Integrated Power Inflators Are A Terrible Idea!

[formernuke]

I pretty much agree with everything he said.

They are nothing but a marketing scheme, and a bad idea.

 

[Angelo Farina]

According to the arguments, they will do whichever one your gear configuration doesn't support.

Which is one of the reasons for which I recommend two fully independent and identical regs on two separate valves, both equally suitable to be donated.
The panicked OOA diver can grab the one he prefers...
Then, if one swaps the BCD inflator with an Air-2, that is just nice! But the two identical standard regs should always be available.

 

[scubadada]

I firmly believe that integrated power inflators are nasty. I would think twice about diving with anyone who showed up with one.

Point one - the original device was developed to allow for a second regulator, not to eliminate one. He is off by a long time as to when these came out and why... Yes, others have copied...

Point two - tune the regulator... I've had many second stages breathe like crap out of the box.

Point three - ScubaPro (original manufacturer) has an additional pull to dump on their BC. It is part of a system, so there is no issue dumping air while using.

Point 4 - they aren't for technical diving.

I'm unimpressed with this wind bag....

I dived with an Air 2 from 2002-2017. Always worked just fine, never had to share air, was ready to primary donate. Switched configuration in 2017 for a variety of reasons, none of them directly related to the Air 2.

@smiffy6four I have no desire to dive with you either, @rhwestfall, any time

 

[CuzzA]

Nice troll post.

I'm not familiar with the octo/inflators in the video, but the ScubaPro Air2 5th gen is CE EN250 certified. In other words, it meets the same minimum standards for work of breathing as any other second stage. It breathes just as good as your average 2nd stage.

Second, the video states not to use one because technical divers and tourist dive guides don't use them. No ****. Why would they? Technical diving is based on redundant gas supply, which an octo/inflator is not. And a dive master of course is going to deal with more OOG incidents than any other diver, and so having a separate octo makes sense. Few experienced divers actually ever are involved in an OOG incident. In fact, if a guy doesn't want to dive with someone who uses an octo/inflator, I'd comply with that request. That guy's probably prone to running out of gas.

Service is service. It's literally one zip tie holding it to the BC. Not a big deal to take it off. In fact, some brands unscrew from the corrugated hose. Unfortunately, the SP Air2 does not. Using short hoses on an octo/inflator has nothing to do with the performance of the reg, it's just a bad setup by the diver.

As for deflating, learn to rear dump your BC. Or, every diver should be comfortable removing their reg and putting it back in their mouth. Taking it out or timing your breathing for all of two seconds is a basic skill, but should be known if you use that setup.

Finally, I've never heard of a fatality due to an octo/inflator. I have heard of fatalities from divers using pony bottles and mixing up their second stages.

Anyone is welcome to dive on my boat with an octo/inflator. We don't care as long as you can put fish in the box.

 

[Doctorfish]

Lots of strong and diverging opinions. For recreational diving, my buddies and I all dive with Air2. They are easy to tune and streamline your kit by one less hose. We drill that in an emergency, the diver with air uses the Air2 and gives his/her primary to the out of air diver. Only had to do this once in 30+ years. Buoyancy control is not an issue as you control the Air2 and have other dumps on your BC.

I have been on many dives where some yahoo drags their loose octopus through the reef and occasionally gets tangled.

I am comfortable with either Air2 or octopus, just as long as everyone has a functional alternate air source.

 

[pauldw]

My rationale for it is one less thing flopping about, and since I usually dive on my own, it isn’t for sharing it’s for streamlining. Am I thinking wrong, in this context?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If you decide to run an air2 don’t forget to put a 40” hose on your primary like a standard octopus. Second, with an air2 you might want to get the longer inflator hose so you have some freedom to move your head while you’re breathing off it. The only drawback (to some) is that now when in a prone diving position you have an air2/inflator hanging down lower than usual banging into stuff.
Three, if you happen to also have a snorkel attached to your mask and need to use the air2, don’t feel around and grab your snorkel to breathe off instead of the air2! My buddy did this during our rescue class in the ocean and it sent him straight to the surface yanking his primary out of my mouth for the air share as he bolted. Sheeesh!

 

[Cthippo]

From

Which is one of the reasons for which I recommend two fully independent and identical regs on two separate valves, both equally suitable to be donated.
The panicked OOA diver can grab the one he prefers...
Then, if one swaps the BCD inflator with an Air-2, that is just nice! But the two identical standard regs should always be available.

From what you said using using other thread, it sounds like you are diving in specific conditions where you can't, or at least would prefer not to, go to the surface in the case of a reg failure. While I understand your preference in that context, I don't think that circumstance applies to most divers and therefore the solution you prefer isn't really applicable for most people.

 

[grf88]

I believe they are a poor choice but I also believe relying on your buddy to be your back up air supply is a dumb idea anyway.

 

[Angelo Farina]

From

From what you said using using other thread, it sounds like you are diving in specific conditions where you can't, or at least would prefer not to, go to the surface in the case of a reg failure. While I understand your preference in that context, I don't think that circumstance applies to most divers and therefore the solution you prefer isn't really applicable for most people.

Yes, there are benign conditions where I also safely used a tank with a single first stage and an octopus. During holidays in tropical locations, where you rent equipment, and that is what they provide. In such cases it is guided dives, shallow depth, no risk of going into deco obligation, calm clear water, proper surface support, etc..
I understand that for "holidays divers" these are the only conditions ever met.
But here at home (Italy) we dive by ourself from a small Zodiac, the sea is deep, not so warm and visibility can be poor. The sea is often rough with wind and strong currents.
A lot of boat traffic around the best diving spot.
So performing a direct vertical ascent to the surface results in significant danger. The safe procedure is always to come back to your boat staying underwater. This requires some amount of redundancy.
During my OW course we used only twin tanks (10+10 l) with reserve and two separate regulators on two independent valves.
Lately, after 10 years with that setup, 15-liters steel tanks became the standard here. Always with two valves and reserve.
Other 20 years later, the reserve disappeared, as air integrated computers were providing suitable alarm to the diver, making low air pressure cases very rare.
Still the 15 liters tanks here are always equipped with two valves.
So it is not just me, a number of autonomous divers in the med still use two independent regs and avoid a direct ascent to surface as truly dangerous.
It must also be said that Cmas and Bsac trained divers are deco-trained since the first course, so the idea that a direct ascent to surface is a bad option is instilled in us from the beginning.
All problems must be solved staying underwater, and possibly not relying on the buddy.
US for-profit agencies see the secondary air source (octopus) as a device to be donated to your buddy.
Here we consider it a redundant device for ourself. Needing to donating it means the buddy suffered a double failure, a very rare event.
I fully understand the logic employed by American agencies, which fits perfectly in the benign contest described above.
But Europeans trained by Cmas or Bsac are doing a different type of diving (in worse conditions, much deeper as our recreational range extends to 50+ meters, and with possible deco stops).
And so we employ a basically redundant equipment when diving locally in these conditions.
Please note that all above is still fully recreational. I am not a technical diver...