Is Dive Right's remote exhaust dump valve (elbow) safe?

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Not a fan of remote dumps:

1) Not particularly functional when horizontal.
2) Encourages tugging against the wing/hose junction.
3) Exhaust valve is another failure point, but with little benefit.

Yes, yes and yes. I thought about fitting one once to my wing but then asked myself why and couldn't think of any good reasons, saw some potential failures, didn't see any additional benefits so scrapped the idea. I primarily use my lower dump.
 
The safety issue is trivial at most for recreational diving. But it is mostly an unnecessary gadget. The one case I can think of where it is useful is if you use a combined octo/inflator (another discussion). In that case. the pull dump provides another way of venting you BC while sharing air. If you don't really have a good reason for using one, I suggest you use the simple elbow until you figure out why you need the pull dump.

BTW, I started diving using an Air2 with pull dump and really though I needed it. After a few configuration changes I found that the Air2 and a slung pony were not compatible and switched to a bungeed octo and short corrugated hose with a simple elbow. It did not take long at all to get used to it and realize I had no need for a pull dump.
 
As to the safety factor, they have been in use for a long time and have caused very few safety issues if any. They have been known to cause a couple of annoyance issues though.

Recreational diving should not bring forth any issues with it as long as you do not PULL too hard and damage the wing in the process.
 
Is the pull dump safe to use? Sure. You don't think that Dive Rite, Scubapro, Aqualung and other BC manufacturers would put out gears that are purposely unsafe and would kill divers?

Is it necessary or even convenient? I don't think so.

It's hard to gauge how much air would come out of that sucker when you pull it. Sometimes you just want a little out and a lot would come out instead.

Not to mention I've seen newbies tugging on those damn things so hard that the corrugated hose would come off the fitting. Of course, you can't blame the equipment for operator's error, but if it isn't there, then they wouldn't tug on it.
 

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