Lp Inflator Questions

[Dominick Gheesling]

So, I have been learning about lp inflators the hard way recently. I had a small, tiny, champagne bubble leak the other day where inflator hose and stem from inflator connect. It was hard to tell if it was the stem or the hose connection. Upon outside counsel, I attempted gently tightening the chrome-plated brass stem into the body of the inflator. Did I mention gently. I mean seriously, I hardly whispered any torque at this thing and it stripped the plastic threads inside the inflator body. Not at all discouraged, I tried it out on another inflator just to be certain this was not an anomaly. Yes, that one stripped just as easily.

What did I learn, Don't tighten the stem on an lp inflator.

Of course, I thought maybe it will still work. So I tightened it to just snug, just before stripping and gave it a try.

Next dive, Everything is set up. System has been charged for some time. Actually just in the process of putting the doubles on my back, I hear massive air leak (yes it was from the inflator stem). Shut down the gas.

Again, not to be dicouraged, I immediately start looking for teflon tape in the truck. Yes, I said teflon tape to wrap the threads. Can't find teflon tape. Plenty of duct tape. So, substitute duct tape for teflon and wrap the threads before installing the stem back into the body. Charge the system. Everything holds. Shake it around, beat on it, everything still holds together. Come up with plan for if it does fail in system: Immediately shut down right post, switch to backup reg, manually inflate wing, exit. We dive. Eighty minutes, beautiful dive, no problems. Instructed by team member to immediately change out this inflator when I get home, which I have just done.

So, as I started looking for solutions to my dilemma other than simply never tightening the stem on an lp inflator it appeared that many, many manufacturers use the exact same generic inflator for their wings. I was wondering if there was a different solution out there. Also, I am still seriously wondering if teflon tape, wrapping the threads on the inflator stem is a legitimate fix to keep the stem secure? Just wondering. Don't worry, I just threw the two bad inflators in the trash.

The identities of some characters have been specifically left out so that they might just sit back comfortably and shake their heads in shame.

[rddvet]

The current inflators everybody seems to be using suck. I had one that kept unscrewing at the stem. I used loctite and it worked a while. The reality is theyre $16 at dgx. Ive always got 2 backups in my dive box. Theyre so cheap and my time is worth more than $16 that I consider them disposable. They bubble, they hit the trash and I move on. Same woth hp spools. I?vw got no patience for changing those tiny oringa


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[Terry D]

The current inflators everybody seems to be using suck. I had one that kept unscrewing at the stem. I used loctite and it worked a while. The reality is theyre $16 at dgx. Ive always got 2 backups in my dive box. Theyre so cheap and my time is worth more than $16 that I consider them disposable. They bubble, they hit the trash and I move on. Same woth hp spools. I?vw got no patience for changing those tiny oringa


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What he said!

[Pavão]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen them leak at the stem, generally inflators “go bad” by auto inflating your wing, whenever I see bubbles there, it’s the oring on the hose (replaceble), nothing to do with the inflator itself.

... Come up with plan for if it does fail in system: Immediately shut down right post, switch to backup reg, manually inflate wing, exit. We dive. Eighty minutes, beautiful dive, no problems. Instructed by team member to immediately change out this inflator when I get home, which I have just done...

A simpler and safer solution here would be to just disconnect the stem from the hose, and faster. Would solve the leak problem and maintain a working long hose, same solution to an autoiflating, disconnect and revert to oral inflation.
But the safest one has already been mentioned, I too keep a brand new one in my spares box

[rddvet]

I don?t think I?ve ever seen them leak at the stem, generally inflators ?go bad? by auto inflating your wing, whenever I see bubbles there, it?s the oring on the hose (replaceble), nothing to do with the inflator itself.


A simpler and safer solution here would be to just disconnect the stem from the hose, and faster. Would solve the leak problem and maintain a working long hose, same solution to an autoiflating, disconnect and revert to oral inflation.
But the safest one has already been mentioned, I too keep a brand new one in my spares box

When mine fail they fail one of two ways. The inflator button gets sticky or bubbles. The stem bubbles. Ive had more stem bubbles.


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[Pavão]

When mine fail they fail one of two ways. The inflator button gets sticky or bubbles. The stem bubbles. Ive had more stem bubbles.


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Interesting. Whenever you’ve experienced that, was the stem also lose? You mentioned current inflators used earlier, when was the first time you had one leak? I think my newest wing is no more than 6-7 years old

[rddvet]

Interesting. Whenever you?ve experienced that, was the stem also lose? You mentioned current inflators used earlier, when was the first time you had one leak? I think my newest wing is no more than 6-7 years old

Generally its because the stem is loose. Interstingly all of the stem failures occurred on my sidemount setups. I think the angles the hoses come to the inflator from the sm tanks is a factor. The metal to plastic connection of the stem leads to easily stripping or cracking threads. I think I?ve had at least 4 leak from the stem in the past 5 years.
Most of the other failures are bubbles at the inflate button and since I go between sm, bm, and rb, sometimes some inflators sit for a while. So I?ve had a few that I test before using that have had the inflator button stick or not work presumably from the orings sitting unused.


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[Sludge]

I use Scubapro Balanced Power Inflators exclusively. Okay, I have three limited edition clear ones.

That said, I have never had one fail. I don't know if I've ever rebuilt one, except when I first got them. I got all of them off eBay.

All Scubapro Balanced Power Inflators since 1980 are way better than the cheap generic ones that come with most BCs and/or wings.

[rddvet]

Okay, I have three limited edition clear ones.

.

Braggard.

I finally have a crystal g250 so ai wont complain. Though I still havent used it since you serviced it. It?s too special to get dinged up.


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[Diverlee]

The problem I keep having is I can?t connect the inflator hose to the inflator unless the gas is off. It?s become a real pia


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