Leaking inflator button = abort?

[CHUD]

Hey, y'all. I'm going diving tomorrow and I was going through my rental gear tonight when I came across a problem with the Zeagle Ranger BCD: the inflator button is leaking. Now, it only does it when the BCD is fully inflated, but it IS leaking -- it's a constant small hiss of air from right around the inflator button.

I noticed the button seemed a little sticky, which is why I inflated the BCD in the first place. I push the button down and it doesn't recover all the way. I first orally and then using the tank fully inflated the bladder and voila: a small leak.

So, question from a newbie diver: should I scrub the dive with this particular BCD and its leaky inflator?

 

[DennisS]

Fill the sink up with hot water and stick the inflator in in, play with the button, inflate the bc, play with the button a lot, you might just have crud in there. That might fix it.

 

[mossym]

had my deflate button jam on my power inflator 2 weeks ago at the start of the dive...tried rinsing it and everything no avail...one good slap of my palm and a quick dunk in the pacific and it finally got unstuck, was fine then...guess a bit of sand got jammed last time i was diving that didn't get cleared when i washed it...

 

[Atticus]

I would not enter the water with a stuck or leaking inflator button -- I would solve the problem in a nice dry warm shop someplace, then, only when I was certain the problem was corrected, would I take it diving.

 

[Rick Inman]

Hey, y'all. I'm going diving tomorrow and I was going through my rental gear tonight when I came across a problem with the Zeagle Ranger BCD: the inflator button is leaking. Now, it only does it when the BCD is fully inflated, but it IS leaking -- it's a constant small hiss of air from right around the inflator button.

I noticed the button seemed a little sticky, which is why I inflated the BCD in the first place. I push the button down and it doesn't recover all the way. I first orally and then using the tank fully inflated the bladder and voila: a small leak.

So, question from a newbie diver: should I scrub the dive with this particular BCD and its leaky inflator?

This is why I bought my own gear as soon as I could. Not too many people use rental gear as a first choice. If I do rent something (out of town? gear being serviced?) I TEST everything before I leave the shop. However, this is not the question.
Can you hit the shop before the dive? I have dived small shrader valve leeks, but I would hate to have an inflator stick open at depth, especially if I was a "newbie diver". Just MHO.
Let us know how it works out.

 

[CHUD]

Thanks for the comments, all y'all, you pretty much confirmed what I thought and I ended up scrubbing the dive.

I got up early and went down to the boat this morning and everyone had a look at my inflator (captain, 2 instructors, multiple veteran divers). They all agreed that it was sticky, but since it wasn't actually stuck they felt I would have been okay going ahead with the dive but that it was my call. What made up my mind was the captain (also an instructor) who said that I'd just have to be sure to orally inflate instead of using the power inflator and I could "just unplug the low pressure hose if it causes a problem".

Being a just-last-weekend-certified newbie diver, I didn't figure having that hanging over my head on top of being uncomfortable with a "new" BCD (I trained in a ScubaPro Glide) was going to make for a relaxing dive. Also, I've read too many incident reports here and elsewhere that start with "Mistake #1," and it's something small like a sticky inflator. So... I scrubbed the dive.

Now I'm out the $$$ for grabbing that open boat spot at the last minute and the $$$ for the rental gear ... AND now I'm available to the wife for chores around the house today. That's the worst part of it. :11:

Sigh...

 

[jeadiver]

A sticky inflator valve could be disastrous at depth, and I would not want to dive it. The hot water solution may well help, leaks often result from stuck crud, but if it doesn't see if you can get it replaced or serviced before diving. Its a bummer that it is rental gear, but if I had paid a bunch of money for the diving, I would probably pay the few dollars necessary for a repair. When I returned the gear, the shop and I may have a few words, but I wouldn't let it ruin my diving if I could get it fixed. I would let it keep me from diving if I could not get it fixed.

 

[Rick Inman]

Now I'm out the $$$ for grabbing that open boat spot at the last minute and the $$$ for the rental gear ... .

Your LDS should credit you for the rental gear. If he says something like, "Oh, it's just a little leak, you could have made the dive," find a new LDS.
You made the right decision.

 

[jeadiver]

Good call, you can always dive another day

 

[SDAnderson]

I don't know if you made the "right" call or not and that's not important. What is important is that you listened to that little voice of caution in your subconscious and that can save your life - better safe than sorry is ALWAYS the right thing to do.

Your own gear and/or more experience might have made a world of difference in your decision, but I think you should be feeling pretty good about the one that you made.