Decor Rig Pro air dump problem

[TimK]

Need some help and advice. I bought a Decor Rig Pro from an assistant instructor at one of the local dive shops in my area for $200. Unfortunatly, I bought it before I read some comments about the Decor Rig line in this forum -- most not too favorable. Anyway, just did 4 dives over the weekend with it and lost a weight pouch (was able to recover it) but not before some interesting ballast issues cropped up. Fortunately lost it in shallow water but I guess this is typical for this line of BCs and I'll have to check the pouches more thoroughly prior to the dive.

The other problem seems to be in venting air. I have to be in an almost vertical position to vent. I tried all 4 dump valves at one time or another and the only sure way to get air out of the wing was to go head up and vent through the inflator. I had read about rolling the left shoulder up and tried that but failed to get much more air to vent than when I was in a normal swimming position.

Several questions -- is this normal for this setup? If not, is there anything I can do to fix the wing I have? Should I put a different manufacturers wing on it? Take any advice I can get other than cut everything off the SS backplate and start over. May do that anyway, but not ready for major surgery just yet.

 

[CWMurf]

I own the same unit and have two wings for it. I have had none of the problems you have mentioned. Check the velcro on the pockets to make sure it is not worn out. I did have a previous Dacor product that would not hold weight but have never had problems with the Rig Pro.

As for venting, again I have never had that problem with either wing. I do not know how much experience you have diving but are you sure that you are weighted properly and that the wing is the right size for the ammount of weight you are using? Early on I did seem to have problems venting but as I got more experience I discovered that is was not the wing, it was me.

I am curious as to the possibility that you have the 70# wing with very little air in it and perhaps the air is in a buble between the valves while you are horizontal. I have never actually heard of that being the case but logically it seems that it could cause the air not to move out of the open vent. If the air bubble is physically above the vents in a horizontal position and is not large enough to be forced to the vent until you go vertical it could manifest in the way you describe.

I am not a physicist and have not had that issue but it seems possible.

Another possibility could be that you are dumping, just not as fast as you expected or may be used to. Or that you are venting ok and aren't noticing it since you don't get the feedback that you would be used to if you previously used a jacket style bc.

I hope this helps to give you a place to start looking.

Good luck.

 

[ppo2_diver]

I'm a former owner of a Dacor Rig Pro. I never had a problem dumping air. If I remember correctly, there should be some rear pull dumps on the wing. While horizontal, you can try venting air that way.

If the velcro on your weight pouches is worn, I'm pretty sure that I still have mine if you need 'em.

 

[TimK]

I believe I do have the 70# wing although I would probably have to go back to the instructor to make sure unless they are marked somehow. I also checked the velcro over after the weekend and while it is a bit worn, it's not hopeless yet. I think I'll just reduce the weight in the pockets and put it in a different area. I'm waiting for a new wetsuit so once it comes in I'll be hitting the pool for some weighting work anyway. The suggestion of the air sitting in an area where the bubble can't get to a vent is possible. I have checked all the vents on land and I know the vents are opperational which maybe leads to the low amount of air in the wing sitting between vents. I know it's definately not inflated too much while I'm diving.

I'll keep playing with it -- thanks for the advice.

 

[CWMurf]

Let us know how it goes. I am curiuos as to what could be the cause.

I have heard several people say they had the 70# wing that actually had the smaller wing (35# I think). I even bought the 70# wing and it turned out to be the small one. If you do have the large one perhaps the bubble theory is possible.

Good luck.