Drysuit inflation

[nic carapanagiotu]

Iam a 'disabled diver' and at present my dry suit has been adapted so as I can operate the the suit inflation myself this was done by incorporating a BCD inflation hose assembly in place of the usual button press valve and hose the adaption has not worked very satisfactory. so I want to try a air gun which i have got I wish to have a hose attached on both ends of the gun that way the air gun can be positioned were i can reach it what i need advise about is were can i get a suit valve which is suitable for this method of inflation i hope i have explained the idea clearly I have attached a picture of the air gun with this request for help but not sure how it will be seen. heres hoping for some help and advice apology's for this being so long winded.
Nic C.:)

[TerryH]

Cant help on the air-gun, but depending on the disabilty it might be worth
looking at a remote of some sort.

This would be along the lines of a slob-nob for a manifold or a remote lead
as on a buddy pioneer type BC.

If the hose opening was resticted, you'd get a controlled inflate, which with
the correct positioning could be done with either hand.

Worth considering.

[Roz]

This might be a blonde suggestion. Are you able to operate a normal drysuit inflator? If you can, but it's in the wrong place, there is no firm ruling to say that your drysuit inflator needs to be in the centre of your chest. It's there because 99% of divers find it the most useful place to be. It could in fact be located on your left hip for instance. Would it help if you used a normal drysuit inflator, but got the suit manufacturer to relocate it to the most ergonomic place for you?

[nic carapanagiotu]

This might be a blonde suggestion. Are you able to operate a normal drysuit inflator? If you can, but it's in the wrong place, there is no firm ruling to say that your drysuit inflator needs to be in the centre of your chest. It's there because 99% of divers find it the most useful place to be. It could in fact be located on your left hip for instance. Would it help if you used a normal drysuit inflator, but got the suit manufacturer to relocate it to the most ergonomic place for you?

Thanks Roz but not able to use a conventional suit inflater

[Roz]

OK, have you spoken to some of the disabled diving charities, ie the Scuba Trust, Disabled Divers International, SUDS etc? They might have already got a solution that will work. HTH.

[quetzalboy]

are you talking about some sort of pinch system where you squeezing the handle of the air gun will put air into your suit?

You might consider contacting Remap, a uk charity who make unique, one off adaptations for people with a disability, for free. it's basically a panel of people from medical related backgrounds (often occupational therapists), engineering backgrounds and the like. The main requirement is it has to be something that isn't commercially available, and the more interesting the challange, the more likely they are to go for it...

[Gav S]

May be understanding this wrongly but it looks like you have a standard type LPI nipple on one end of that inflator gun in the pic - if you can get a drysuit inflator hose (of whatever length you need) with standard lpi collar fittings on both ends then presumably you could connect one end into a drysuit valve as normal and the other end into your gun at some distant position which suits. You would then have to connect the gun via another hose to the 1st stage and away you go?

It's late but don't apeks do hose fittings you can fit yourself i.e. when making custom length hoses? Would that allow a double ended hose to be made up?

Alternatively, I'm sure Apeks or Miflex would make one up as they do custom lenghts etc already I believe.

Apologies if that is gobbledegook.

[nic carapanagiotu]

are you talking about some sort of pinch system where you squeezing the handle of the air gun will put air into your suit?

You might consider contacting Remap, a uk charity who make unique, one off adaptations for people with a disability, for free. it's basically a panel of people from medical related backgrounds (often occupational therapists), engineering backgrounds and the like. The main requirement is it has to be something that isn't commercially available, and the more interesting the challange, the more likely they are to go for it...


thanks for reminding me about Remap I have had dealings with them in the distant past its an option I will look into thanks again

[nic carapanagiotu]

May be understanding this wrongly but it looks like you have a standard type LPI nipple on one end of that inflator gun in the pic - if you can get a drysuit inflator hose (of whatever length you need) with standard lpi collar fittings on both ends then presumably you could connect one end into a drysuit valve as normal and the other end into your gun at some distant position which suits. You would then have to connect the gun via another hose to the 1st stage and away you go?

It's late but don't apeks do hose fittings you can fit yourself i.e. when making custom length hoses? Would that allow a double ended hose to be made up?

Alternatively, I'm sure Apeks or Miflex would make one up as they do custom lenghts etc already I believe.

Apologies if that is gobbledegook.




yes you have got the right idea what Iam trying to do its just the different types of connections were I get confused I believe though that the suit valve is not like the standard types so iam told Northern Diver did one but are no longer producing them at the moment so if any one knows were I could get one thanks for your ideas.

[LearnerDiver]

I dived with some members of Scarborough Sub-Aqua club at Loch Fyne in spring and several of them had air guns on their suit inflators so may be worth contacting them and seeing how they did it - http://www.scarboroughsubaquaclub.net/ - I think they just had a hose connector at one end and the suit connector was reversed so you could undo the gun and use to fill a DSMB but you could probably have the seal removed from the drysuit inflator and just use the gun to inflate. Vinny is the guy you need to speak to.