Cracked hose question

[uncfnp]

Ok. I've done a few dives but I am still a newbie on equipment repair and maintenance. After my last dive trip, I pulled back the hose protectors, and on the hose that goes to my Oceanic Air XS it looks like this



The crack is through the rubber covering only. The tubing beneath appears intact.

Is this an immediate concern? And what are my options for repair? Do I have to replace the whole unit including the Schrader valve with an Oceanic hose specific to the Air XS? Can I use a generic hose and just switch the valve? Any advice is appreciated.

 

[redacted]

One piece of advice is to get rid of the hose protector which looks like it did nothing but hide the damage and abet the corrosion of the connector. I have to wonder if that damage might not have been done when the protector was installed. That hose might last quite a while - it is just the cover. But I might not. I'd shop around for a replacement. I am not familiar with the XS scuba air but if you are talking about one of these ( Buy XS Scuba Airwave Inline Octopus from Leisure Pro) it looks like it should just take a standard hose of the correct length.

 

[uncfnp]

Thanks awap. It is actually the Oceanic Air XS (my mistake)



And I think you are right about the protectors.

 

[redacted]

Looking at your picture and from what I can see on Air XS the Leisurepro site, it looks like it takes a standard LPI connector. In any case, Leisurepro says they carry spare hoses for it. Good luck.

 

[halocline]

If it's an octo/inflator, I don't think it takes a standard LP inflator hose, but I could be wrong. Sometimes there are adapters you can get, try scuba.com. In any event, that cracked hose will probably last a while but I wouldn't count on it for too long. It may have been partly due to two bad design features combined in one particularly dumb arrangement; the pull-dump OPV activated by yanking on the inflator combined with an octo/inflator.

So the cranky answer (that you didn't ask for, sorry...) is to take this as a sign, get rid of the octo/inflator, and replace the pull-dump feature of your BC with a solid elbow fitting.

One other thing, if you're donating the primary, consider a long hose, 5ft is ideal for many people in OW. If and when you do replace the octo/inflator, you could put your octo on a 24" hose with a bungie necklace.

 

[uncfnp]

Halocline. I appreciate the input. Given a redo, I would not do the octo/inflator combo and will probably get rid of in the future and go to the more traditional setup. Thats why I am trying to keep this repair as economical as possible. I have spent so much in new gear since Christmas that I hate yet another expense but this may be the sign to switch as you suggested. I also now have a pony that I use over 60 feet and my buddy has a pony so I don't worry too much about donating the primary. I guess if I always carry the pony, I could eliminate the alternate air altogether?

I don't use the pull-dump OPV. I found it very awkward and did not work well.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Not necessarily. The pony is your reserve air supply. Why would you give that up? Dump the integrated inflator. Put a 5 ft hose on the primary and a nice short 22 inch with a good second stage bungeed under your chin. And get rid of the hose protectors as soon as possible.

 

[uncfnp]

Not necessarily. The pony is your reserve air supply. Why would you give that up? Dump the integrated inflator. Put a 5 ft hose on the primary and a nice short 22 inch with a good second stage bungeed under your chin. And get rid of the hose protectors as soon as possible.

As part of a recent class, we actually practiced unslinging the pony and donating it to buddy in OOA situation. I am not sure there is a significant difference between "giving up" my primary air supply vs the pony. Either way, the dive is over :depressed:

 

[Dsix36]

As part of a recent class, we actually practiced unslinging the pony and donating it to buddy in OOA situation. I am not sure there is a significant difference between "giving up" my primary air supply vs the pony. Either way, the dive is over :depressed:

If you give up your primary to the out of air diver, then you know for a fact that he/she is getting a working and breathable gas supply. Can you imagine the panic that could happen if you handed over the pony regulator and he/she tried to breathe just to find that the valve was never opened. That diver was already in trouble and a minor inconvenience could have just turned into a full blown disaster.

Just my thoughts on the matter. Do with it as you will.

 

[uncfnp]

If you give up your primary to the out of air diver, then you know for a fact that he/she is getting a working and breathable gas supply. Can you imagine the panic that could happen if you handed over the pony regulator and he/she tried to breathe just to find that the valve was never opened. That diver was already in trouble and a minor inconvenience could have just turned into a full blown disaster.

Just my thoughts on the matter. Do with it as you will.

i appreciate what you are saying but if I am incompetent enough with a pony that I don't know to have the tank open, I have no business using it in the first place. It would be about the same as my handing the primary upside down...