Manual/Oral inflation technique question.

[Gdaaym8z]

I have an ongoing debate between a couple of instructors and would like to hear some opinions on here.

Here's the debate.

(We have AIR 2 set ups on all of our pool rigs) Some students have trouble pushing the manual inflate button all the way in and then the air just vents. (They are also shown to use both hands if needed)

I have one instructor who has been having students cover the exhaust port on the inflater with their palm while they are orally/manually inflating their BCD. Which seems to keep the airflow into the bladder and not venting.

I also have an instructor who feels this is a huge liability and that this is absolutely the wrong way to do it. (He feels that it's going to confuse someone to the point of not being able to inflate.)

I am curious if anyone else has had this issue and/or seen the "palm cover" method used and what your opinion on either method is?

I have had no luck finding an answer on technique in owner/instruction manuals either.

I guess I'm most curious if it matters when inflating IF the exhaust is covered or not. PROS / CONS???

 

[SCUBA482]

I use the Air2 you refer too and only experience the problem if not fully depressing the button. I don't think I like the idea of using two hands to do the skill since the other hand may be needed to hold onto a float or line at the surface etc...on the other hand, (pun not intended) learning how to overcome a problem is good, but I still don't like the idea of having to compensate for faulty gear...has the equipment been serviced recently? I dont' think it lends to selling that piece of equipment if from day one they have to jimmy rig it to make it work...just my 2 psi

 

[rjack321]

Ummmm thinking outside the box...

If students need 2 hands for something as simple as pushing one button on a power inflator, I would ditch the Air2s for conventional power inflators. Obviously you'd need an octo or bungied backup but neither of those take 2 hands either.

 

[DevonDiver]

It's obviously a really well designed piece of equipment, that is perfectly suited to being used in high-stress emergencies, with extremely agitated and potentially panicked divers.

Some of the descriptions here make it sound like you're playing a flute... not operating a last-ditch, life saving device.

K.I.S.S.

 

[g1138]

When orally inflating my Gemeni Air 2 I hold it in my right hand and blow into the mouthpiece before pressing the deflate button.
Using the right hand allows me to get my fingers straight on the button, where as with my left I have to twist a bit on the wrist to get a solid press.
I release the button before I finish blowing to prevent back flow/leaking

The problem with some Air 2's is that the deflate button is usually a little bit bigger, but it only covers a small little column of a button that actually activates the deflate. So really it's a finger placement issue for most people.
You have to get your fingers exactly over that column so you can get a full depress.

Imagine the button like a loose space bar on your PC keyboard. Press the edge slightly and it doesn't work, press the middle and you get a space mark

 

[sumDude]

Ummmm thinking outside the box...

If students need 2 hands for something as simple as pushing one button on a power inflator, I would ditch the Air2s for conventional power inflators. Obviously you'd need an octo or bungied backup but neither of those take 2 hands either.

Agreed, why complicate things so early on? Let the students get the hang of diving on conventional gear before they start moving onto more complicated devices - my 2 cents

 

[BoltSnap]

I have used the Air II for myself and my students for at least 15 years no problems. What about using 3 fingers to depress the button to make sure the button is depressed all the way down?

The use of the inflate button should be very simple without requiring to cover the exhaust valve or anything else. I can't imagine that one has to do fancy maneuvers to operate a potentially "safety" device. I never had to neither did my staff or my students.

 

[Graeme Tolton]

IMHO, ditch the airII's... they are a gimmick that was meant to simplify things, but seems to have added multiple other complications. The only advantage that I see, it it reduces weight of the reg set and removes one hose... however, the benefits of having a conventional setup outweigh those advantages. I don't know about the scubapro, but i used to have a sherwood shadow, same sort of idea, but a regular inflator plugs into the octo.... It never breathed well at all, no matter who set it up.

 

[BoltSnap]

Graeme Tolton,

I have tried the sherwood shadow long time ago and the difference is night and day when compared with the Scubapro Air II. The AirII is much better in ease of breathing and durability. I have used the Air II since 1995 without any problems or complaints (at least that I remember) from my staff, students or customers.

When compared with a standard octo., I find the Air II less of a pain since there is one less hose to drag around and/or have to worry about where/how to keep it attached. When using the Air II, it is assumed that your buddy will grab your primary SS and you have to use the Air II.

I also use the manual inflator on the surface most of the time instead of the power inflator without any problems that I can recall.

 

[knowone]

The tolerances on the round button are too fine over its 1.5mm of travel causing it to rub and catch on the body.
The spring tension on both buttons is way too stiff.
Omitting a Shrader valve from the design to be smart, is dumb.