less than 60 feet with a buddy, no camera or anything else to add to task loading just swim down swim around and relax under water.

Claymore, ultimately that's your call, but with it being a known issue, one relatively easy and cheap to fix, I know getting it fixed would be a no-brainer to me.

I'd be able to relax a heck of a lot more knowing that he problem had been resolved.

I've read enough incident reports to know that the incident pit can start with the most trivial of isues in the most benign conditions in the most banal of dives.

 

[dbulmer]

PM sent

 

[Phil_C]

Removing the inflator hose is always at the back of my mind. I have an inflator that occasionally sticks open. I am aware that it does it an just pull the button out if it sticks but am ready to disconnect the hose if it won't stop. Luckily it is a slow filling inflator so you really have to hit it hard and long to get a lot of air in the BC.I know I should fixit but it happens seldom enough that I wonder if it is worth the time to fix when it is not a serious problem.

Maybe not a huge problem on a simple dive that goes to plan, but what happens when you need to inflate in an emergency top keep you on the surface? an unreliable or slow filling inflator that really needs fixing/service could be the difference between being safe or the incident pit getting deeper.

---------- Post added September 22nd, 2015 at 08:58 AM ----------

I recall being taught this in my PADI OW class, and it being one of the specific skills required (and tested) during my PADI self-reliant/SSI solo diver course. Definitely a good skill to not only know, but to think about during a dive as you may have to react fairly quickly in disconnecting the hose. Certainly always something to work on (along with reconnecting it which is generally harder to do) as it's an easy one to practice.

I also had to learn and practice this for my CMAS qualification, and last weekend I was shadowing a PADI OW course and they were teaching and practicing it too, so it may be down to instructors, but then in my OW course we also practiced air sharing ascent on one regulator, controlled buoyant lifts and a few other things other agencies seem to introduce later, or as part of a speciality.

Having seen inflator problems quite a few times, usually leaks rather than stuck buttons, I am always very careful to thoroughly wash and rinse out the buttons etc. as far as possible and so far it has not happened to me personally. But I have aborted dives several times and had buddies change their BCD due to inflator problems with rental gear at the start of a dive.

I only remember one instance of a problem after a dive had started, and that was with a friend who is avery experienced diver who had a significant leak a few minutes into the dive. We were only in about 30 foot of water and it was a shallow bay with no currents etc. and he just disconnected and manually flew the BCD for the dive.

We did not call the dive, but that was because we could see what the problem was, both understood the solution being applied, we were both relaxed and comfortable, both confident the inflator and deflate button were working properly without the hose attached, and it was an extremely benign dive site. But we didn't used the BCD again until it had bene fixed afterwards. - Phil.

 

[Centrals]

Removing the inflator hose is always at the back of my mind. I have an inflator that occasionally sticks open. I am aware that it does it an just pull the button out if it sticks but am ready to disconnect the hose if it won't stop. Luckily it is a slow filling inflator so you really have to hit it hard and long to get a lot of air in the BC.I know I should fixit but it happens seldom enough that I wonder if it is worth the time to fix when it is not a serious problem.

It is your choice and I respect that.
But I never dived with an known faulty equipment.

---------- Post added September 22nd, 2015 at 04:20 PM ----------

Anvill72 I would not call this the start of an "incident pit" when it is known issue on a recreational dive with no over heads or penetrations and depths of less than 60 feet with a buddy, no camera or anything else to add to task loading just swim down swim around and relax under water.

What happen when your buddy need help and the inflator play up again at the same time?
A brand new replacement is only about US$15.00 + post from DGX.