How often to service power inflator?

[Scoooter961]

I have the Aqua Lung Pro HD BCD and have never serviced the power inflator. I clean it by flushing fresh water through it after every trip. How often do you all service them or do you just replace them with something like this? 45-degree Oral Power Inflator | Dive Gear Express®


I have never had any problems with it sticking and I would rather not.

 

[kelemvor]

I've had one stick. Ever since then (and given the low cost) I replaced the power inflator annually. Eventually I switched to an air2, and service it with my other regulators.

 

[rsingler]

The inflator is probably the single most failure-prone item in your kit, due to retained salt crystals and verdigris corrosion. Rinsing after every trip is the key to good function. But since the consequences of a stuck inflator are severe unless you're fast on the disconnect, I'd recommend service every year. The Aqualung inflator isn't the most robust, nor the easiest to service. So I can't argue with buying a new $15 k-inflator every year. They're very easy to service, and you can really do it yourself.
Me? Since I see stuck or encrusted inflators all the time in the shop, I actually plunked down the $$ for Atomic's titanium model. The buttons are large and easier to handle than the k-inflator, and the titanium parts are not susceptible to verdigris. You only have to rinse for salt. I expect never to have to buy another in my diving career. I absolutely love it. Well engineered; well built.

 

[JackD342]

Aqualung recommendation is annual service, same as most manufacturers.
If you have it serviced with the AL kit, it also includes a fresh Schrader valve and o-ring for the LP hose, the only one I know of that goes that extra bit.

 

[Scoooter961]

Aqualung recommendation is annual service, same as most manufacturers.
If you have it serviced with the AL kit, it also includes a fresh Schrader valve and o-ring for the LP hose, the only one I know of that goes that extra bit.

Thanks, it's probably cheaper to just replace it than to get it serviced.

 

[michael-fisch]

Some of mine haven't been serviced in 20 years. On the other hand, a few years ago Halcyon had real problems with their "high quality" metal inflators needing service more often than yearly. Haven't heard any gripes about current Halcyon inflators for a few years now.

Michael

 

[JackD342]

As with much equipment both in and out of diving, a 12 month service interval recommendation should NOT equate to an expectation of problems at month 13 or 14. So, how long should you wait? No way to tell you that this dive will be okay and the dive next week will go wrong. So yes, better too much than too little, "just right" is out of scope.

 

[W W Meixner]

I have the Aqua Lung Pro HD BCD and have never serviced the power inflator. I clean it by flushing fresh water through it after every trip. How often do you all service them or do you just replace them with something like this? 45-degree Oral Power Inflator | Dive Gear Express®


I have never had any problems with it sticking and I would rather not.

Scooter...

DGX...$16.95...hardly worth the time/cost to service...rubber mouth-piece included...

Warren...

 

[fmerkel]

About annually. I overhaul them with the DGX kit (cheap, not difficult with the proper tool), and carry a spare in the SADK. It's one of the more likely items to fail on a dive.

 

[loosenit2]

The inflator is probably the single most failure-prone item in your kit, due to retained salt crystals and verdigris corrosion. Rinsing after every trip is the key to good function.

Using one of these to rinse the internals will help with salt tremendously, makes it easier to rinse bladders, and reduces service needs.

https://www.amazon.com/Innovative-Flush-Hose-Inflator-Adapter/dp/B00DQV7DBY