Does everyone really need the LP BCD inflator?

[johndiver999]

There are some good reasons not to have one. I had a buddy who refused to service the power inflator and it leaked air into the BC. So he always dove with it unconnected. If you eliminate a hose, you eliminate a failure point from the regulator. If you eliminate the power inflate button, it cannot auto inflate and can never stick on and cause an uncontrolled ascent.

On the other hand, just replace the inflator if it is not working, the extra hose is a very minor failure point and the convenience and additional safety of the Power inflator, means that I would not dive without one, unless I had a failure on a boat or something.

Also, if you are rescuing someone who is out of air, and might be heavy on the bottom, NOT being able to use your power inflator could make things much more difficult. It gives you more options and an ability to respond quicker in an emergency. Not having it takes away one of your tools.

 

[divad]

Correction:
Unconsciously afloat & face down if you have a fully inflated backplate with wing = drowned. That’s why I stick with jacket-type BCD, as I’ll be vertically bobbing at the surface.

My fully inflated BP/Wing puts me squarely on my back allowing me a leisurely upside-down frog-kick to shore or where-ever. I would have to struggle to go face down. I've tried, but the 4 lbs (3 lead / 1 battery) of weight on my AL BP (@ waist strap) says no dice. Oh, and, there's no way I could possibly orally inflate the wing to the volume I like.

(oh yeah, drysuit/w double fleece and wool dry-gloves)

 

[TMHeimer]

My brother dived a lot in the early '80s. We started diving together once yearly about 15 years ago. He rented equipment and said he didn't like the inflator-- he had orally inflated back in the day. I of course have not known diving without the LPI, having been certified in 2005, other than the two times I needed to orally inflate due to malfunction, in order to continue the dive (so I guess I would have been fine back then without the inflator).
But yes, it would seem particularly useful for someone like me using a 7 mil farmer john wetsuit and 42 pounds of lead. I could dive inflating orally I guess. It is difficult for me to imagine anyone diving way back when there were no inflators at all, especially if requiring lot of weight in cold water.

 

[Steelyeyes]

My brother dived a lot in the early '80s. We started diving together once yearly about 15 years ago. He rented equipment and said he didn't like the inflator-- he had orally inflated back in the day. I of course have not known diving without the LPI, having been certified in 2005, other than the two times I needed to orally inflate due to malfunction, in order to continue the dive (so I guess I would have been fine back then without the inflator).
But yes, it would seem particularly useful for someone like me using a 7 mil farmer john wetsuit and 42 pounds of lead. I could dive inflating orally I guess. It is difficult for me to imagine anyone diving way back when there were no inflators at all, especially if requiring lot of weight in cold water.

I learned in 1975 in Puget Sound in 7 mil suits with farmer John bottoms and beavertail jackets so you had 14 mils over your core. Lots of lead and your buoyancy did vary a lot with depth. It wasn't all that much fun looking back on it. Once the BCD came on the scene with the LP inflator it was a really nice change....that and getting to somewhere with warmer water.

 

[napDiver]

The only thing you need to consider is if you are being rescued. Then it could be a hassle for the rescuer(s). But if your buoyant on the surface without your BCD inflated or they can drop your weight belt, it doesn't matter on paper. But you'll probably be lucky if they are that smart in a panic event.

Otherwise, if you are buoyant on the surface typically AL80 w/ rashguard only up to 3mm wetsuit. Why not, if that's how you want to dive.

From my actual diving experience... I was diving tropical water (85 F) AL80 w/ rashguard only. No weights needed. I was terrified of dealing with a broken inflator that would auto-inflate me all the way to the surface from depth. Well since I told my tech instructor that, he gave me a broken BCD. Inflator was auto-inflating, but in reality it usually slowly inflates, doesn't inflate at full. Regardless, your dump valve will as much air as your inflator can give your wing. At the same time you need to pull the QD connector out of the inflator. And for the next week, I dove with the BCD inflator not connected to the hose. Manually inflate only. It was fine. Took a couple dives to get used to. Just got to add air faster then you think, so your not sinking too fast to equalize.

Now I would not do this with a 5mm+ or drysuit. Your just so dam heavy, that if for some reason you dumped too much air or had a catastrophic failure, trying to oral inflate would be too slow. You probably won't be able to orally inflate in time if something bad happened.

What I would do if I were you, try a few dives without ever pressing the inflator EVER. Not even on the surface. If you like that, then go for it.

Or I can just rile everyone one up. If you don't want an inflator hose, you can just get an integrated octo. No inflator hose, but you still have the inflator

Cheers

 

[Steelyeyes]

I was involved in one rescue. Diver on the surface, out of air, BCD dump valve broken and releasing air, laceration on head and leg. Conscious and floating about 200 yards off shore in some pretty large swells. Myself and another dive master stripped down to mask, fins and snorkels to make the surface swim as fast as possible. Our 3 mil wetsuits helped with the buoyancy a bit. It took both of us to get him back. It was less than fun. We stripped his gear as soon as we assessed his condition and the first thing that went was the weight belt. One of us alone might have been able to do the rescue if his BCD was intact. It would have been more drag but keeping his head in a position he could breathe would have been easier. I suppose even if we had to orally inflate the BCD and it was intact would have made it better. More options is always better.

 

[emoreira]

Hello fellow divers.
The purpose of this topic is to have a useful discussion on the merits of jettisoning the low pressure BCD inflator hose, and instead, orally inflate.

I ask this because I have recently been diving with 4 kg (approximately 8 lbs) of weight with a rash guard.

I found I do not need to inflate my BCD. I remain neutrally buoyant from start to end with no air in my BCD.

So, in my case, why not forego the instant inflator?

And in the event that I ever need to inflate, I would not need more than a miniscule squirt of air. Which can I do by orally inflating.

Any reason to absolutely have it?

Some data for reference:
I am thirty eight years old. I weigh about 72 kg (~158 lbs). I am 184 (6 feet).
I have approximately 490 dives. My SAC is between 0.8 bar and 1.0 bar per minute.
We routinely go down to 30 meters (100 feet).
I'm not sure what else I could provide that would help.

Keen to learn from your experiences.

Thank you.

You are lucky that you don't need any thermal protection for your diving, but (I guess) the majority of us dive with wetsuits and drysuits. In those cases, a BCD with mechanical inflation is required. So, your case is just an exception and not the rule.
Do not count money in front of the poor.

 

[Dan]

My fully inflated BP/Wing puts me squarely on my back allowing me a leisurely upside-down frog-kick to shore or where-ever. I would have to struggle to go face down. I've tried, but the 4 lbs (3 lead / 1 battery) of weight on my AL BP (@ waist strap) says no dice. Oh, and, there's no way I could possibly orally inflate the wing to the volume I like.

(oh yeah, drysuit/w double fleece and wool dry-gloves)

Didn’t I say “IF you are unconscious’? How would you be on top of the balloon wing? Don’t you have to push yourself over your back to be able to stay above your fully inflated wing? It’s a simple physics. Light object would float above the heavy object. So your fully inflated wing would normally be on top if you are relax & motionless.

You can tech this instructor, @jagfish how to set his back plate with wing so when you are unconsciously floating with fully inflated wing your face would be facing the sky.

 

[divad]

Double steel 85's, brass manifold, BP, weights @ BP waist, all together prefer me on my back or vertical... especially when I try to go face-down (if I'm still, the feet slowly fall until I am vertical).

 

[hedonist222]

The only thing you need to consider is if you are being rescued. Then it could be a hassle for the rescuer(s). But if your buoyant on the surface without your BCD inflated or they can drop your weight belt, it doesn't matter on paper. But you'll probably be lucky if they are that smart in a panic event.

Otherwise, if you are buoyant on the surface typically AL80 w/ rashguard only up to 3mm wetsuit. Why not, if that's how you want to dive.

From my actual diving experience... I was diving tropical water (85 F) AL80 w/ rashguard only. No weights needed. I was terrified of dealing with a broken inflator that would auto-inflate me all the way to the surface from depth. Well since I told my tech instructor that, he gave me a broken BCD. Inflator was auto-inflating, but in reality it usually slowly inflates, doesn't inflate at full. Regardless, your dump valve will as much air as your inflator can give your wing. At the same time you need to pull the QD connector out of the inflator. And for the next week, I dove with the BCD inflator not connected to the hose. Manually inflate only. It was fine. Took a couple dives to get used to. Just got to add air faster then you think, so your not sinking too fast to equalize.

Now I would not do this with a 5mm+ or drysuit. Your just so dam heavy, that if for some reason you dumped too much air or had a catastrophic failure, trying to oral inflate would be too slow. You probably won't be able to orally inflate in time if something bad happened.

What I would do if I were you, try a few dives without ever pressing the inflator EVER. Not even on the surface. If you like that, then go for it.

Or I can just rile everyone one up. If you don't want an inflator hose, you can just get an integrated octo. No inflator hose, but you still have the inflator

Cheers

Haha good points

Combined inflator/octo wouldn't work with my setup.
Because my primary is tethered to my neck.
Only my vibrant yellow octopus is for donation. My primary wouldn't go very far if yanked by a panicking OOA diver. I'd put primary back in mouth with left hand and supply octo at same time with my right hand.

But I get your point.