AP Valves/Diving Emergency Tanks of the Buddy Commando

[ChangeAgent]

I've been diving with those jackets in various versions over the years and currently have a Commando. Needless to say, I'm as happy as that famous pig next door.

One thing that repeatedly bothers me is that the small emergency tanks, which are painted, quickly get damaged (the paint chips off). Subsequently, the seawater initiates the corrosion process. If this occurs at the valve end, corrosion gradually works its way under the O-ring over time, resulting in a macro leak.

I discussed this issue a long time ago with the folks at AP and recently raised it again when I had new tanks installed under the valves. The discussions were informative but not effective.

Now, I've added a plumbing gasket to the bottom of the tank, somewhat like a boot similar to those on larger tanks. This helps a bit in protecting the bottom from chipping. However, it's far from ideal, and the top still gets chipped, and sometimes the middle too.

Does anybody out there have a solution that works or might work to protect the paint on the tank?

 

[MarkA]

I've been diving with those jackets in various versions over the years and currently have a Commando. Needless to say, I'm as happy as that famous pig next door.

One thing that repeatedly bothers me is that the small emergency tanks, which are painted, quickly get damaged (the paint chips off). Subsequently, the seawater initiates the corrosion process. If this occurs at the valve end, corrosion gradually works its way under the O-ring over time, resulting in a macro leak.

I discussed this issue a long time ago with the folks at AP and recently raised it again when I had new tanks installed under the valves. The discussions were informative but not effective.

Now, I've added a plumbing gasket to the bottom of the tank, somewhat like a boot similar to those on larger tanks. This helps a bit in protecting the bottom from chipping. However, it's far from ideal, and the top still gets chipped, and sometimes the middle too.

Does anybody out there have a solution that works or might work to protect the paint on the tank?

My final solution was to stop using it. This also coincided with using a twinset, along with a drysuit. This covered redundancy for me. The twinset also caused the emergency cylinder to dig into my kidney.

I did try breathing from the mouthpiece while using the emergency cylinder on my first ABLJ. The stress caused the mouthpiece to separate from the direct feed. Not an issue with recent jackets, but haven’t tried it since.

 

[ChangeAgent]

Thanks MarkA. I have tested breathing from it in the past without any problems. And to b honest it is my wife that feels extra sure with it that is why we still have them.

 

[MarkA]

Thanks MarkA. I have tested breathing from it in the past without any problems. And to b honest it is my wife that feels extra sure with it that is why we still have them.

I can sort of understand that. There was resistance at the club when we first started seeing BC’s without emergency cylinders.

The service from AP is normally very good, but I suppose it grates at £84 for an exchange.

 

[ChangeAgent]

The service from AP is normally very good, but I suppose it grates at £84 for an exchange.

Well not really. I need to pay about 75 for a MOT for the tank. So sending it in and having the valves serviced at the same time is a bargain in my humble opinion.

And yes the service is excellent! I agree.

So any tips folks how to help this not happen.

 

[SlugLife]

I'm not familiar with this "commando" device, but if you replace the tanks again, I'd wrap them in some kind of mesh-bag or material. You can buy mesh-material at a fabric-store by-the-yard.

 

[Edward3c]

In the early days of ABLJs most came with this 1Lt cylinder, and we were trained to use them for buoyancy control or to get a casualty to the surface. With the introduction of direct feeds teaching the use of these cylinders was dropped, as a result I concluded someone sending me to the surface by just opening the cylinder (a Polaris assent) was too dangerous so I stopped using them.

 

[ChangeAgent]

Yes Edward3c, I remember those days. Some also had a CO2 cartridge. Still in this case they are used as a emergency backup breathing system.

 

[ChangeAgent]

I'm not familiar with this "commando" device, but if you replace the tanks again, I'd wrap them in some kind of mesh-bag or material. You can buy mesh-material at a fabric-store by-the-yard.

yes the mesh is an idea, thanks, I thought about it too. But since you do not know the Commando, the thank will not fit in the holder if you put mesh around it.

 

[graham_s]

I'm not familiar with this "commando" device, but if you replace the tanks again, I'd wrap them in some kind of mesh-bag or material. You can buy mesh-material at a fabric-store by-the-yard.

The Buddy Commando is a model of BCD. It used to be ubiquitous amongst UK divers.
They're practically indestructible, and actually have a NATO stock number, as they are military issue.
They are also capable of mounting a twin set.