Water in my bag

[DarkHorse]

After my last dive, I was doing my regular clean up of my equipment and noticed a small amount of water in the air bladder of my BC (1/2 shot of tequila at the most). I filled in with air and checked, every way I know how, for leaks but have found no evidence of any sort of leak. It's the first time it's happened, what's going on?

This doesn't seem normal to me. I want to get some info on this before I take it to my LDS and order a new bag. Especialy if it's not necessary.

Can anyone help?

:bravo:

 

[The Kraken]

You will typically get some water in your BC bladder when you dump air through your inflator/deflator hose. Just an ordinary physical occurrence.

You will get less inflow by dumping the air from the lower valve on your BC.

As you become more proficient, acquainted with that particular BC and it's buoyancy characteristics you will get less inflow.

 

[docmartin]

i am amazed that it has not happened before. this is the reason why after diving you should rinse the inside of your bc with fresh water to prevent salt deposits and bacterial growth.

 

[DarkHorse]

Because this was the first time it happened is why I was a little freaked out.

I'm always careful to clean everything with fresh water after a dive, but haven't come across that problem until now.

This is the First BC I've owned so I'm still getting used to it I guess.

Thanks for the quick replies, Krack & Doc.

I'll feel better diving next week.

Cheers

 

[The Kraken]

Enjoy, be safe . . .

 

[FreeFloat]

When I first moved to a wing from a jacket BC i used to get a lot more water than that - sometimes as much as a cupful! Eventually I realized it was because of the way I was venting: I hadn't been making sure to get the "bubble of air" under the vent before opening the vent. Then naturally "nothing" would happen. What I didn't knwo at the time was that with the vent held open, when "nothign" was happening it was water passing freely into the open vent ahd staying inside the wing.

I've improved, with practice, such that I rarely get water into my wing at all anymore.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Because this was the first time it happened is why I was a little freaked out.

I'm always careful to clean everything with fresh water after a dive, but haven't come across that problem until now.

This is the First BC I've owned so I'm still getting used to it I guess.

Thanks for the quick replies, Krack & Doc.

I'll feel better diving next week.

Cheers

DH,

It's most likely the "still getting used to it" part. We all fuss with new gear. More frequent buoyancy adjustments will result in more water in the bag. Figuring out how to get the last little bit of air out, i.e. position in the water, and or position of the hose, can result more water. It's no biggie, and it will likely get better.

Oral inflation will introduce a small amount each time also.

Remember that even if your BC had a small leak (and I'm not saying it does) air might excape, but water, in any meaningful amounts, is unlikely to enter the bag. Why? Because the BC is flexible and collapses as the air is exhausted, leaving no unpressurised void space to be filled with water.



Regards,



Tobin

 

[Charlie99]

After my last dive, I was doing my regular clean up of my equipment and noticed a small amount of water in the air bladder of my BC (1/2 shot of tequila at the most). ..... It's the first time it's happened, what's going on?

If this is the first time its happened, then there is a good chance that you have been diving overweighted with lots of air left in your BC bladder.

It's normal for some water to enter the bladder if you keep trying to release air after the bladder has already been emptied.

Some claim that the oral inflate/deflator hose is more likely to let in water than the pull dumps. Others claim the opposite. I don't know which is true, but have learned to stop trying to empty an already empty BC.

 

[mstudley]

stop trying to empty an already empty BC.

Exactly. I used to get a ton of water in my Black Diamond (I get some in the Pioneer wing I have now too) and I would constantly fidget with the pull dumps. Go figure....

 

[cool_hardware52]

My theory:

The bladder in a BC s flexible, and collapses as air excapes, leaving no void for water to enter into.

What is not flexible is the power inflator body, the rapid exhaust valve or elbow and to a lesser extent, the corrigated hose.

When the hose is held up and the oral inflate / deflate button is depressed and held open after all the air exhausted the nonflexible bits like the body of the inflator and the hose it's self will fill with water, i.e. the air in these parts trades places with water. When you again add air, either by oral inflation or power inflation, this water is driven into the bladder.

This will also occur with a rapid exhaust, shoulder pull dump, as the it is the void in "rigid" hose and inflator that fills with water.

If one adjusts buoyancy infrequently, little water is added.

On the other hand a new rig, or new diver is likely to be sorting out technique and weighting. He / she may be holding that button down alot.

Bottom line is as technique improves water in the bag is reduced.


Regards,



Tobin