Life Jacket re-arming kits

[Cheeky Girl]

Had my Lifejacket (Spinlock) inspected by the RNLI and they noticed that the auto-inflate was expired only by a year so not too bad

Then went to look at the spare I carry and it expired in 2010 not so good as I only bought my jacket about 5 years ago and ordered a spare just after.

What wouldl an acceptable expiry date be for a replacement and does it need to be replaced as all bars are green?

Do i just chuck out the expired ones?

Thanks

 

[Stemar]

I'd chuck out the 12 year old one, though I'd put good money on it going off just fine if you chuck it in a bucket of water.

Keep the one that's expired by a year as an emergency spare, in case one goes off on passage.

An acceptable expiry date for me would be some time in the future, even though I know full well that an expired one will work perfectly well. BTW, the gas bottles don't expire. They have a minimum weight stamped on them and, as long as they're at or over that and have no more than a minimum of surface rust, they're fine.

There are any number of YT videos on how to service your LJS, which should be done annually. DIY and you know they're right.

 

[Whaup367]

There are three types: Hammar (hydrostatic), UML (paper diaphragm) & Halkey-Roberts (salt bobbin). I think Spinlock only use the first two.

The Hammar ones have a shelf life of up to five years, the UML's up to three (two advised once installed, IIRC). The CO2 catridges will normally outlast them but need to be checked for unexpected discharge (hole in top!), corrosion, content (weigh them) and need to be securely in place, so they don't leak. Worth inflating the bladder manually to confirm it doesn't leak, too!

Yes, the expired one should be chucked (though you could argue that if you've used all the in-date rearming kits, then an expired one that might work is better then a missing one that definitely won't!!) ... I've had an in-date one inflate spontaneously, which means the CO2 cartridge and plastic retainer tab need doing, too, and hence costs more than just an auto-release replacement.

For clarity, you can buy the auto-release cartridges separately, BTW, so you don't need to get a re-arming kit with the right release, C02 and retaining tab, if it's just the auto-bit that needs changing.

Hope this helps.

 

[Caer Urfa]

Why anyone complains about the cost of their life jacket heavens knows, YOU are the one that's wearing it (I hope) so how valuable are you?

 

[Whaup367]

Why anyone complains about the cost of their life jacket heavens knows, YOU are the one that's wearing it (I hope) so how valuable are you?

No-one on this thread has complained about the cost... though it has been argued elsewhere that the main benefit of a lifejacket isn't to you but to your friends & relatives, since it makes it much easier to locate your body.

 

[wonkywinch]

No-one on this thread has complained about the cost... though it has been argued elsewhere that the main benefit of a lifejacket isn't to you but to your friends & relatives, since it makes it much easier to locate your body.

Especially since cold water shock will probably kill most of the average age of sailors I see around the Solent before the LJ inflates

 

[lustyd]

Products Archive - RT Supplies Ltd is a useful place to shop for these, they sell parts individually and give you dates for expiry on the website. I know you didn't ask, but I post this on lots of threads like this as they're a great supplier and usually cheaper than the packs in chandleries.

 

[harvey38]

Just replaced cylinders and hammers on my Kru LJs and the hammers had an expiry of 2026.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Especially since cold water shock will probably kill most of the average age of sailors I see around the Solent before the LJ inflates

When you're under the water watching the bubbles rising from your clothing it seems to take an incredibly long time to activate, but I'm told that it is really quite quick, and if you have trained your crew properly, they will have you out pretty quickly. I was lucky to fall in from a stationary boat, with low freeboard, and when I popped up, I managed to throw an arm and a leg over the gunwale, whereupon I was rapidly hauled aboard, as I had two strong crew.

 

[Daverw]

Just done mine, £19 for both hammer kit and CO2, dated for another 4 years. CO2 took home and weighed and still full, no corrosion so now a spare and next time hammer kit £8

SWMBO tested hers last week by falling in off pontoon, worked perfectly and she preferred to send away for testing/ service and repack, not sure why she did not trust me, may be something due to me waiting to berth the boat and get camera before helping to get her out, I did think us was funny though

 

[Helidan]

There are three types: Hammar (hydrostatic), UML (paper diaphragm) & Halkey-Roberts (salt bobbin). I think Spinlock only use the first two.

The Hammar ones have a shelf life of up to five years, the UML's up to three (two advised once installed, IIRC). The CO2 catridges will normally outlast them but need to be checked for unexpected discharge (hole in top!), corrosion, content (weigh them) and need to be securely in place, so they don't leak. Worth inflating the bladder manually to confirm it doesn't leak, too!

Yes, the expired one should be chucked (though you could argue that if you've used all the in-date rearming kits, then an expired one that might work is better then a missing one that definitely won't!!) ... I've had an in-date one inflate spontaneously, which means the CO2 cartridge and plastic retainer tab need doing, too, and hence costs more than just an auto-release replacement.

For clarity, you can buy the auto-release cartridges separately, BTW, so you don't need to get a re-arming kit with the right release, C02 and retaining tab, if it's just the auto-bit that needs changing.

Hope this helps.

Plus Lalizas auto bobbin, plus Secumar salt pills. Hammar by far is the best but pricey to service if it goes off.