How long is acceptable for a wing to hold air?
- Thread starter Shabaday
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drakcheslav
Contributor
Check if the hex o ring is seated on the dump, and elbow and if you have a blind dump cover.
Usually they're shipped with the covers not tightened completely so they don't crush the orings to much and destroy them.
If you disassembled your wing, check if you've assembled it correctly.
Usually they're shipped with the covers not tightened completely so they don't crush the orings to much and destroy them.
If you disassembled your wing, check if you've assembled it correctly.
admikar
Contributor
If it holds for 3 hours I consider it in working order.
Looking for a leak over that period is an example of diminishing returns.
Looking for a leak over that period is an example of diminishing returns.
The question I ask myself is always: Would I trust my 7 year old girl to dive with this BC safely? If not, then heck no for my daughter or anyone else. I have the pictures of my daughter and baby son on the wall at my repair bench to remind me of the decisive question; would I trust the piece of equipment I am checking for my daughter or my son to dive with?
I would NOT dive with the BC until you check with the mfg. I ALWAYS wait for at least 24 hours before making a decision if a BC is defective and needs fixing/replacement. I fully inflate the BC and leave it for 24 hours, in a average temperature room without drastic temp. changes, and check it after the 24 hours. If it loses noticeable/felt pressure, it is a no go. A 10 - 15% air loss over 12 hour period is a fail and I would not dive with it. I have SEVERAL BC's in my locker filled now and have been there for over a week, no air loss at all. At most a very slight squeez due to temperature changes but no air loss.
At the end, a water test is in order. ANY leaks in the water test, I would not use the bc before repairing it or replacing the bladder or replacing the entire BC. My daughter, or anyone else, would not use an even slightly questionable BC in the ocean/sea.
I would NOT dive with the BC until you check with the mfg. I ALWAYS wait for at least 24 hours before making a decision if a BC is defective and needs fixing/replacement. I fully inflate the BC and leave it for 24 hours, in a average temperature room without drastic temp. changes, and check it after the 24 hours. If it loses noticeable/felt pressure, it is a no go. A 10 - 15% air loss over 12 hour period is a fail and I would not dive with it. I have SEVERAL BC's in my locker filled now and have been there for over a week, no air loss at all. At most a very slight squeez due to temperature changes but no air loss.
At the end, a water test is in order. ANY leaks in the water test, I would not use the bc before repairing it or replacing the bladder or replacing the entire BC. My daughter, or anyone else, would not use an even slightly questionable BC in the ocean/sea.
Why? I've had one pumped up for 4 months without a sign of losing air.
Any BC that shows ANY amount of air loss over any length of time, must not be used and should be repaired, no if or buts about it. Losing air is radically different from air compression due to temperature changes (air temp. gets lower during storage than when BC was inflated).
I'm not trying to win anything. I asked why you think it is OK for a BC to lose air.
I don't think it is OK. I think a BC should be in good working order and not lose air pressure when inflated and used as it is normally used.
The disagreement is not if a BC should leak or not. The disagreement is about how many hours, weeks, months, or years a fully inflated BC should show no signs of losing some pressure.
My partially inflated wings never seem (no way to measure for sure) to lose any pressure when hanging. If I were to fully inflate it and allow it to sit on its own weight for a few days I may notice a slight loss in pressure but that would be more due to external forces of improper storage than some type of defect.
I know if my BC can hold full pressure for a few hours (as it dries) that is more than good enough for me. I would not leave a BC fully pressurized for days on end and you are unlikely to notice a slow leak without doing so unless you are not storing your BC properly.
By fully pressurizing your BC and leaving it sit for for days for no purpose other than to see how long it will hold air is nothing more than unnecessary wear and tear.
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