Life Jacket Lesson

[PetiteFleur]

I've checked all my life lifejackets and they all tested ok. But I did inflate the only manual one - inflated ok and ordered new bits for the auto lifejackets - all turned up by next day delivery either Halkey Roberts or UML bits but when I checked the manual one I had tested it was marked HENCO. So the extra green clips I'd ordered didn't fit - I had not heard of Henco before... I might just scrap it as quite old.
Grahams376 pics show the bits for a Halkey Roberts firing mechanism - they look like the one I have on a junior lifejacket.

 

[Stemar]

Maybe you can tell me how long is a piece of string ?

When you go out there each morning to your car - you expect it to start ? How do you know it will start ?

Silly question - same as yours TBH ...

I've heard of a few cases where new or recently professionally serviced LJs didn't inflate because the cylinder hadn't been screwed in tightly.

 

[onesea]

How many of you lot shake and upend your Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers ?? How many just leave them in the mounts year after year and expect them to perform when called ?

it’s not just shaking them, if they are well compacted tap them against a bulkhead. You should be able to feel the powder move freely within the bottle when it’s turned.

 

[Bav32]

Once, while having a safety check by RNLI at a racing event, an over jealous RNLI crewman whilst checking the tightness of the gas cylinder, decided, having found the cylinder tight, to "give it another half turn" actually burst the fitting. As a result declared LJ failed. Had to buy another to co tune the event.
LJ was only a couple of years old.
Lesson learned, any Inspections, I now demonstrate that the cylinder is tight.
PS do my own check is annually, and Inflate with dinghy pump for 48 hours. Anything suspect gets rejected.

 

[Refueler]

Do you have a link? I couldn't find any like these -

eBay - Lifejacket Bobbin .... in various sizes.

 

[Graham376]

eBay - Lifejacket Bobbin .... in various sizes.

Thanks I'll have a search. I think @PetiteFleur has pointed me to the correct make.

 

[Refueler]

Thanks I'll have a search. I think @PetiteFleur has pointed me to the correct make.

I'm really busy at present - but will measure the bobbin and parts on the jackets ... I'm interested in which are correct ones as well !

 

[Graham376]

I'm really busy at present - but will measure the bobbin and parts on the jackets ... I'm interested in which are correct ones as well !

Just measured mine

 

[srm]

If I have read thread correctly some people have inflated LJs with CO2 cylinder, then replaced the consumables. Just a thought, does the CO2 adversely effect the bladder material: thinking of low temperature as gas expands, stretch of material? Obviously not immediately after first use, but after second or third inflations perhaps? They are usually folded in the same places so weakness along folds?
As I said, just a thought.

 

[srm]

just cos they are new, how do you know they will inflate properly ?

Well .... I wore a new automatic life jacket whenever on the water for work. After a couple of years we serviced it (and a couple of others that colleagues had used), and found firing mechanisms were incorrectly assembled. They would not have inflated in the water.

 

[Refueler]

Well .... I wore a new automatic life jacket whenever on the water for work. After a couple of years we serviced it (and a couple of others that colleagues had used), and found firing mechanisms were incorrectly assembled. They would not have inflated in the water.

I assume they were recognised brands ?

Assembly ... not a LJ - but could have had catastrophic results :

Bought Volvo XC70 from Volvo dealer .... after its pre-delivery inspection - I was driving it and I could detect a rumble / something wrong at front a day or so after taking the car. I phoned dealer and was asked to drive the car to them ... (3hrs drive). My Wife and I decided to make a day of it in Riga .. bigger shops etc.
Halfway to them - it got so bad I had to stop ... I walked round car .. kicking wheels / trying to find what was so wrong ... nothing. I called Volvo and requested they send pick-up truck ... they refused ... so I told them that I was going to get car to nearest auto service I could find and then send them the bill.
Luckily about 2kms we found an auto service and we explained ... they jacked up the car and guy started gesturing to us ...

One front wheel - the nuts were barely holding ... as he said - another few KM's and that wheel would have made a bid for freedom.

He took wheel off and checked hub / disc etc. luckily no damage to wheel or car - so wheel back on .. tightened up and checked all others. Car was fine then.
I got him to talk to Volvo ... I could hear the discussion ... Volvo refusing to accept any blame whatsoever ...

I found out later when I had to have its first service with them as part of the sale ... a 'junior mechanic' had been given the job of PDI .. and my car was not only one he'd been forgetfull on ... I refused to take the car until I had them physically in front of me all wheel nuts.

My point is : Brand name does not g'tee this not happening.

I know of Bedford Trucks many years ago rolling of the line with wheel nuts missing - just thrown into the cab as the line had to keep moving and if the guy detailed to the job was slow - he didn't finish the job - truck moved to next guy who had a different job ...

 

[Refueler]

OK .. rec'd CO2 cylinders this morning .... I have an old spare from many years ago ....

Testing cheapo LJ's :

Screwed it into one of the cheap LJ's ...... found the thread was a bit raw - so care with the cylinder screwing in to make sure it stayed straight ... was tight threads ... but managed to get cylinder all way home .....
Pulled cord - inflated without trouble ...

Removed cylinder - replaced green clip (standard large clip) ..... deflated LJ ... screwed in new cylinder - now threads are easier after first cylinder - folded and bagged.
Other LJ - holder threads were cleaner and cylinder screwed in nicely.

 

[LiftyK]

Encouraged by your post, I gave my four family life jackets a test. In the process I decided to replace a Hammar firing mechanism as it was long out of date, and the spare re-arming kit I have was even older. To my horror, the re-arming kit is now priced close to £50. Further, the kit always includes the hydrostatic unit and a gas bottle (though the gas bottle can’t cost much to produce). At this silly price I decided to buy a new life jacket. What a shame it is not more affordable to keep things going when the rest of the life jacket was fine.

Meanwhile the replacement jacket did not use a Hammar firing mechanist and the re-arming kit cost £24. Still a lot but a whole lot better than £50.

 

[Refueler]

Encouraged by your post, I gave my four family life jackets a test. In the process I decided to replace a Hammar firing mechanism as it was long out of date, and the spare re-arming kit I have was even older. To my horror, the re-arming kit is now priced close to £50. Further, the kit always includes the hydrostatic unit and a gas bottle (though the gas bottle can’t cost much to produce). At this silly price I decided to buy a new life jacket. What a shame it is not more affordable to keep things going when the rest of the life jacket was fine.

Meanwhile the replacement jacket did not use a Hammar firing mechanist and the re-arming kit cost £24. Still a lot but a whole lot better than £50.

Auto jackets work fine as manual - so no need to bin them ... just relegate to inventory in case of having 'extra people' on board.

33gr cylinders - I just bought 4 for 50 euros incl shipping ... BUT they did not come with green locking tabs. When buying online - check carefully the items list that you will receive - to make sure you get the tabs ...
If you test fire your jacket - note that the green tab usually does not break and is still usable ... it just clips back on ... Just make sure you catch it when it springs off !!

 

[lustyd]

Encouraged by your post, I gave my four family life jackets a test. In the process I decided to replace a Hammar firing mechanism as it was long out of date, and the spare re-arming kit I have was even older. To my horror, the re-arming kit is now priced close to £50. Further, the kit always includes the hydrostatic unit and a gas bottle (though the gas bottle can’t cost much to produce). At this silly price I decided to buy a new life jacket. What a shame it is not more affordable to keep things going when the rest of the life jacket was fine.

Meanwhile the replacement jacket did not use a Hammar firing mechanist and the re-arming kit cost £24. Still a lot but a whole lot better than £50.

You’re shopping at the wrong place. As mentioned earlier in the thread rt-supplies are cheaper and sell individual parts.
Hammar Parts Archives - RT Supplies Ltd

 

[LiftyK]

You’re shopping at the wrong place. As mentioned earlier in the thread rt-supplies are cheaper and sell individual parts.
Hammar Parts Archives - RT Supplies Ltd

Thank you. I’m on the case.

 

[LiftyK]

Auto jackets work fine as manual - so no need to bin them ... just relegate to inventory in case of having 'extra people' on board.

33gr cylinders - I just bought 4 for 50 euros incl shipping ... BUT they did not come with green locking tabs. When buying online - check carefully the items list that you will receive - to make sure you get the tabs ...
If you test fire your jacket - note that the green tab usually does not break and is still usable ... it just clips back on ... Just make sure you catch it when it springs off !!

Good advice. The replaced life jacket will indeed serve well as a maybe auto but definitely manual jacket.