Does a pull-dump stress the corrugated hose flange?

[muddiver]

An octo-inflater is at worst an annoyance, and certainly not a death trap.

However a shoulder dump integrated into the inflator hose almost does qualify as a death trap, since it's really easy for a stressed out diver to pull hard enough to break the cable and tear the hose, leaving a BC that won't hold air without some clear thinking and the ability to maintain head-down trim.

I haven't used mine since almost ten years ago, when I ripped the hose off over a wall in Cozumel. The "rings" that make the hose flexible are perfect perforations and rip really easily if dried out, nicked or cracked at all.

Terry

Sound to me like you need to upgrade your equipment a little more often if it is getting to the point that the hoses are cracking.

 

[bkotheimer]

Let's think this the rest of the way through...

You're going to put the octo-inflator in your mouth...and then pull on it to vent from the shoulder dump?

:shocked2:

In theory, that's why Seaquest/Aqualung and Aeris/Oceanic offer mid-hose pull-dump grips on their octo-inflators. I'm not saying any of this is a good idea (or not). I just believe that if someone were to install an octo-inflator,they would want all of the following:

1. A long hose on the primary for donation
2. A pull-dump on the corrugated hose for venting during ascent
3. A grip on the midway point of the hose for utilizing the pull-dump without yanking the reg out of one's own mouth

It seems like a reliable system could be built around these best practices. However, the long-hose crowd still disapproves while the octo-inflator crowd doesn't seem to think any of the three are a requirement.

I'm on the fence myself, though leaning toward the necklace. One way or the other, my standard yellow-hosed reef-dragger has got to go.

 

[RJP]

I just believe that if someone were to install an octo-inflator,they would want all of the following:

1. A long hose on the primary for donation
2. A pull-dump on the corrugated hose for venting during ascent
3. A grip on the midway point of the hose for utilizing the pull-dump without yanking the reg out of one's own mouth

4. A third arm/hand

 

[Web Monkey]

Sound to me like you need to upgrade your equipment a little more often if it is getting to the point that the hoses are cracking.

Mine had a nick (actually a of pit molded into the hose) and a corroded cable inside, however cracks will also do it.

The point is that any function that's activated by yanking on an important hose has been poorly engineered. If I hadn't been yanking on the hose, it wouldn't have torn.

Terry

 

[willembad]

Just an FYI. I have long since given up on my octo inflator, but you can easily vent with it in your mouth. You do have to break horizontal trim to do it, but if you are head-up and push the big square the wing will dump no matter what you are doing with the reg. They really aren't as bad as most make them out although I prefer the bungied second.

Willem

 

[The Kraken]

The frequent elongation and contraction of any expanding material will reduce its useful life and, to some extent. that of the points to which it is attached.

Now, the question you ask can be answered only by documented, empirical evidence (read: testing) of the particular part to which you allude.

But the greater question is, "What is the problematic significance of the stress put upon that part?"

That's kinda-sorta like a DIR question: there are possibilites and there are probabilities.

Anything is possible, but what is the probability?

the K

 

[fnfalman]

Since that Dive Rite puts out high quality diving products, I seriously doubt that they would purposely put out something with "failure points" that would cause death and destruction. As a matter of fact, whenever I hear somebody mention "failure points", I tend to run away or turn off my hearing device the same way I hear a PADI Master Scuba Diver lecturing others on diving skills.

As far as to why would somebody want a pull dump...why not? Why would somebody want a bungie corded octo around the neck instead of just simply getting a neck octo holder and not having to deal with knots. Why would somebody want to go with black gears when that person isn't in the military ready to do some serious combat incursions? Why would somebody go with Worthington tanks instead of Faber tanks? Why would a person go with a fixed blade knife instead of a pocket knife? Why is the sky blue? Why is the lake water green?

Anyway, for the person that wants to be able to yank on the pull dump while using the inline octo, I gotta say, "Huh?" The vent button works very well while you're breathing through the inline octo. Don't need to be pulling anything.

BTW, I don't care much for shoulder pull dumps personally, but whatever float people's boats. And no, you ain't gonna die if you dive with a shoulder pull dump despite it being another "failure point". You know what the biggest "failure point" is? The freakin' lungs!!! They don't breath water.

 

[fnfalman]

The point is that any function that's activated by yanking on an important hose has been poorly engineered. If I hadn't been yanking on the hose, it wouldn't have torn.

Terry

You're not suppose to be yanking on hoses. You're suppose to pull on them.

 

[Web Monkey]

You're not suppose to be yanking on hoses. You're suppose to pull on them.

You're actually not supposed to do either. The wire is attached to the inflator with a pin.

It's a silly user interface, and for a new diver, the subtleties of whether you pull on the hose or the inflator attached to the hose, isn't always apparent.

I'm having a hard time thinking of a less useful, less intuitive valve actuating method.

Terry

 

[Sinbad the Diver]

You're actually not supposed to do either. The wire is attached to the inflator with a pin.

It's a silly user interface, and for a new diver, the subtleties of whether you pull on the hose or the inflator attached to the hose, isn't always apparent.

I'm having a hard time thinking of a less useful, less intuitive valve actuating method.

Terry

I have that feature on my Genesis BC, though I didn't know it until recently when the cap on it came off on a boat between dives and I had to reassemble it. I still haven't used it but I do consider it a rather intelligent concept (I won't get into the likelihood of failure discussion because that's a data driven debate and I don't have the data).

You put your hand on the inflator just like you would when you vent with the button and give a gentle pull. I have always found that venting air while in a horizontal position with the inflator hose is rather awkward, being able to simply pull on the hose rather than lifting it over your shoulder so it can vent seems much easier. Same with in a vertical position during an ascent.

Now that I know I have it I'm going to try it out on my next quarry trip, see how it works. Maybe this device should end up on the list with split fins and spare air .