Testing Lifejackets

[WoodyP]

I have just done the annual check to find that one light no longer works and one cylinder is corroded, although still up to weight it will be discarded.

I went on a sea safety course 3 years ago and the tutor suggested that cylinders should be wrapped in insulation tape to prevent corrosion. I have not followed this advice because I thought once the cylinder is covered, I would not be able to see the damage if it occured.
Does anybody wrap their gas cylinders?
Interested to know what the assembled wisdom thinks,
TIA
G.

 

[Anonymous]

Mine tend to corrode as well. They have a light plate and passivation that is, frankly, unacceptable. I brush them off and grease them lightly every year and weigh them. The key thing is that the weight is OK and that the valve area looks all tickety-boo. Don't forget to gently inflate the lifejackets and check carefully for chafe around edges, etc.

 

[maxi77]

A company I worked for many years ago used a lot of CO2 cylinders like those in lifjackets. Though they are made in several factories around the world nearly all those factories are owned byone company, so basically you get what they decide to make, hench the poor overall quality. For example we found some 5% were undefilled.

 

[KenMcCulloch]

Some suggest painting the cylinders with grey primer.

 

[Anonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
A company I worked for many years ago used a lot of CO2 cylinders like those in lifjackets. Though they are made in several factories around the world nearly all those factories are owned byone company, so basically you get what they decide to make, hench the poor overall quality. For example we found some 5% were undefilled.

[/ QUOTE ]When you say 'underfilled' -- if you weigh them accurately and check the weight marked on the cylinder, is the cylinder OK? There is no way to check contents other than weight -- other than in a lab, of course, as a one off destructive test.

 

[Csail]

I was chatting to a lifeboat guy and he said put a condom around the cylinder. Apparently quite a few failures are from the cylinder chaffing against the jacket.

 

[simonfraser]

that be the heavy duty comdoms for a bit of strange ? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[pcatterall]

I certainly endorse regular inspection. I used mine all season without checking and then found it had been discharged!! How and by whom I will never know. Who would repack my life jacket knowing that the cyl was used or who would replace my good cyl with a duff one?
Was it SWIMBO who knows that I am of more value to her dead than alive!!

 

[gerry99]

Varnish or a similar coating also works well in stopping the surface corrosion on the gas bottle