Power Inflator for Small Hands

[Incunabula]

My wife recently transitioned to a Subgravity BPW setup, which she loves with one exception: the exhaust button on the power inflator is too stiff for her. She has tiny hands and just can't seem to get good leverage on it, especially while stretching her arm upwards. She can actuate it with a lot of effort in a more relaxed position, but she's very stressed by the prospect of having to do it quickly under pressure. For the time being I've swapped it out for the Aqualung Powerline 2 inflator from her old jacket, but I'd like to get her on a drift-pin design in the long-run.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a drift-pin, k-type inflator with a softer exhaust press. Or do they all use a standard spring tension? I can get the spring out and measure the constant to find a softer one, but it's difficult to find any data about a safe minimum spring tension. My feeling is that it's not that sensitive, since the more air there is in the wing, the firmer it should close, but if anyone has any specific knowledge about it, I'd love to hear it.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Maybe try their inflator with stainless steel buttons?
Inflator with metal buttons - SubGravity

 

[crofrog]

My wife recently transitioned to a Subgravity BPW setup, which she loves with one exception: the exhaust button on the power inflator is too stiff for her. She has tiny hands and just can't seem to get good leverage on it, especially while stretching her arm upwards. She can actuate it with a lot of effort in a more relaxed position, but she's very stressed by the prospect of having to do it quickly under pressure. For the time being I've swapped it out for the Aqualung Powerline 2 inflator from her old jacket, but I'd like to get her on a drift-pin design in the long-run.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a drift-pin, k-type inflator with a softer exhaust press. Or do they all use a standard spring tension? I can get the spring out and measure the constant to find a softer one, but it's difficult to find any data about a safe minimum spring tension. My feeling is that it's not that sensitive, since the more air there is in the wing, the firmer it should close, but if anyone has any specific knowledge about it, I'd love to hear it.

Teach her to use the kidney dump as well.


All of the ones I’ve tried are the same more or less. Maybe the new scubapro ones are different?

 

[broncobowsher]

Pick up a generic one off DGX?
Swap out the new one for the old one off the old BC? These things are amazingly generic and interchangable.

 

[undrwater]

I can get the spring out and measure the constant to find a softer one, but it's difficult to find any data about a safe minimum spring tension.

I don't think there's such a thing. I could be wrong. Under gas pressure, I believe the valve wants to be closed.

McMaster Carr should have a spring of similar size, but reduced tension.

As long as the button resets, you should be good.

 

[Incunabula]

Teach her to use the kidney dump as well.


All of the ones I’ve tried are the same more or less. Maybe the new scubapro ones are different?

She's comfortable with the rear dump. The issue is with controlling ascent. That Scubapro inflator is too expensive to test, although it wouldn't surprise me if they've done more ergonomic tuning.

 

[Incunabula]

I don't think there's such a thing. I could be wrong. Under gas pressure, I believe the valve wants to be closed.

McMaster Carr should have a spring of similar size, but reduced tension.

As long as the button resets, you should be good.

This is what I was thinking

 

[James79]

This is what I was thinking

Did her previous BCD power inflator work well for her? If it did and has the same corrugated hose size you could just trade them out (or if it was a rental find a that same power inflator to buy).

Respectfully,

James

 

[thomschoon]

I swapped for a Scubapro “tec”, same feeling. as the cheap K-Style, I now have an Apeks with metal buttons that is rebuildable which is smoother and less spring tension. I found the cheap generic ones were just as good as the expensive versions.

 

[happy-diver]

Liberate yourselves, install a shoulder dump