How much time do I have with a stuck inflator

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Well thanks for that bit of clarification. I can rest easy tonight.
Ya do know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit doncha?
 
Greetings haumana on the topic of stuck open inflator it is possible to control your buoyancy with in a reasonable range of depth.
It is usually easy to catch the leak immediately as you hear the air leaking at first simply detach the hose.
When this has happened in the several times I have witnessed no one lost control of their buoyancy into a run away ascent.
In one training dive that it took place I swapped BC's with the student and orally inflated to finish the dive.

It is really not a big deal but it is important to be able to disconnect the inflater in a timely manor.
I would be very careful and not recommend taking a knife to your BC or inflator,
As others have mentioned the dump is designed to release more air than the inflator will allow in so arresting a ascent is not impossible and really pretty easy IF YOU REMAIN CALM!
Obviously your dive will be aborted and you will begin your ascent in a safe manor.
It is not a bad idea to practice detaching your inflator and orally inflating in a pool to keep the skills sharp.
I would not recommend practicing this at deep depths there is no reason to take those chances but do so in a safe manor in OW.
Training platforms at 20' would be where I would move to after the pool training!

The thought process you are developing is a good one preparing yourself for failures, the "What If's" but you must be very careful training for these.
You do not want a training scene to become a full blown emergency.
You can practice skills anywhere but always start above the water and gain familiarity with your gear.
Be responsible with gear care and preparation, diligence pays off.

Safe training,
CamG Keep Diving....Keep Training....Keep Learning!
 
Of course theres the odvious question. Why would an inflator fault?
When you look at them they aren't exactly complicated bits of kit.
So either you've got hooked up in weed/line/mud thats jammed it up or you are diving with a really well worn inflator.
How would I deal with it? disconnect the inflator hose most likely then figure out what was jamming up the button.
Happy to be shot down in flames here

It is a relatively common scuba failure, based on my own observations, it is the most likely failure after a regulator free-flow and maybe regulator mouth pieces falling off.

An uncontrolled inflation is an emergency, possibly more dangerous than a freeflow and it was one of the reasoans that when they were first introduced, power inflators were recommended only for experieced divers due to the perceived danger of this problem..

It is a relatively common failure that could easily cause death if handled wrong. It is an important question. I have been very disappointed when I ask new certified divers what they would do if the inflator stated filling the bc by itself and they just giiggle nervously, because they have no clue and are completely unprepared for it.

I used to like the old style of inflator, Dacor and many others used, if the inflate button got stuck, you could easily grab it, pull it back out, spin it a little and the problem was resolved immediately.
 
If you invert you should be able to kick down against a fully inflated BC which will give you all the time that your muscles can give you.

I demonstrate this in classes for the students while wearing 40lb. and 60lb. lift wings. But, you'll need a good strong kick. I use the flutter kick.

If you feel yourself begin to rise and exhaled gas from your lungs and dumping from the BC or wing doesn't work, immediately invert and begin kicking with all you've got. Locate your rear or some lower dump valve on your BC which will now be the highest dump since you are inverted and begin dumping gas as you swim down. That should give you time to pop the Schrader valve on your LP inflater hose.

If the valve is stuck, there are several other actions one can take, but they require truly expert diving skill and I don't want to specifically describe these actions here. They involve shutting off gas or removing valves.

These emergencies should never be practiced on one's own without an instructor who is proficient in the skills. Most, but not all, tech instructors should be able to safely teach and lifeguard you during practice.
 
It is a relatively common scuba failure, based on my own observations, it is the most likely failure after a regulator free-flow and maybe regulator mouth pieces falling off.

An uncontrolled inflation is an emergency, possibly more dangerous than a freeflow and it was one of the reasoans that when they were first introduced, power inflators were recommended only for experieced divers due to the perceived danger of this problem..

It is a relatively common failure that could easily cause death if handled wrong. It is an important question. I have been very disappointed when I ask new certified divers what they would do if the inflator stated filling the bc by itself and they just giiggle nervously, because they have no clue and are completely unprepared for it.

I used to like the old style of inflator, Dacor and many others used, if the inflate button got stuck, you could easily grab it, pull it back out, spin it a little and the problem was resolved immediately.
Hey thanks for that. (no sarcasm meant at all) But all that said I just cant see the mechanical reason for a simple valve to fail.
If it is as common as you say then what causes that kind of failure and what should be done to prevent it?
 
Normal maintenance should make it unlikely, but I have seen it happen many times.

For myself, I think I have only had it happen 4-5 times, but these incidents were slow trickles that I couldn't even hear, I would have to vent the BC every 5 minutes and after the third time, maybe I begin to suspect a problem. Don't recall ever having an inflation emergency myself.
 
Like every other moving part underwater, inflator valves are subject to corrosion and salt crystal formation, and the o-rings age and fatigue. I have serviced our inflators many times because of slow inflation leaks -- these are manageable. The old Halcyon stainless inflators were prone to a much more serious leak, which caused at least one injury of which I am aware.

But probably one of the biggest causes of massive inflator leak would be 1st stage freezeup, with the ensuing excess intermediate pressure venting through the inflator. This would be a very rapid and dangerous leak.
 
Normal maintenance should make it unlikely, but I have seen it happen many times.

For myself, I think I have only had it happen 4-5 times, but these incidents were slow trickles that I couldn't even hear, I would have to vent the BC every 5 minutes and after the third time, maybe I begin to suspect a problem. Don't recall ever having an inflation emergency myself.

Now that makes sense-general wear n tear causing a slow leak--Kinda like a worn tap washer.Of the failures you have seen how many were of this nature and how many were emergencies?


Like every other moving part underwater, inflator valves are subject to corrosion and salt crystal formation, and the o-rings age and fatigue. I have serviced our inflators many times because of slow inflation leaks -- these are manageable. The old Halcyon stainless inflators were prone to a much more serious leak, which caused at least one injury of which I am aware.

But probably one of the biggest causes of massive inflator leak would be 1st stage freezeup, with the ensuing excess intermediate pressure venting through the inflator. This would be a very rapid and dangerous leak.
Wouldn't first stage freezeup cause the oposite effect.Ie no air? or your second stage to suddenly freeflow?
The danger refered to is a sudden return to the surface but don't all BC's have an emergency dump to prevent overinflation? so it can only fill to max.

Doesn't propper washing of your gear prevent crystal formation?
Doesn't regular maintainence prevent the o ring failure?

Hey again guys please this isn't some "smartalec kid" trying to prove you guys wrong or anything idiotic like that This is a genuine desire to understand.
 

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