Halycon BCD: Product Recall on Inflators.

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mattD - 28 May 2004 08:29 GMT

http://www.diving-in-norway.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=239#1224

May effect some of you?

Best Regards,

/Matt

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Jeff Sheard - 28 May 2004 11:30 GMT

> May effect some of you?

Nothing to do with the inflator (I have an Eclipse with the plastic
buttons), but heres a cautionary Halcyon Eclipse tale:

I was up at Stoney yesterday and someone noticed that one of the wing nuts
connecting the backplate->wing->single tank adaptor looked a bit loose.
After a check, it turned out that not only was that loose, but so was the
other wingnut (hidden by the back pocket), and ALL of the five screw
fittings that hold the wing onto the backplate were loose. Thats right,
five. One had actually disappeared, probably into the drink at some point.

I was pretty dismayed at this, both at my own lack of a pre-dive check to
ensure this wasn't a problem, and then at the actual fittings that are used.
No washers, no locknuts. I don't remember anything in the manual that said
"Your wing system may fall apart underwater over time, make sure you check
the fittings", but this is pretty poor - especially from a pre-built system.

Why aren't they locknuts? I'm replace all of them now with nylon locknuts
just to be sure - but I'm not particularly happy, and will be contacting
Halcyon soon. Meanwhile, if you've got one of these, make sure you give it a
good check before you dive - every time.

Out of interest, does anyone have an Eclipse, and had similar experiences or
not? Do users of other wings find similar problems, or incorporate a check
into their pre-dive drill?

Jeff.

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david - 28 May 2004 13:48 GMT

> I was up at Stoney yesterday and someone noticed that one of the wing nuts
> connecting the backplate->wing->single tank adaptor looked a bit loose.
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> not? Do users of other wings find similar problems, or incorporate a check
> into their pre-dive drill?

I have an Eclipse but you need to change your equipment checks. Nuts and
bolts will come undone webbing will wear and you will use the contents of
your cylinder. Checking them will require different frequency.

My single tank adapter is held on with two washers on each bolt a flat and a
spring washer. They came like it. On a mates wing and plate he had put them
together in the wrong order, have you checked to see if there is a washer
under the wing.

I check my wing nuts the night before I pack my divegear into my dive crate.

David

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Bardo - 28 May 2004 23:42 GMT

> > May effect some of you?
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> fittings that hold the wing onto the backplate were loose. Thats right,
> five. One had actually disappeared, probably into the drink at some point.

Five screw fittings hold the wing onto the backplate? That's a new one on
me - my Eclipse is held together by two bolts on the STA that thread through
the wing and the backplate and are held secure by a pair of wing nuts with
*two* washers, one of which is a spring washer. Are you sure you're not
referring to the bolts that hold the Storage Pak to the backplate? If so,
one of those being loose is hardly life threatening!

> I was pretty dismayed at this, both at my own lack of a pre-dive check to
> ensure this wasn't a problem, and then at the actual fittings that are used.
> No washers, no locknuts. I don't remember anything in the manual that said
> "Your wing system may fall apart underwater over time, make sure you check
> the fittings", but this is pretty poor - especially from a pre-built system.

Er... it's not a prebuilt system. The Eclipse is delivered as separate parts
which you assemble upon delivery. Although it's not neccessary to
disassemble the rig after each dive like the equivelent twinset rig, your
predive checks should be expanded to cater for the peculiarities of the
diving system you're using - just as you would if you were diving on a
rebreather, for example.

> Why aren't they locknuts? I'm replace all of them now with nylon locknuts
> just to be sure - but I'm not particularly happy, and will be contacting
> Halcyon soon. Meanwhile, if you've got one of these, make sure you give it a
> good check before you dive - every time.

I'm sure Halcyon will merely suggest that you expand your predive checks to
cater for the equipment you're using - just because it's not included in the
PADI BWRAF doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. It's called thinking outside
the box, you know...

> Out of interest, does anyone have an Eclipse, and had similar experiences or
> not? Do users of other wings find similar problems, or incorporate a check
> into their pre-dive drill?

Personally I've never found it a problem. My Eclipse served me flawlessly
last week out in Lanzarote and turned more than a couple of the dive guides
green with envy! Well, those that knew anything about dive gear, that is...
;-)

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