Redundant Inflator Attachment

[offgasser]

Cave Diver:
Thanks for the idea, but not quite what I had in mind. That would mess with my streamlining where I have it now - behind the wing and in front of the tank. I have an innertube on the cylinder that holds the inflator mechanism. I just must remember to postition the inflator button "just so" so that it will not sit in a position where when the wing inflates it could cause the inflation I mentioned - that has only happened twice and it will just have to be part of my set-up routine to watch that position. I will probably just work on my dexterity to reach behind and pull the back up inflator faster.
Have a good one.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Dive-aholic
Trust me, Trimix is my next goal for tec training.
The narcosis happened mostly during dives #1-20. I either became accustomed to it or it does not happen anymore. (Some think that maybe I am addicted and seek it??!!)
The guy I intend to use said to see him for Trimix AFTER 100 dives, not the 20 required. I appreciated his setting HIS standards slightly higher and after experiencing more than one equipment issue at depth or during the course of my 69 tech dives, and think I made the right decision to wait before training deeper. At my number, I feel that I have become a much better tech diver and as a diver in general, much more disciplined and even more respectful of the basics taught in simple Open Water classes.
Being that you were in Arizona, you might know him, since the tec instructor community is fairly small, he is also a Caver.
Signed, 31 to go.

Decompression dives do not have to be done at depths that produce narcosis. I've done hundreds of dives in the 100' depth range that require decompression. Just did 3 over the past 2 days and max depth on all of them was 98'. Not enough narcosis to impair my judgment/response time. I market my classes a little different than most. And I insist my students have the same attitude. AN/DP is for extending your bottom time on dives at depths that can safely be done on nitrox (80-110' depth range). Anything deeper and helium should seriously be considered. That's what Advanced Recreational Trimix takes care of. Standards allow 160' with helium so narcosis is negated. And AN/DP are not prerequisites for ART. For divers who want to extend bottom time, I have them complete AN/DP. If they are interested in extending their diving depth range and/or eventually want to dive trimix, I have them complete ART.

I only know a couple tech instructors in Arizona, but I don't think either one is your instructor.

 

[Vassilis Vlachopoulos]

I am re-opening this thread because I need your input/comments on a similar inflator hose configuration issue.

First let me tell you that I mostly dive in wetsuit with a dual bladder wing. My own wing is a “Dive System” with its primary inflator on the left, connected to the rear/back bladder. During my recent Adv. Tmx course in the Red Sea, I was given an OMS BP/W, with its primary / left inflator connected to the front bladder. I tried to change the setup of the OMS wing to match my own wing (i.e. left inflator = back bladder) but it was not possible even by rotating it back-2-front (180 degrees). The reason : the fittings were different size !

During a skill rehearsal (simulating an OOG emergency ascend to the next gas switch deco stop, 30 ft above) I had a mishap. Because of the quick ascend the wing expanded faster than usual and when I tried (with some delay) to deflate the wing to reduce the ascent rate, some gas was trapped in the wing and would not come out from the inflator, even after switching to vertical position. I went passed the required stop depth and in order to stop the ascend I had to lean head down, slow down the ascend by fining and making use of the bottom valve.

I believe that the above wouldn’t have occurred should the primary bladder be the rear one. Did anyone have any similar experience? Am I right to insist that the primary bladder must be the rear one, to facilitate deflation ? If so, is it normal for OMS wings to work the other way round ?
Note : Both my wing at home and the OMS in question had bungees.

 

[cbrich]

I dive a dual bladder setup whether I am diving dry or wet. See photo of how I attach the redundant inflator, in an emergency just pull the inflator out. I have never had an issue with the redundant bladder airing up, since I never connect the inflator hose to the inflator. I have the hose in place by rubber bands.

 

[Tortuga68]

I believe that the above wouldn’t have occurred should the primary bladder be the rear one. Did anyone have any similar experience? Am I right to insist that the primary bladder must be the rear one, to facilitate deflation ? If so, is it normal for OMS wings to work the other way round?

I'm not sure why you think the positioning of the primary bladder would have made a difference - can you explain?

On the older OMS redundant bladder wings, both inflator elbows are on the front (diver) side of the wing. On the current ones, the primary is on the front left, and the redundant one is on the right rear - sounds like you had one of the old design?

I always find my redundant OMS wing very easy to vent thanks to the bungees (a point of criticism for some people, but it works well IMO - no need to break trim)


Regarding the OP, I don't have the LP inflator hose connected to the redundant bladder, and store the backup inflator under a bungee on the right side of the wing

 

[Vassilis Vlachopoulos]

I'm not sure why you think the positioning of the primary bladder would have made a difference - can you explain?

To my experience, venting is easier when my primary (left) inflator is connected to my rear/back (tank) side bladder, especially at horizontal diver's position. The outlet (i.e. the attachment point of the inflator) is at the highest spot / level (so less air can be trapped) and because the inflator runs over my shoulder, venting is easier just by slightly raising the inflator.

 

[Tortuga68]

Right, I understand your point now. On the current OMS redundant bladder wings the inflator and OPVs are interchangeable, so you can set it up that way if you want, with the rear bladder inflator coming over your left shoulder, and the redundant bladder inflator on the right front shoulder position. This means the OPV/dumps on your primary bladder will be on the rear of the wing and you'll have to use the drawstrings to activate them. Personally I wouldn't set my wing up that way. As I said I've never had any problem dumping from the front inflator/bladder in horizontal trim on my wing - one of the things I like about it. I'd suggest you fit an optional 16" or 13" corrugated inflator hose on the backup too - I have one on my primary