Halcyon Eclipse - Bolt Issues

[LilPeng]

Hi all,

This is my first post here and I'm eager for some advice. I got a Halycon Eclipse BCD a few months ago from a dive store in Hong Kong at a great price (in comparison to the UK). After about 10 dives on it one of the bolts fell off the backplate during a dive. It was unpleasant as after it fell out the bladder got twisted between the backplate and tank and the BCD was generally unresponsive. Thankfully it was towards the end of the dive, we were then shallow, and it was shore-based.

Following that incident I made a detour to the nearest Halycon distributor (in Cebu, the Phillipines). I purchased an "official" Halycon replacement bolt that looked different from the HK one - the official one had a black screw to go on top of the bolt and help lock it into place. After setting up my BCD with the "official" bolts I have always checked that they were tight before each dive.

However, this weekend during a dive (now about 70 dives in on this BCD) the "official" bolt also fell off. This time I was about 20 meters down and popped up rapidly as the BCD twisted, air was trapped and couldnt be released. The situation was also quite scary as this happened in an area heavily frequented by boat traffic. Thankfully I was ok, but I'm quite nervous to use the BCD again...

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else with a Halcyon? Are there are tips on a better bolt setup? It has crossed my mind that the HK-bought BCD could somehow be fake/defective, but it was bought from a reputable store and has the Halcyon logo on the backplate, bladder and webbing....

Really appreciate any advice.

 

[Marie13]

You have to check the bolts are tight before each dive. Doesn’t matter which manufacturer.

Are you using the weighted insert in the STA?

 

[rongoodman]

I've had bolts loosen but I'm having a hard time believing that you had not one but two loosen enough to completely fall off in the course of a single dive. Usually if they loosen up you can feel the tank shift a little, but that's a long way from things coming apart. A picture of how you have things put together would help. (That "black screw" in the Halcyon bolt kit is just a plastic cap to protect the end of the bolt.)

 

[Zef]

You can apply loctite to the threads of the bolt. That should keep them from unthreading until you want them to.

-Z

 

[LilPeng]

Marie, I don't have the weighted tank adapter. Have checked the bolts before wach dive.

Ron, the two incidents were about 60 dives apart. Both times the top bolt was the one that fell out. The "official" bolt had the black cap you describe but also a second black bolt that screwed in on top of the regular bolt.

Z, thanks, I will check that out.

For a replacement bolt - do I need to find a Halcyon distributor and get an "official" one or will any hardware store do (assuming there may be some rust issues eventually with a normal bolt...)?

 

[rongoodman]

SS bolts, nuts, and washers will do. In the US they’re 5/16” NC, I don’t know the metric equivalent. It still doesn’t sound right, though.

 

[divad]

SS bolts, nuts, and washers will do. In the US they’re 5/16” NC, I don’t know the metric equivilent. It still doesn’t sound right, though.

Yeah, sounds like the handywork of satan. Got a picture? You might try lock washers, or maybe Nyloc nuts.

 

[guruboy]

are you using wingnuts or some other hard (ie metal/delrin) "nut" to keep the bolt on? sounds like maybe you just aren't securing the bolts with something durable.

 

[FindingMenno]

I added a stainless spring washers, that solved the bolts working loose for me.

 

[Griffo]

Weird. I've never heard of this ever happening before to anyone. I'm also unable to visualise how the wing twisted in the way are describing that prevented you from dumping air. I guess there's an advantage in threading the cam straps through the backplate.

Your location says Oz - beware that your local Bunnings sells stainless bolts that will rust in about 5 minutes in salt water. Make sure you get 314 stainless not 304.