Expected Life of BCD

[NZ diver]

I realise that the answer to this question, might be how long is a piece of string.

But how long would you expect a well maintained and serviced BCD to last?

 

[DevonDiver]

It is more determined by usage....

Salt of fresh water?
Used in a swimming pool? (chlorine exposure).
Environment (caves, wrecks etc...)
Your bouyancy control...dragging it along the bottom, over corals etc..
Maintenance and cleaning?

I have a Halcyon Eclipse....it is falling apart after 2 years... but it has been dragged around the tropics...wrenched through wrecks...and dived every day in that time...

 

[AbyssalPlains]

If not forever, long enough for you to get sick of it and buy a back plate and wing, before it falls apart, I'm sure.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Fish has been diving in the same BCD for over 20 years saltwater nearing 600 dives no "service" but careful cleaning regularly with wetsuit wash and flushing the bladder occasionally with BCD Cleaner never had to replace a bladder and the Zipper still works easily to access the bladder. Care of the equipment pays off

 

[RJP]

I realise that the answer to this question, might be how long is a piece of string.

But how long would you expect a well maintained and serviced BCD to last?

As has been suggested, you'll grow tired of it and "want" something new long before you "need" something new.

 

[spectrum]

It's safe to ballpark at 500-1000 dives as long as you don't drag it out over a lifetime. Sooner or later aging will take a toll so storage and cleaning are very important.

Pete

 

[diver 85]

I realise that the answer to this question, might be how long is a piece of string.

But how long would you expect a well maintained and serviced BCD to last?

My wife & I had 2 Dacors-type unknown with C02 cartridges ect- we got in '85 last us: (mine) 19 years & (hers) 20 year.... Neither one was ever serviced & both were kept in uncontrolled climates in the top of one of our closets in our house on Roatan, 60 yds from the ocean, for the last 10+ years ie VERY salty, humid conditions(plus survived Hurricane Mitch, a cat 5 hurricane that sat for almost 72 hrs about 15+ miles east of Roatan).......

EDIT: mine had ~900 dives---hers ~350 dives....


So, go figure----lol, about 20+ years if not maintained, 25+ years if properly maintained....

 

[Avonthediver]

I've had my Zeagle tec for 3 years now an I'm just starting to need a new one.
an I have put her through HE doubble hocky stickys!!!

 

[IceBergSlim]

My Zeagle Ranger lasted 18 dives before self-destructing.

I went BP&W soon after that and the Ranger is now a forgotten pile on the floor.

 

[H2Andy]

from posts i've read on here, the anecdotal evidence seems to be that a bc can last upward of 500 dives easily ... much more in some cases