Auto Inflate LifeJacket Fail

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Offgridone

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I thought it might be a good idea to bring this up, I had been wearing an automatic inflation jacket for 2 years as I sail my boat alone anyway something happened and my dog ended up with the life jacket in his mouth so I decided I would pull the inflation cord just to check if the bladder had been punctured, it turned out that the Air Canister had become slightly undone and I mean half a turn if that, when I pulled the cord it just froze up big time around the top with ice without any inflation whatsoever.

I guess most on here have far more experience than me but I now make sure the canister us screwed up before I go boating.

They can become loose and fail.
 
Years ago I unscrewed the air cannister on my lifejacket for a plane trip, and then forgot to screw it back up, so sailed across the Atlantic with a lifejacket on which wouldn't have inflated.

Only found it a year later when I did the check and service on it.

Good job I didn't fall off I guess...
 
Bobc said:
Years ago I unscrewed the air cannister on my lifejacket for a plane trip, and then forgot to screw it back up, so sailed across the Atlantic with a lifejacket on which wouldn't have inflated.

Only found it a year later when I did the check and service on it.

Good job I didn't fall off I guess...
Click to expand...

Scary stuff, think we both got off lightly.

I am not a good swimmer and put a lot of trust into my life jacket guess we all do.
 
Once I jumped onto a pontoon and the cannister fell out of my lifejacket. Ever since I always check they are tight each time I put on a lifejacket. Quite often they are loose.
 
It would seem sensible if manufacturers used some type of locking device to prevent the canister undoing.
Do any exist like this?
 
coveman said:
It would seem sensible if manufacturers used some type of locking device to prevent the canister undoing.
Do any exist like this?
Click to expand...

Crewsaver's re-arm kits for their Hammar-based jackets include both the bottle itself and the back half of the inflator, supplied glued together so that the bottle can't unscrew. The inflator positively locks together so that can't come apart either.

(That said, I'm not generally a fan of Hammar, because of re-arm costs, risk of setting the thing off as you wash a jacket, and a tendency to slow leaks at the seal between inflator and bladder when reassembled.)

I've also heard of bottles that use a bayonet fitting instead of a thread, but I've not come across those or the fittings to use them.

On my three non-Hammar jackets, I just do the bottles up good and tight by hand and haven't had any trouble with them unscrewing.

Pete
 
On a sea survival course we were asked to bring our normal lifejackets and if we wanted to, to test them when jumping into the pool. Two out of the six auto inflated. Four were loose and two had gone off at some point without inflating the jacket and subsequently been tightened up anyway.
 
My jacket has theUML Pro type, with a pair of red/green indicators visible through a plastic window in front of the jacket. It looks like this:

https://i0.wp.com/rt-supplies.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/UML-Pro-Sensor.jpg?ssl=1

The valve had fallen below the window and I hadn't bothered to check it. When I finally did, both indicators were red. In other words, the actuator would not have worked and the CO2 cylinder was loose.

The other LJs in board were fine, but mine would have given me an unpleasant surprise. Please check if you have a plastic viewing window and make sure you can see the green tabs.

Good luck.
 
Dull Spark said:
My jacket has theUML Pro type, with a pair of red/green indicators visible through a plastic window in front of the jacket. It looks like this:

https://i0.wp.com/rt-supplies.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/UML-Pro-Sensor.jpg?ssl=1

The valve had fallen below the window and I hadn't bothered to check it. When I finally did, both indicators were red. In other words, the actuator would not have worked and the CO2 cylinder was loose.

The other LJs in board were fine, but mine would have given me an unpleasant surprise. Please check if you have a plastic viewing window and make sure you can see the green tabs.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

I think that's the same I had/have, the two green slots are not trustworthy at all in my experience, they were both green but the canister still iced up, I took the jacket apart on fail and it was full of ice.

I am thinking about buying a kayaking jacket instead to be honest.

I've just opened up my Seago Jacket and it was loose slightly.1547247922-picsay.jpg

I won't post anymore on the subject but I thought it best to bring it up.

Cheers.
 
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Ow sh't i just noticed this on my photo it says replace 01/19, does that mean the gas canister or the life jacket?
1547250887-picsay.jpg

Bloody boats are a money pit.
 
Time to replace the inflator, but I wouldn't worry too much if one turns out to be a bit more over. I once serviced a friend's LJs. All the inflators were 5 or 6 years out of date, but went off with a satisfying pop when dumped in a bowl of water. The date's pretty conservative, to cover the maker, and assumes less than optimal storage conditions.

The cylinders last indefinitely. Do a visual check - any rust or other damage and they're out, and weigh them. Mine have a minimum gross weight stamped on them (different for each cylinder) and, as long as they're over this, they're fine, but you need scales that are accurate to a gram. I use Milady's digital cooking scale.

As for the rest, a good visual once over - any damage worse than a dirty mark on the bladder or fraying of the straps and they're out. Blow 'em up, preferably with a pump, but I understand modern jackets won't come to any harm if you use your mouth, as I've done with mine for years, and there shouldn't be any sign of deflation after 24 hours. Put 'em back together, screwing the bottle in firmly. Getting everything to lie tidily can be a fiddle, but can be done with persistence rather than force, then they're good for another year.
 
Stemar said:
...
The cylinders last indefinitely. Do a visual check - any rust or other damage and they're out, and weigh them. Mine have a minimum gross weight stamped on them (different for each cylinder) and, as long as they're over this, they're fine, but you need scales that are accurate to a gram. I use Milady's digital cooking scale...
Click to expand...

Are you sure a kitchen scale is accurate enough?
 
Stemar said:
there shouldn't be any sign of deflation after 24 hours. Put 'em back together, screwing the bottle in firmly.
Click to expand...

Just a note for those whose jackets use Hammar inflators - do the inflation test after the last time you intend to disturb the bottle. I.e, don't do the overnight first thing and then replace expired inflators or take out and weigh the cylinders the next day. It's possible to reassemble the inflator but have it not quite seal onto the bladder properly, and the only way to tell is the inflation test.

This doesn't apply to UML and similar types where the inflator body remains attached to the bladder and the auto cartridge and cylinder unscrew from it. Those can be done in either order.

Pete
 
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