Sherwood Freedom BCD

[scubaops]

We do not offer replacement bladders for our BCs but many of our dealers will be willing to "upgrade" your BC and give you a discount on a new one.

how much of a discount? i dont like that i bought this unit cause i could get a new bladder if anything happen and swap them out. now that i need a part and i have to buy a new unit :depressed:

 

[Sherwood SCUBA rep.]

The discount is up to the dealer as we do not have a set amount. Some dealers may offer a great discount in an effort to get your business while others may not offer much of a discount. This is not something we require dealers to do it is voluntary. I am sure you can find a dealer that is willing to work with you.

 

[Thomthumb]

I just dove with mine this past weekend at the lake. Four twenty minute dives and no problems. Still works like new

 

[doug9238]

We do not offer replacement bladders for our BCs but many of our dealers will be willing to "upgrade" your BC and give you a discount on a new one.

Sherwood rep:
Do you know what that metal plug is for? Upon further inspection, it appears to be very similar to a tire valve (like one on a car or bike tire) that you could hook a pump up to and inflate the vest, or check pressure with, but I don't know why anyone would want to do that...

Do all Sherwood vests have this? It seems like there would be no use for this, and given the design of how it is glued to the bladder, I could see these things getting ripped off the bladder quite frequently as the gear gets jostled or moved around...

Also, do you know why Sherwood's policy is to not sell replacement bladders? The bladder could get ruptured quite easily by rubbing against a sharp stick in the water by mistake on your first dive with a new vest, and I would hate to have to buy an entire new vest just becuase of a hole in a bladder, when the rest of the vest is perfectly fine.

Thanks,
Doug

 

[eddi887]

Hi,

I know this is kind of an old link, but wanted to know if you ever found out what the valve is? I believe it is for an emergency inflator (CO2) cartridge. I've heard of people just pulling these out when they start leaking and sealing up the hole with a vinyl repair kit, like you would use on waterbed. Hope you were able to resolve your issue without having to purchase a new BCD.

Take care...Jeff

 

[Imbodie]

Hi,

I know this is kind of an old link, but wanted to know if you ever found out what the valve is? I believe it is for an emergency inflator (CO2) cartridge. I've heard of people just pulling these out when they start leaking and sealing up the hole with a vinyl repair kit, like you would use on waterbed. Hope you were able to resolve your issue without having to purchase a new BCD.

Take care...Jeff

The valve does appear to be for a co2 inflator. I just aquired a Freedom and was going to use it for parts. But after doing a bit of inspecting I think I'll probaly put an internal-external patch on the bladder and use the bcd. An internal patch would probaly be plenty, but then I don't want to be relying on the bcd and have the patch fail. I like the design, to sad that Sherwood doesn't offer replacement bladders even though I KNOW this BCD is 10+ years old.

I KNOW things have changed over the years, but what was the logic behind a Co2 inflator ANYWAY?????


-Tim

 

[bj139]

I bought a used Seaquest ADVi which had a leak at that valve. It had a chrome plated brass cap which when tightened, did not seal the leak. I removed the cap and placed an o-ring on the valve stem , screwed the cap on tight and now no leak. This was easier than patching. Plus, I can now get the CO2 upgrade kit.

Bill

 

[PNelson]

I'm so glad I found this thread. I have a Sherwood Freedom that I would really like to "Get working" again. Is that valve a "free floating valve" that creates a seal when it's held flush with the grommet or should it be attached?

Any Sherwood experts out there?

 

[swampdawg]

It's NOT a valve...it's a PLUG! Those bladders were outfitted with CO2 canisters to do a quick surface maneuver...problem is...people DIED when that string was yanked at 100 feet.Without some quick thinking(knife to the bladder) you go straight to the surface...OUCH!. Remove the plug...then take a half dollar piece of old tire tubing.Roll it up,and insert it into the bladder.Now get some silicone,and squirt it on the half dollar piece of rubber(laying flat,centered on hole.Now take another piece of rubber sheet,and do the same on the OUTSIDE of the Bladder. If Sherwood would have changed the bladder they were using when they discontinued the CO2,no one would have this problem...instead they PLUGGED the hole,ran out the existing inventory before they changed the design.....naughty,naughty!!!

---------- Post Merged at 07:17 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 07:14 PM ----------

Why ,oh why....didn't SHERWOOD SCUBA REP tell us the truth? Why doesn't SHERWOOD sell replacement bladders? BECAUSE...a bladder might sell for $50.00,but a brand new BCD is $600.00 !!! Makes sense to me!!!

---------- Post Merged on June 24th, 2012 at 09:01 AM ---------- Previous Post was on June 23rd, 2012 at 08:14 PM ----------

One more thing to look at is the pressure relief valve....and,yes,it IS a valve.It's round,slightly larger than a silver dollar,and has 8 pencil sized holes in it.After I repaired the PLUG hole in mine,I noticed the bladder kept leaking down.I submerged the BCD in the bathtub,and noticed the location of the leak.I disassembled the valve,and noticed a deep groove in the flexible seal. I turned the seal upside down,applied some vaseline to both sides and reinstalled the seal.Then I stretched the spring about an 1/8th of an inch(it seemed to not have enough pressure)....and BAM!! Back in business. Do NOT stretch the spring much at all...These units are NOT designed for literally ANY pressure at all...all that will do is burst the seams. Sherwood can kiss my nether regions.

 

[PNelson]

I ended up pulling the inflator flush with the hole and then sealed it up with Aquaseal. WOW! That stuff is GREAT!

Tried it in the pool and so far it's been working great!