taking care of smbci,s (smb with a crack bottle)

[frisky fraser]

don't know if this is kosher,but read that whenever i fill the crack bottle,i should make sure it's faced downwards in case there is any water in the crack bottle that it can't run into the main valve/cylinder when they are equalised.lot of speculation on yorkshire diver forum whether or not,water can get in when the cylinder is empty to the extent that some divers try to partially fill the buoy,then shut the valve,let it go,and then let the air expand naturally.seems to me that it defeats the purpose of taking the faff out of deployment of a dsmb.
fraser.

[Finless]

Originally Posted by frisky fraser

don't know if this is kosher,but read that whenever i fill the crack bottle,i should make sure it's faced downwards in case there is any water in the crack bottle that it can't run into the main valve/cylinder when they are equalised.lot of speculation on yorkshire diver forum whether or not,water can get in when the cylinder is empty to the extent that some divers try to partially fill the buoy,then shut the valve,let it go,and then let the air expand naturally.seems to me that it defeats the purpose of taking the faff out of deployment of a dsmb.
fraser.

I did get water in my A clamp bottle but it didn't rust because it was aluminuim (the DIN fitting seemed less prone). However, I did eventually get it checked out at my LDS. Now I wouldn't bother provided the valve and purge button work OK. Also, I used to tie onto the wreck (usually) so I used to close the valve before sending the bag up.

[Bottle Maker]

Salt water + nitrox = a bang think what height the cylinder is when you decant into it, if you must use them I sugest change the cylinder once a year. Personally i think they are a complicated solution to a non existant problem.

Graham

[frisky fraser]

I did get water in my A clamp bottle but it didn't rust because it was aluminuim
hi there
re above,more worried in case it trickled the other way into the charging cylinder on equalisation.
I once got water in the inflator bottle (din) when i went to set it off,and i had forgot to charge it!!.Stripped it all down,other than the purge button and dried it out,no problems since.....as long as i remember to charge it!!

Fraser.

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by Jules

The purge button gets sticky
Jules

Which is why I had to add a 1kg weight to my dive kit so I could whack the button to purge it

[Foggy]

Send to AP if concerned:-

A.P.Valves

-Paul

[Gram43]

I contacted AP last year re-servicing and testing my crack bottle and as most have mentioned here, you are not obliged to have the thing tested as you purely decant into it from your own tank. It is entirely up to you to maintain the bottle and grease the purge valve etc., as often as you like, with Aquagrease.
I asked how much for a new cylinder and was told £45 and not £20/£25 as I was lead to believe, but I think they meant £45 for the service including cylinder.
I have since bought a new (ish) dsmd with 2 crack bottles for just over the £45, which in my mind is far better.