Unusual Inflater Connection Problem

[Aggiebq86]

I am looking at an older BCD to purchase but when I was trying to hook up my inflator hose the quick disconnect seems to be a different diameter fitting. There is a great deal of leakage that occurs when the hose is hooked up to the BCD and it is not a tight fit. There is a lot of play in the connection. Were there different size fittings used on these? I thought they were standardized.

I'll have to double check the make and model, but I think it was a Seaquest and was very streamlined. Not much more than a harness and back inflation bladder. Great for vacation travel.

 

[Damselfish]

yep, there are some different size fittings. You'd like to think they would be standardized, but noooo... Not sure how many there are but I think some older equipment or alternate air inflators are where you are more likely to run into a mismatch. I could be wrong. The inflator hose should generally come with the BC so you'll have one that fits.

Friend of mine just had an older reg serviced before vacation, and for some mysterious reason they swapped his inflator hose for a different one. Not something it occurred to him to check, and he arrived at his destination and found he couldn't connect his inflator hose to his (also old) BC.

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

Seaquest is one that uses different fittings. Very much a pain in the butt.

 

[Aggiebq86]

Is there an adapter so I don't have to swap out a hose on my reg? I'd hate to be tied to on BCD with my reg set. Or can I easily swap out the fitting on the BCD?

 

[tfsails]

There are three sizes of BCD fittings: the standard one which is by far the majority, the ScubaPro one which looks like a standard air chuck fitting and the Mares/Zeagle fitting which looks more like a straight pipe with an indentation near the opening. The Scubapro hose fitting is pretty big on the outside and it doesn't come close to fitting on the standard fitting. The Mares/Zeagle fitting can be on a hose that looks from the outside like a standard hose. That hose has a three-initial name which escapes me now (something like "MQR" or something like that...). I'm pretty sure SeaQuest uses this hose.

If you look down into the end of a standard LP inflator hose, you'll see the end of a Schreader valve which will remind you of what you see when you put air in your car tires. Looking down the end of an MQR hose, you'll see what looks like the inside of a minature tea cup. That's how you tell the difference. The MQR will not fit on a standard male fitting. The standard hose will not fit on an MQR fitting.

The two larger-sized hoses are used on BCDs with safe seconds installed in lieu of the octopus. The standard inflator hose/fitting cannot deliver enough air for the diver to breathe on under stress, hence the larger size.

 

[Cap335]

Seaquest made a slimline inflator for a few years with a smaller than normal fitting. If you buy it you would probably need to switch out the inflator. If I remember right there isn't enough room to plug in the hose if you just switch the nipple.

Randy

 

[mahjong]

Wasn't aware that a Scubapro standard power inflator fitting was not the "majority" standard? Are you thinking of the Air 2 hose fitting?

There are three sizes of BCD fittings: the standard one which is by far the majority, the ScubaPro one which looks like a standard air chuck fitting and the Mares/Zeagle fitting which looks more like a straight pipe with an indentation near the opening. The Scubapro hose fitting is pretty big on the outside and it doesn't come close to fitting on the standard fitting. The Mares/Zeagle fitting can be on a hose that looks from the outside like a standard hose. That hose has a three-initial name which escapes me now (something like "MQR" or something like that...). I'm pretty sure SeaQuest uses this hose.

If you look down into the end of a standard LP inflator hose, you'll see the end of a Schreader valve which will remind you of what you see when you put air in your car tires. Looking down the end of an MQR hose, you'll see what looks like the inside of a minature tea cup. That's how you tell the difference. The MQR will not fit on a standard male fitting. The standard hose will not fit on an MQR fitting.

The two larger-sized hoses are used on BCDs with safe seconds installed in lieu of the octopus. The standard inflator hose/fitting cannot deliver enough air for the diver to breathe on under stress, hence the larger size.

 

[DevonDiver]

Is there an adapter so I don't have to swap out a hose on my reg? I'd hate to be tied to on BCD with my reg set. Or can I easily swap out the fitting on the BCD?

You can either swap the entire inflator hose (screws onto BCD) or just swap the LPI module itself (normally tie-wraps to the end of the hose).

If your BCD is a Seaquest, then this manual may help:

http://www.aqualung.com/technical_library/SQ_BC_OM.pdf

(tip: you can google to find most BCD service manuals online)

 

[Aggiebq86]

It must be the Seaquest slim line. That accurately describes what I saw. It looked like the normal one but skinnier.

 

[Aggiebq86]

I pulled the BCD out today an it is a Seaquest Dimension.