Self inflating life jackets.

[nebulae]

I carry a couple of Seago self inflating life jackets in my vehicle,so that they are available for any water related situation we might need them.for.Driving along the other day and "woosh"one life jacket inflated itself.Few days later the other went off.They are auto rather than the more expensive Hammar type.5 or six years old.Humidity in the vehicle quite high at the moment.Would that be enough to set them off?Not a problem to re-arm them with a kit from Seago and re-assuring that they work,but I am curious as to why they went off.

[Guest]

I carry a couple of Seago self inflating life jackets in my vehicle,so that they are available for any water related situation we might need them.for.Driving along the other day and "woosh"one life jacket inflated itself.Few days later the other went off.They are auto rather than the more expensive Hammar type.5 or six years old.Humidity in the vehicle quite high at the moment.Would that be enough to set them off?Not a problem to re-arm them with a kit from Seago and re-assuring that they work,but I am curious as to why they went off.

 

How old were the gas canisters? If they were as old as the jackets themselves that likely was a contributory factor.

[Alan de Enfield]

I do not think the humidity had anything to do with it.

My understanding is that the 'sensor' needs to be totally submerged under water to set it off - this means that rain or getting soaked by waves breaking over you doesn't set it off.

The water has to actually ceep up inside the cover to get to the sensor.

 

What is the difference between a Hammar head and an Automatic head?

Both of these heads are activated by water triggering the mechanism. In the Hammar head the mechanism is protected by a valve which only allows water to enter after it has reached a depth of 100mm (4 inches). This gives it a good resistance to being exposed to heavy weather. The standard automatic head by its design is resistant to rainfall and relies on the lifejacket cover for resistance to wave action. A Hammar head is activated by water pressure. Meaning if you are going to get very wet while wearing it, it will not inflate. An Automatic head is activated by water. It is splash resistant as the water needs to travel through the capsule. But if you are going to get very wet then it will be activated.

 

Edit to ad above from manufacturers website

Edited December 11, 2015 by Alan de Enfield

[Guest]

I do not think the humidity had anything to do with it.

My understanding is that the 'sensor' needs to be totally submerged under water to set it off - this means that rain or getting soaked by waves breaking over you doesn't set it off.

 

I think I have read that they need at least 1 metre depth to set them off - could be wrong.

 

The newer type certainly are designed so that the activation 'seal' has to be fully immersed in order to activate it but the canisters also have an expiration date too (normally marked on the canister itself) I would be checking that.

 

Some people change them annually regardless of the expiration dates.

[PeterG]

Yes I am pretty sure they do need to be regularly serviced which does involve changing the canister.

[RLWP]

Yes I am pretty sure they do need to be regularly serviced which does involve changing the canister.

 

And the triggering disc, if that's the sort you have

 

Richard

[alan_fincher]

 

How old were the gas canisters? If they were as old as the jackets themselves that likely was a contributory factor.

 

I can't see how the age of the cannisters would cause them to inflate unexpectedly - I can see why it might mean they did not inflate when they should.

 

EDIT: Assuming it is the design where the cannister is just a cannister, with no "clever" bits - perhaps they have changed since the ones we had.?

Edited December 11, 2015 by alan_fincher

[Guest]

 

I can't see how the age of the cannisters would cause them to inflate unexpectedly - I can see why it might mean they did not inflate when they should.

 

EDIT: Assuming it is the design where the cannister is just a cannister, with no "clever" bits - perhaps they have changed since the ones we had.?

 

Deterioration of the seals perhaps?

[Sea Dog]

Deterioration of the seals perhaps?

That would seem a reasonable assumption, but it's odd they'd go so closely together. Almost synchronised age-related failure! I wonder if they got damp, but not wet enough to trigger, and the soluble discs gradually degraded over a few days?

[J R ALSOP]

Had similar problem last week, the activation bit is a piece of rolled paper, damp air dissolves the "glue" and releases the springy bit that pierces the end of pressure canister, then no turning back.

[RLWP]

These things have a spring driven trigger pin held back by a water soluble (from memory) disc. My betting is that the discs have degraded in a damp atmosphere allowing the trigger to fire piercing the sealing disk on the cartridge

 

'Leaking seals' could only be the cartridge, which would mean the gas escaping slowly over time, which wouldn't inflate the life jacket

 

Richard

[The Lockie]

We have had this happen at work with the crewsaver 150n, in offices where the kettle failed to turn off and in cars. Repeated exposure to condensation if heavy allows the paper capsules to swell a little on each exposure then they get to the point of no return and off they go

[roggie]

There is a 'use by' date on the small disk so perhaps it just expired.

[RLWP]

There is a 'use by' date on the small disk so perhaps it just expired.

 

Shuffled off this mortal coil, gone to see it's maker?

 

Richard

[Alan de Enfield]

 

Shuffled off this mortal coil, gone to see it's maker?

 

Richard

 

Nooooo - Its jus' restin

 

Its inflationary system is now 'istory

 

Anyway - is this Bolton or Ipswich ?

[nebulae]

Thank you every body for the replies. I have just unrolled the jacket to find the instructions and the mechanism.I have never unrolled them before,just taken them on and off as needed .Bit of a shock. On the back of the instructions is the manufacturing date of 06. Cant believe we have had them that long!.Having un-wrapped the re arming kit I bought when I bought the jackets,I see that it has an expiry date on it.so that is no good either .Lesson learned,replace the auto inflate kit every year.with a new kit.

[RLWP]

Thank you every body for the replies. I have just unrolled the jacket to find the instructions and the mechanism.I have never unrolled them before,just taken them on and off as needed .Bit of a shock. On the back of the instructions is the manufacturing date of 06. Cant believe we have had them that long!.Having un-wrapped the re arming kit I bought when I bought the jackets,I see that it has an expiry date on it.so that is no good either .Lesson learned,replace the auto inflate kit every year.with a new kit.

 

If you buy a rearming kit of Ebay, and there are plenty on there, be careful that the kit has a long expiry date. Cheap ones don't - the components are identical, the dates are short

 

On the other hand, you have shown that the cartridges can last up to nine years, the discs don't

 

Richard

[Iain_S]

 

If you buy a rearming kit of Ebay, and there are plenty on there, be careful that the kit has a long expiry date. Cheap ones don't - the components are identical, the dates are short

 

On the other hand, you have shown that the cartridges can last up to nine years, the discs don't

 

Richard

 

The cartridges can go on for ever. I replace if there is ANY damage or corrosion, if it is below its stamped weight, or if it has lost weight from its last annual check. Once a year, the jacket also gets an inflation check. It should still be inflated if left overnight.

 

Before putting it on, it's a good idea to check the tell tales and that the cylinder is fully screwed home.

 

I got a bit of a shock the first time I checked mine, which was bought at a boat show. The cylinder was discharged.

[alan_fincher]

These things have a spring driven trigger pin held back by a water soluble (from memory) disc. My betting is that the discs have degraded in a damp atmosphere allowing the trigger to fire piercing the sealing disk on the cartridge

 

'Leaking seals' could only be the cartridge, which would mean the gas escaping slowly over time, which wouldn't inflate the life jacket

 

Richard

 

That would be my diagnosis as well.

[roggie]

I took mine to a service centre (out Barking way in E London), the guy replaced the out of date disks, weighed the canisters and inflated the jackets. I had read somewhere that you shouldn't inflate with your breath due to water vapour, absolute rubbish he said. Trouble is that these are things you will most likely never use and many people don't realise (or think) how long they have been in the back of a cupboard (just like to OP). Perhaps lockers on tidal rivers should not just ask if you have life jackets but how long you have had them etc. Originally I brought 2 that you have to blow up yourself, now I'm not so sure how useful these are.

[Sea Dog]

Originally I brought 2 that you have to blow up yourself, now I'm not so sure how useful these are.

As useful as they ever were if they've been test inflated and are still in good condition. The Royal Navy still issue these to all sailors onboard HM Ships, with automatic ones being termed 'hazardous duty life jackets' issued only to those doing work where falling in might be an issue. So whilst you might wear an auto for steering, etc, when you judge an increased risk, you might keep the others for passengers to don when you fear the worst is at hand.

[roggie]

Thanks for that, we only use them on the Thames But if we return to the tidal parts will instruct anyone wearing them as to what to do. I think we have 7 of various designs - plus one for the dog.

[Loafer]

Thanks for that, we only use them on the Thames But if we return to the tidal parts will instruct anyone wearing them as to what to do. I think we have 7 of various designs - plus one for the dog.

 

We used to put a doggy lifejacket on our dog, but that made him fall in once, when he ran across a lock gate and didn't NB his greater girth.

 

Good job he had a lifejacket on!

[Sea Dog]

 

Good job he had a lifejacket on!

Well the one my Lab wears is more for the handle on the back to pull her out with where the sides are high/brick/pontoons/locks, etc, than for buoyancy. Plus having half a wet Lab less to dry when it rains is a real bonus!

[Chewbacka]

Doggy life jackets are great, ours sat down on the back of the boat, misjudged it and disappeared over the back, without the grab handle on his jacket it would have been very difficult to get him out.

Coming back to the original theme, don't forget to weigh your CO2 bottle (manual or auto) every year. Our kitchen scales are fine for the job.