runaway bc inflation

[riguerin]

That's it! My old inflator hose was not the right length, but I really love the hose hat.

You're easy to please

 

[Scuba Sean]

Thanks again to all.
I dove that rig on thursday without any problems of runaway inflation, and did not hear the unsummoned p-shhh-p sound either. Although at the deepest part of my dives (70 ffw) i did feel like i was gaining buoyancy. I still suspect something is goofy. For now i will keep diving the rig in open enviornments, and will be ordering a new inflation valve. I have practiced hooking up/unhooking all my gear in the water, including the QD - and even with my eyes closed. I have never seen those little top hats for the disconnect, but i like the idea... you can bet i will be getting a couple of those too! Thanks again to all, Sean

 

[cerich]

I haven't looked at which inflator the Dive Rite is using, but in all honesty have learnt to just replace inflators when they go.

 

[jeckyll]

My Halcyon SS inflator acted up twice in 60 dives and is getting replaced with a plastic on as we speak.

I agree that people should be taught to quickly disconnect it. I was lucky both times and the problem occured near the surface on at the beginning of a decent, never at depth. But I still opted to hav the d**n thing replaced rather than muck with it.

 

[BKP]

This is an excellent thread (since I never considered the possibility, or have seen, a stuck inflator... and considering the consequences it should be a manadatory chapter in OW). The addage "experience simply teaches you how much you have yet to learn" is certainly a philosophy to live by.

Question... I use an integrated safe second (Atomic SS1 -- I enjoy not dealing with a separate octo -- and it's worked flawlessly for me for a while). Is it anyone's experience that this type of rig is more susceptible to issues?

 

[TheRedHead]

I always thought that disconnecting your inflator hose under pressue at depth was a skill required by the agencies. It was something we did and discussed in my SSI OW class. It is not a required skill?

 

[Green_Manelishi]

It was taught in my OW class. My instructor in Cozumel gave me a new inflator hose that has a soft rubber tip like a hat on it that makes it easy to do a disconnect under pressure. I have no idea who sells them, but I'm sure someone here knows. They're a great idea and everyone should have one.

Hose hats rock. Much nicer (looking) than my in-use-for-years solution:

 

[TheRedHead]

Green, you come up with the most clever DIY gear stuff. I'm an abysmal failure at gear innovation. Girls just aren't brought up for this stuff.

 

[jeckyll]

I always thought that disconnecting your inflator hose under pressue at depth was a skill required by the agencies. It was something we did and discussed in my SSI OW class. It is not a required skill?

PADI teaches it along with oral inflation (I remember having to disconnect & either orally inflate to a fin pivot or a hover in OW), but there is not alot of emphasis on the fact that the inflator may be _stuck_ open at depth and what this may mean.

If I get time later today I may dig out my OW book to see what it has to day. I know that Rescue had more on how equipment works and what the most common failures are...

 

[BKP]

I always thought that disconnecting your inflator hose under pressue at depth was a skill required by the agencies. It was something we did and discussed in my SSI OW class. It is not a required skill?

I'd consider my OW instructors extremely thorough (covering much more then the agency course initially prescribed, in a number of different areas).

However, we didn't do any inflator valve disconnects at depth (that I can remember). We covered manual inflation / air dumps / etc., (and to be fair, we covered and did skills on a 'failed' inflator), and we disconnected about everything else... However, I'm going to dig up the course mats, if I can find them, and take a look...