Considering changing my Aqua Lung i3 inflator to a AL powerline Inflator

[yle]

Now I'm contemplating on switching it out and replacing it with the Aqua Lung Powerline Inflator. I used to love the i3 lever system but now I'm having second thoughts.

Thoughts from anyone?

I can share my experience. I bought an Aqualung BCD with an i3 inflator when I was first certified, 15 years ago. I was a new diver, didn't put much thought into it. I liked the lever thing just fine, never had a problem with it.

When I became an instructor, years later, the shop I was teaching from had the same model BCD for rental gear... but with a traditional inflator. So I added a traditional inflator to my BCD (I wanted my gear to match that of my students.) The i3 lever was still connected to the dump valves though, which was fine with me. I used the traditional inflator from then on, and was able to use the i3 lever as a quick "open all dump valves" option. Still works that way to this day.

My mom bought her first BCD, also an AL with i3, in 2011. About five years ago, the i3 system malfunctioned, wouldn't activate the dump valves. She took it to a shop, they told her the i3 system was toast (the internal cabling was damaged somehow?) and her only option was to buy a new BCD. Fortunately my mom's pretty smart, brought it to me for a second opinion. I added a traditional inflator to hers, converted her dump valves to traditional pulls, and she's still using the BCD five years later.

So... upside to traditional inflator: simpler, cheaper, more reliable. But the i3 system does have some usefulness, until it stops working. Hope this helps.

 

[yle]

I have seen "pull dump" hoses like the one below, literally ripped off of a wing. What happens when that is ripped off a wing, it no longer holds air.

Oh goodness, that sounds very dramatic. If people are ripping these things off their wings, maybe they need a little more pool time dialing in their pulling strength.

 

[yle]

20 years is well past patent lifetime, and it does not look like any other manufacturer has implemented a similar design in their BCD's.

I think what you mean is that you haven't seen other manufacturers implement a similar design. But having worked in a shop for years... I have. Several other major companies took a shot at a similar "up down lever" inflator design after Aqualung introduced theirs. Best I know, they're all still available.

They have their pros and cons, versus a traditional inflator. Some people are fans, some aren't. But that's why the market provides options.

 

[yle]

I think extra places to break you can’t easily see is part of the objections to the i3?

Yes. Not only are there places (i.e. internal cabling) in the i3 system that can break that can't be seen, but apparently they also cannot be easily repaired. Happened to my mom's i3 several years ago. We're not far from Aqualung headquarters, could have easily sent it back to them if they were willing to repair it. They weren't, said it couldn't be repaired. Suggested she buy a new one.

 

[yle]

OP mentioned it getting accidentally inflated on boat. That sounds like a problem. It may not be a big enough problem for the manufacturer to fix...

I know exactly what the OP is referring to. It's not a problem... it's a minor annoyance. When gear is set up on a boat, the position of the i3 lever makes it vulnerable to the adjacent gear pushing on it. What's the solution? A slight adjustment of the position of the gear.

I've dealt with it a few times over the years. It's about as much a problem as an octo that comes out of its holder. What do you do? Put it back in.

 

[yle]

I found the lever hit the bench every now and then and would start inflating. I've heard this issue in the past, however, I've heard it's happened with other divers. Until this weekend I've never experienced it.

I missed this part of your post in my first response. If the only reason you're thinking about modifying your gear is because of the risk of the i3 lever getting bumped by the bench, there are simpler solutions. And yes, I have encountered this problem myself, although it was usually from another person's gear next to mine in tight quarters on a dive boat.

Suggestion: be aware of where the i3 lever is when your gear is sitting on the bench. I always buckle my waist strap and tuck my regs in, keeping my gear contained, when it's sitting on the bench. This can pull the sides of the BCD together, repositioning the i3 lever so it's not touching the bench.
But as a wrote in my post above, adding a traditional inflator (yes, it does just screw on to the left shoulder port) has it's advantages.

Let me know if you have more questions about the i3 pros & cons. I've lived through and seen most of them.

 

[BoltSnap]

@yle

So based on your own experience, you haven't been seeing this type of inflator falling apart over the years for customers who bought it and used it? What you are describing is a mechanical part that lived its life and did what it was supposed to do and got old, very old, and just needed replacement like any mechanical device when it reaches its end of life.

 

[Doby45]

Oh goodness, that sounds very dramatic. If people are ripping these things off their wings, maybe they need a little more pool time dialing in their pulling strength.

Woof, just because you like to post 20 comments in a row, doesn't make it not true. Maybe a bunch of new divers DO need to learn what strength is required to pull a pull-dump without ripping it off the wing. Makes it no more true.

 

[12th Man]

Outstanding idea of buckling the waist straps and tucking in the regs while on the bench! As I said I've never had an issue in the past but did on these dives. Many thanks for the great idea!

 

[yle]

Woof, just because you like to post 20 comments in a row, doesn't make it not true. Maybe a bunch of new divers DO need to learn what strength is required to pull a pull-dump without ripping it off the wing. Makes it no more true.

I didn't say it was untrue. In fact, I agree with you... and we said the same thing: if this is happening, then the people that are doing it could probably benefit from some additional training.

As for my string of posts... I've found I usually get to a conversation a bit late, after there's already so much good stuff posted that deserves a reply. If I could get my act together and join the conversation from the start, I wouldn't have to do so much "catching up" with my responses. My apologies if it bothers you.