Halcyon SS Inflator...

[bradshsi]

Pictures tell the tale, Stephen ... http://thedecostop.com/forums/showpost.php?p=252243&postcount=108

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Those are pretty horrible for 50 dives worth. What that tells me is that the grade of stainless steel they used is inadequate for marine use. The corrosion seems so bad I'm wondering if they used a martensitic grade on at least one component.

When you cleaned it all up did you notice pitting on the component(s) ? and if so which ?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I dunno ... I just paid $35 each for the two I ordered from 5th D-X (they arrived yesterday, BTW ... two days after I ordered them).

I'll replace my other SS inflators tonight. I have dive buddies who love these SS inflators ... but I suspect it's because they just enjoy taking their gear apart and fondling it when they're not diving anyway ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Sadamune]

Hey everyone,

I'm thinking of experimenting with various protective coatings on the stainless components of this inflator. I'm particularly curious about how used and corroded inflators can be restored and protected. If anyone would like get rid of one of these inflators, please send me a PM.

Thanks.

Sadamune

 

[alo100]

I think even companies with highest reputation would have products with failure eventually; on the other hand, how they handle the matter afterwards reflects how "healthy" the company is, and in turn, how well they can make the replacement and the next product right.

Do not want to use the big H as an example, to me it's not about one particular brand, but in general, my gut feeling about these is: building up religious believe in famous brands is really an questionable act. After all, marketing is not a valid replacement for reliability. I feel sorry that if so of you are tired of my concern about the quality offered by this particular industry, but if you can see from my point of view: what can be more precious than life?

 

[wnissen]

OK, I know this thread is necrotic at this point. But I recently bought an old Halcyon BC with the stainless inflator, and it was "stuck". Not a slow leak, quite fast, I could see the wing inflating as I watched. "Stuck
is a misnomer, though. I can't see how the button could get stuck, with the relatively powerful spring pushing it to return. What's happening is the supply rod pushed by the button has two tiny rings (not o-rings, ordinary cylindrical gaskets, I think) that have failed, so it leaks into the bladder. One of them came off in three pieces (see picture). The reason appears to be that there's no mechanism to stop ingress of seawater until you get to the first (right-hand) ring. Saltwater and debris will be all around the button and spring, basically no matter what.

I think the design is defective. The power inflator failing to inflate is a problem, but not a major one. But failing "high" can lead to an embolism really quickly.

Seems like you'd really want some sort of membrane, like the environmental seal on a regulator. That seems to be how my Aqualung one works, the whole button mechanism is inside a rubber seal. That seal can break, but you'll notice, I think. If the little gaskets in the Halcyon design fail, they're inside the inflator, and further inside the button assembly. Pretty much impossible to detect unless you're taking it apart on a regular basis. Which you can do without detaching and re-adhering the inflator to the hose. Just be really careful screwing the inflator button assembly, as it can very easily strip the plastic threads. Especially with the large diameter of that nut.

I'm half tempted to order the service kit (looks like the only one online is in Canada) and see if I can get it working again, even with stripped threads, but only out of curiosity's sake. Time to get a replacement. Which is a shame because this is a beautifully machined piece of equipment. Just gorgeous. Feels like the knobs on my dad's old hi-fi, for those who remember what those felt like.

 

[happy-diver]

They're orings dude

 

[O-ring]

I tried to rebuild 3 of them a couple years ago and could only get 1 of them working well enough that I felt ok diving it. I ended up trashing all 3 of them and ordering a 3 pack of inflators from DGX.

 

[wnissen]

They're orings dude

So I'm sure you're right, I looked at them under a 20X binocular "dissecting" microscope and they were originally o-rings. But that's the issue with the design. The outer o-ring is unpressurized and exposed to grit suspended in the seawater and any rust that generates on the sliding pin. In time, the motion of the pin sliding back and forth as the button is used abrades the outer surface until it becomes cylindrical. At that point it is functioning as a gasket, and is not seated like an o-ring. I see now why filling the whole thing with lubricant would help a lot, since it would prevent the ingress of seawater, or at least delay it.

I tried to rebuild 3 of them a couple years ago and could only get 1 of them working well enough that I felt ok diving it. I ended up trashing all 3 of them and ordering a 3 pack of inflators from DGX.

Sigh. That's kind of what I figured. I'm not going to fart around with trying to restore a piece of gear that "should" just work. No matter how beautiful it is. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[O-ring]

So I'm sure you're right, I looked at them under a 20X binocular "dissecting" microscope and they were originally o-rings. But that's the issue with the design. The outer o-ring is unpressurized and exposed to grit suspended in the seawater and any rust that generates on the sliding pin. In time, the motion of the pin sliding back and forth as the button is used abrades the outer surface until it becomes cylindrical. At that point it is functioning as a gasket, and is not seated like an o-ring. I see now why filling the whole thing with lubricant would help a lot, since it would prevent the ingress of seawater, or at least delay it.

Sigh. That's kind of what I figured. I'm not going to fart around with trying to restore a piece of gear that "should" just work. No matter how beautiful it is. Thanks for sharing your experience.

If you broke out a microscope you are way more committed and detail oriented than I was so you might find that you can get them all working again just fine. I just tore them apart and replaced all the innards and got slow leaks and button stickiness oddities with them to the point that I decided it wasn't worth the risk or my time to keep fiddling with them. The DGX inflator is like $18 so I spent what I felt was the appropriate amount of my time (not much) on them and then threw in the towel. They sure are purdy though..