Lifejacket CO2 Cylinders etc.

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CreakyDecks

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1. I have never removed (or installed) a lifejacket CO2 cylinder. Are these cylinders punctured during installation or can they be unscrewed, so that I can weigh them and see if they are still full?
2. Is there a way to check the state of the triggering device?
3. I want to inflate the jackets. Should I use a pump or is it OK to blow them up by mouth?
 
All the ones I have seen you can unscrew the cylinder. It has a metal seal which is pierced on firing.
You can't test the firing mech as it generally has a plastic seal which breaks when you fire it.

You can blow them up by mouth, it's what I've always done, but there is a case for using dry air from a pump to avoid condensation/mold inside.
 
CreakyDecks said:
1. I have never removed (or installed) a lifejacket CO2 cylinder. Are these cylinders punctured during installation or can they be unscrewed, so that I can weigh them and see if they are still full?
2. Is there a way to check the state of the triggering device?
3. I want to inflate the jackets. Should I use a pump or is it OK to blow them up by mouth?
Click to expand...

You just unscrew them. Pretty obvious if there is a hole in the solder top !
You can weigh them too. The weight is printed on the cylinder.
There are various autofire systems; the more basic one is a little disolving pill which you can see, and a small plastic pin to stop accidental firing. Some say you should regularly change the pill too. You can buy a re-arm kit, and you should have one on your boat, bcz if it fires accidentally and you dont have a re-arm, you know have a useless l/jacket.
Pump up with foot pump. The idea is that it isnt good for the bladder to be filled with your hot sweaty breath, which then might rot it ;)
It is all very simple to do.
One thing to note is that some cylinders go a bit rusty. I dont thimk matters so much on its operation, but the rust chews up the l/jacket fabric which obviously isnt so good.
 
After quizzing XM over the problem. They sent me some files on parts. The info reccommended changing the soluable pill EVERY YEAR. and hammar pressure types every 5 yrs.
The re-arming kit includes the cylinder a pill (for auto LJs) and the plastic pin that breaks when you pull the handle.
DW
 
I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not but I test my LJs every year by actually firing them.

The cost of the refill kits isn't huge, I've tested the jacket fully including firing system, the cylinder and cartridge get replaced before they get a chance to fail.
 
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Whenever I buy a new lj, I remove the cylinder and paint it to prevent corrosion.

Didn't know about the 'pill' replacement recommendation. I'll be checking that too.

The two ljs I have that have triggered did not fire in an emergency, but the fact that they did reassures me that they are not something to be parsimonious with. One was a 'manual' gas that did it's stuff as the T handle was trapped in the cockpit seat slats and its' wearer stood up. The other was an auto which I wished had not worked as I fell out of a safety boat into six inches of water. The farting sound drew everybodys' attention to an otherwise offstage event.
 
jamesjeffrey said:
I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not but I test my LJs every year by actually firing them.
Click to expand...

I see where you are coming from but I can't help feeling that what you have tested is what you throw in the bin! On a similar note, am I the only one who wonders whether his car steering wheel airbag actually works :rolleyes:
 
jamesjeffrey said:
I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not but I test my LJs every year by actually firing them.
Click to expand...

Isn't that kind of sudden inflation a bit 'stressful' for the life jacket? Personally, I'd check the individual parts, separately. Manually inflate the bladder, weigh (and check condition) of gas cannisters and check pins etc.
 
alan_d said:
Isn't that a bit like striking matches to see if they work?
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I don't think so really - I see the cylinder and cartridge as consumables, so I make sure they will work by regularly replacing them with new. I'm interested in knowing about the rest of the jacket. Does the firing head still work. Does the cylinder used indicator work (my LJ has a UM Pro Sensor head rather than plastic clips). Does the cartridge fired indicator work? Did I pack the jacket correctly so that it deploys properly when fired with the cylinder (I've seen that go wrong!). Does The Quick Burst Zip still Quickly Burst? Does the jacket vent excess CO2 off correctly?

I've seen horrid pictures of life jackets damaged by corroded cylinders. I'd rather empty, dispose and replace after a year. Same for the paper element in the auto cartridge.

Some times I test by pulling the cord, sometimes I test by getting the cartridge wet. If I pull the cord then I replace the cartridge anyway.

Fire99 said:
Isn't that kind of sudden inflation a bit 'stressful' for the life jacket? Personally, I'd check the individual parts, separately. Manually inflate the bladder, weigh (and check condition) of gas cannisters and check pins etc.
Click to expand...

CO2 lifejacket inflations aren't all that sudden but even so I figure if the jacket can inflate and stay airtight for more than 24 hours, I know the bladder is still sound and will probably take the shock if it goes off for real.

If it's going to fail, I'd rather know ashore.
 
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