How bad is inhaling from BCD/Wing ?

[Basking Ridge Diver]

hence the question (I tend to double-check results of my thought processes )

In my opinion and how I rinse my BC - no I do not inflate my BC before adding water. I disconnect the inflator hose at the shoulder and fill the BC with water at the shoulder (watch for any rubber gaskets) - and I flush the inflator both sides while depressing the inflate button (from the oral side and shoulder side) and let water come out on both sides.
Sorry was reading only part of your post...

 

[Mustard Dave]

To all those folks that posted about not breathing from the bladder, being full of "yuckies" and dying as a result, can I please ask WTF you think is in your wing and when the last time was that you rinsed it? Unless you're talking about a rental or someone else's BCD, any bacteria in there had to come from your own lungs. Your own natural flora is not going to kill you. If you got seawater in it and those contaminants grow, then you're not taking care of your gear. Of course you rinse the inside of the bladder. And you can add a little myrazyme to disinfect it if you want. But I would not be concerned about taking s few breaths from the wing. I've done it for lengthy periods as a survival technique.


iPhone. iTypo. iApologize.

If you look at my last post, I posted a link to a documented case. I have no need to breathe off my wing so I don't do it. The risk of the same happening to me may be less than 1%, but if I never do it, it's nil.

 

[flots am]

Please explain how breathing from your bc can kill you.

I have to imagine that anyone who takes their maintenance at least somewhat seriously shouldn't have to worry about mold growing in and on their gear.

You have no idea what's growing in your BC and no way to ensure that cleaning kills/removes it.

There are actually bacteria that have contaminated packaged alcohol wipes, happily living in the alcohol. It's entirely possible that any BC contains horrific colonies of really-hard-to-kill bacteria or spores and you don't want them in your lungs.

Don't inhale from your BC. There's no reason for it and it's a significant and completely avoidable risk.

flots.

 

[Corlett]

One more thing to consider, as to avoid embarrasment
I used a new BCD for the first time and forgot to pre soak the cylinder straps, got geared up tightned the tank and when I lifted it via BCD to check if corectly tight, the tank slipped out and I got a lot of laughs... lol

New straps require a bit of a soak a new bcd will seem fine but slip unless you soak the strap first..

Not to divert from the initial subject or question, just thought was worth while mentioning, I also asked my instructor the same question, can you in case of emergency use air from BCD ? it is risky as explained above, but that depends on how good you maintain your gear, allways a good ideia to rinse, valves as well I am a great believer in maintaining and spending time examining your gear, after all you are putting your hands in tecnology, wouldn´t you like to know how things work and are they working correctly ?



My Bcd is MY BCD and I know how it is used and maintained allthough I am new to scuba I see more experienced divers doing simply ridiculous things that even a novice knows not to do, but that depends on the individual, diving is great and adictive, you can do it the right way and really enjoy it or the wrong way and play roulete ? ?

Hello,

I was wondering how risky/bad is to inhale air from BCD/Wing.
I got a new wing and the manufacturer says to rinse the inside of bladder after every dive. For this reason I have to manually inflate fully my wing with my mouth (I do not own a tank) for about 10 times to get the water out. However, when you inflate it especially when it is close to fully inflated sometimes air comes out and I was thinking if you actually inhale that air while you try to actually inflate it . How bad can this be ? I have read that the bladder can have bacteria/viruses/fungus and some of them are nasty and you should not breath them. Should I worry ?

Thanks in advance for your info.

Socc

 

[socc]

Hi guys,

Thanks all for your answers. I really like diving and since I am new to it - only got 10 dives - I am still learning.
I never took a breath out of the wing and I will never do except if I have to decide between death and actually breathing the air from the wind.
I always read the manuals of the gear and I try to maintain them the best I can.
I just asked that question because I want to know and I like to learn.

I am probably overthinking it as well since as I said I did not breath out of it, but some air came out (since the wing was almost full) from it while I was inflating it and if somehow this air could get into my lungs and harm me. That's all.

Anyway. It is always good to know and be safe. I always enjoy diving and I am a guy that follow the rules and procedures to the best of my ability.

Thanks,

Socc

 

[kelemvor]

You're definitely over thinking this. Don't deliberately breathe from it unless it's underwater and your choice is bladder or drowning. Don't spend tons of time worrying about it, either.


I clean my gear in my pool periodically because chlorine kills just about any bacteria. This includes deliberately getting chlorinated pool water into the bladder. I also rinse the inside of the bladder with some "slosh" and a garden hose using this adapter: Amazon.com : New BCD Flush Hose with Standard Inflator Adaptor : Diving Buoyancy Compensators : Sports & Outdoors

The slosh is just a mild soap with some perfume or something in it to make it smell good.

Every dive shop I can think of sells both the hose adapter and the slosh stuff if you want to support your LDS.

 

[Simon-]

I'm sure most of us who were taught breathing from an ABLJ are still about, not dead because of it

 

[Corlett]

Hello SOCC

As you say ``I really like diving and since I am new to it - only got 10 dives - I am still learning.´´ even instructors and 1/2/3 thousand dives plus divers still learn, there´s no problem at all with that, only good can come from it, and if one does not ask does not know..
I personally found this forum a great place to have `` silly ´´ questions answered, why do I say silly, because they may seem silly to some but if they are a concern they should be answered, and sometimes no matter how much you ask an individual they are unable to answer, fortunately enough now a days we have such forums....


like yourself I still have to log up dives and any questions I have.... I will be here on the forum asking the more experienced among us..

 

[Hatul]

I would not breathe from it except as a last resort. There's a case of someone who got a serious fungal lung infection from breathing from a BC.

Also a good idea to flush after day of diving and disinfect every few weeks.

 

[Crush]

Ive heard this one attributed to both Bob (Grateful Diver) - NWGrateful diver and GI3:

"Frankly, I'd suck a fart out of a donkey's ass if that's what it took to make it to the surface alive ..."