Nine Life jackets

[Mister E]

I have just inflated all the life jackets from the boat, using a dinghy pump. It was work, I am supposed to be retired from work.
What 24 hours then cut up those that fail this test.
I did not do anything before inflating, got to weigh to cylinders afterwards.

 

[Baddox]

I inflated our six this morning using a bike pump. They waiting 24hrs in a spare room before the hard part of deflating and repacking.

 

[awol]

I'm relieved that all the actuators and lights are in-date.

 

[William_H]

I do a stack of LJs for the club each year. I made up a device to fit to the vacuum cleaner to deflate them. A piece of 12mm plastic pipe goes into the vacuum cleaner pipe sealed with gaffer tape. I carved a bit of wood about 6mm diameter and tapered down that extends out the end of the pipe but is mounted in the pipe centre on screws. With space around it for the air. So when I press the plastic tube to the inflation tube of the LJ, I seal it with my hand and the wooden peg is the right length to press open the non return valve.
It all sucks the LJ down quickly but also positively so making packing easier. ol'will

 

[Mister E]

I do a stack of LJs for the club each year. I made up a device to fit to the vacuum cleaner to deflate them. A piece of 12mm plastic pipe goes into the vacuum cleaner pipe sealed with gaffer tape. I carved a bit of wood about 6mm diameter and tapered down that extends out the end of the pipe but is mounted in the pipe centre on screws. With space around it for the air. So when I press the plastic tube to the inflation tube of the LJ, I seal it with my hand and the wooden peg is the right length to press open the non return valve.
It all sucks the LJ down quickly but also positively so making packing easier. ol'will

I am thinking of trying to make something similar.
So far so good all still good.

A few years ago I inflated mine or rather tried to it had developed a 2inch split along the seam. I spent some part of a year wearing something that was worse than nothing.

So now I make certain to check the used ones more.

 

[Stemar]

I do a stack of LJs for the club each year. I made up a device to fit to the vacuum cleaner to deflate them. A piece of 12mm plastic pipe goes into the vacuum cleaner pipe sealed with gaffer tape. I carved a bit of wood about 6mm diameter and tapered down that extends out the end of the pipe but is mounted in the pipe centre on screws. With space around it for the air. So when I press the plastic tube to the inflation tube of the LJ, I seal it with my hand and the wooden peg is the right length to press open the non return valve.
It all sucks the LJ down quickly but also positively so making packing easier. ol'will

I've done mine, but I'm going to steal that idea for next year

 

[Mister E]

All passed the first test, now to deflate the buggers.
Thanks for the vac tip.

 

[Mister E]

The vac tip works a treat.
I made an S shaped hook that pushed the valve down. Then just put the vac over, it was loose so did not under deflate the life jackets.

Again thanks for the tip it worked so well.

 

[Bilgediver]

I am thinking of trying to make something similar.
So far so good all still good.

A few years ago I inflated mine or rather tried to it had developed a 2inch split along the seam. I spent some part of a year wearing something that was worse than nothing.

So now I make certain to check the used ones more.

A piece of 10 mm neoprene tube a reel of amalgamating tap and various tapered ends from ball point pens with produce various adaptor for use when the lifjacket filling tube does not firt one of the reducers that comes with the 12 volt air bed pump. Magic 3 M tape is also good for minor diameter adjustments.

 

[Helidan]

Be careful with the home made adapters and vacuum sources guys, the oral tube valves are delicate and easily damaged.

 

[LadyInBed]

Wait 24 hours then cut up those that fail this test.

At what point did you deem it a failure?
AFAICS if I'm in the water for 24 hours the only reason to still have air in the jacket, and it doesn't need to be full, is to locate the body.
If the LJ stays fully inflated for 7 or so hours I would be happy, as that's partly what the manual inflation tube is for - to top it up.
Did you do an over pressure (seam) test? ie fully mouth (pump) inflate the LJ then 'hug' it very tightly?
Other method is to put the inflated LJ on the carpet, lay a tea tray on it then lay / sit on the tray.

 

[Mister E]

Next time I will presure test them.
I just left them inflated quite hard.

 

[Stemar]

I just blow them up as hard as I can by mouth - I know I should use a pump, but if a bit of moisture is going to damage them, what are they doing on our backs? If they haven't gone soft overnight, they've passed that test.