PFD INFLATION FAILURE DUE TO FALSE-POSITIVE SERVICE INDICATORS AND
INCORRECT CO2 CYLINDER INSTALLATION


The U.S. Coast Guard has been made aware of a potential problem when
installing CO2 cylinders that have bayonet tips in inflatable personal
flotation devices (PFDs or life jackets). If a cylinder is not
properly installed, the PFD will not inflate with CO2. The problem may
affect several thousand PFDs, but the Coast Guard is only aware of one
incident to date.


Some Mustang, Protexion, and Stearns/SOSpenders PFDs using
Halkey-Roberts' inflators can indicate a green "Ready" status
when the CO2 cylinder is not properly installed. This false positive
green indication occurs when the cylinder-bayonet assembly is inserted
in the inflator, not turned, and the cylinder is not ejected.


Cylinders with bayonet tips are designed to be pushed in and turned
1/8th turn clockwise to a full stop to secure the cylinder. When the
cylinder is not turned to secure it in place, the PFD will not inflate
with CO2. The PFD may still be inflated orally. If the CO2 cylinder
is not turned, the mechanism is supposed to eject it. In some
production units a false positive green indication can be achieved by
simply pushing the cylinder into the mechanism without turning it 1/8th
turn to a full stop. According to the consumer report, a user was led
to believe the cylinder-bayonet was properly engaged without turning it
due to the firm seating of the cylinder-bayonet, which also prevented
the cylinder-bayonet from ejecting as designed.


Consumers should check the model number of the PFD (located on the
manufacturer's label) to see if your PFD is affected. The models
numbers a


Manufacturer
PFD Model #
Contact Number

Mustang Survival

Customer Service

3870 Mustang Way

Bellingham, WA 98226

USA
MC1900 Automatic

MC1900HR Automatic w/ Harness

MD0100 LIFT Vest Manual

MD0200 LIFT Vest Automatic

MD3081 Manual

MD3082 Manual with Harness

MD3083 Automatic

MD3084 Automatic w/ Harness

All colors and Styles
1-800-526-0532 (USA)

1-800-661-6181 (CAN)

www.mustangsurvival.com

Protexion Products Inc.

643 Speedvale Ave W

Guelph Ontario

N1K 1E6 CANADA
NIV3000, Manual

NIV3500, Manual with Harness

NIV4000, Automatic

NIV4500, Automatic with Harness

1-800-268-3112

www.nautilusbyprotexion.com



Stearns Inc.

1100 Stearns Drive

Sauk Rapids, MN

56379

(also SOSpenders)
38MLNG, Manual

38MHRN, Manual w/ Harness

24MSPT, Manual

38MREG, Manual

38MBP, Manual

38ASSTD, Automatic

38ASHAR, Automatic w/ Harness

38ASPRO, Automatic

38CHR, Automatic and Manual

1469, Automatic

1473, Automatic with Harness
1-800-328-3208 EXT 1

www.stearnsinc.com



Updated cylinder installation instructions are on the home pages of
manufacturers' websites and at the Coast Guard website listed below.
Review and follow the instructions. Check your device to ensure that
the inserted CO2 cylinder-bayonet has been fully turned clockwise prior
to use.


If your PFD inflator does not eject an unturned cylinder-bayonet,
contact the PFD manufacturer for servicing

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On 23 Sep 2005 05:50:51 -0700, wrote:

PFD INFLATION FAILURE DUE TO FALSE-POSITIVE SERVICE INDICATORS AND
INCORRECT CO2 CYLINDER INSTALLATION

I wear these things all the freakin' time and about every two GD years
this nonsense crops up.

I trust these inflatable's because the regular PFD's don't fit me
properly.

I wish they'd get the damn things right and straight rather than
having to go through this seemingly every time you turn around.

I've got a friend who wears one that goes around his waist, which seems
wrong to me. I've seen the ones that go over your shoulders, and some that
are part of a fishing vest. What kind do you have, Tom?

wrote:
PFD INFLATION FAILURE DUE TO FALSE-POSITIVE SERVICE INDICATORS AND
INCORRECT CO2 CYLINDER INSTALLATION


Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
I wear these things all the freakin' time and about every two GD years
this nonsense crops up.

I trust these inflatable's because the regular PFD's don't fit me
properly.


???

Unless you're an alien, there should be a type 3 vest to fit you just fine.

I don't trust the inflatables, although it is nice to have both PFD and
harness in one. I use a harness on those rare occasions for open deck
work in rough weather (especially at night), but most of the time MUCH
prefer wearing a type 3. They're a lot more comfortable & reliable. The
also give your ribs some padding against falls, getting thrown agasint a
stanchion, etc etc.

DSK

I wear an older (early 90s) SOSpender that is supposed to autoinflate
and so does my wife and kids. We have tested them a few times with a
33% failure rate. That is, they fail to autoinflate 33% of the time.
They will then always manual inflate though by pulling the ripcord. We
all know about this so all have been instructed accordingly.

On 23 Sep 2005 05:50:51 -0700, wrote:

PFD INFLATION FAILURE DUE TO FALSE-POSITIVE SERVICE INDICATORS AND
INCORRECT CO2 CYLINDER INSTALLATION


The U.S. Coast Guard has been made aware of a potential problem when
installing CO2 cylinders that have bayonet tips in inflatable personal
flotation devices (PFDs or life jackets). If a cylinder is not
properly installed, the PFD will not inflate with CO2. The problem may
affect several thousand PFDs, but the Coast Guard is only aware of one
incident to date.


Some Mustang, Protexion, and Stearns/SOSpenders PFDs using
Halkey-Roberts' inflators can indicate a green "Ready" status
when the CO2 cylinder is not properly installed. This false positive
green indication occurs when the cylinder-bayonet assembly is inserted
in the inflator, not turned, and the cylinder is not ejected.


Cylinders with bayonet tips are designed to be pushed in and turned
1/8th turn clockwise to a full stop to secure the cylinder. When the
cylinder is not turned to secure it in place, the PFD will not inflate
with CO2. The PFD may still be inflated orally. If the CO2 cylinder
is not turned, the mechanism is supposed to eject it. In some
production units a false positive green indication can be achieved by
simply pushing the cylinder into the mechanism without turning it 1/8th
turn to a full stop. According to the consumer report, a user was led
to believe the cylinder-bayonet was properly engaged without turning it
due to the firm seating of the cylinder-bayonet, which also prevented
the cylinder-bayonet from ejecting as designed.


Consumers should check the model number of the PFD (located on the
manufacturer's label) to see if your PFD is affected. The models
numbers a

Damn, is my Mustang being recalled?
--
John H

"All decisions are the result of binary thinking."

Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 13:20:19 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
. ..

On 23 Sep 2005 05:50:51 -0700, wrote:


PFD INFLATION FAILURE DUE TO FALSE-POSITIVE SERVICE INDICATORS AND
INCORRECT CO2 CYLINDER INSTALLATION

I wear these things all the freakin' time and about every two GD years
this nonsense crops up.

I trust these inflatable's because the regular PFD's don't fit me
properly.

I wish they'd get the damn things right and straight rather than
having to go through this seemingly every time you turn around.

I've got a friend who wears one that goes around his waist, which seems
wrong to me. I've seen the ones that go over your shoulders, and some that
are part of a fishing vest. What kind do you have, Tom?


I have both - the shoulder and fishing vest types.

I like the fishing vest types best though.

I find that people who go with me and the client base like the
inflatable's also when underway. They aren't as reluctant to put them
on.

I talked my sister into buying the Mustang version of inflatable after
the brother-in-law had a close call falling of his houseboat while
trying to board his dinghy.

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...

Well, that is pretty much the case. I'm 6'3" and have an odd body
type - my torso is longer than the rest of me - I only wear a 30 inch
inseam. Combined with wider than normal shoulders.......

Holy ****! You really *are* an alien!

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 13:20:19 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
. ..
On 23 Sep 2005 05:50:51 -0700, wrote:

PFD INFLATION FAILURE DUE TO FALSE-POSITIVE SERVICE INDICATORS AND
INCORRECT CO2 CYLINDER INSTALLATION

I wear these things all the freakin' time and about every two GD years
this nonsense crops up.

I trust these inflatable's because the regular PFD's don't fit me
properly.

I wish they'd get the damn things right and straight rather than
having to go through this seemingly every time you turn around.

I've got a friend who wears one that goes around his waist, which seems
wrong to me. I've seen the ones that go over your shoulders, and some that
are part of a fishing vest. What kind do you have, Tom?

I have both - the shoulder and fishing vest types.

I like the fishing vest types best though.

I find that people who go with me and the client base like the
inflatable's also when underway. They aren't as reluctant to put them
on.

One of the Jetboaters and his dad capsized in Washington. The dad died from
the inflatable choking him. Have not found out the rest of the story yet.

About Type 3 PFDs (vests)

Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
And they are very tight on me which drives me nuts. Over the years,
I've developed a minor case of claustrophobia and constraining vests
just don't work for me.


Well, drowning would probably be very comfortable


For me, the inflatables have worked just great and I trust them.

I can sympathize with your dislike of the vests, although I wonder if
you've tried a really good one... one that costs in the same price range
as the inflatables. I've known a number of people who reject the type 3
because they don't like the $12 Wal-Mart ones, then they buy a $90
inflatable harness rig.

The vests we wear when racing cost around $75 five or six years ago, and
that company (Mustang Safety) makes about 8 different sizes. They may
even make custom fit ones, they did modify ours on request... I wanted a
pocket for a knife & a strap for putting whistles & strobes on when
required.

That said, the vests have some down sides, they are uncomfortable in the
water and they're hot. They're a little more bulky than an undeflated
harness, and they don't have the bouyancy of an inflatable.

But the risk of malfunction of inflatables is serious, and vests don't
have that problem. You go in the water, you float. Period. I like that!

It's a matter of personal preference, really. May you never need either
type!

Here's a serious caution- don't ever wear an inflatable under a jacket,
even a light rain or windbreaker. They will crush your chest if they go off.

Fair Skies-
Doug King

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 04:47:13 GMT, "Bill McKee"
wrote:


"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
. ..
On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 13:20:19 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
m...
On 23 Sep 2005 05:50:51 -0700, wrote:

PFD INFLATION FAILURE DUE TO FALSE-POSITIVE SERVICE INDICATORS AND
INCORRECT CO2 CYLINDER INSTALLATION

I wear these things all the freakin' time and about every two GD years
this nonsense crops up.

I trust these inflatable's because the regular PFD's don't fit me
properly.

I wish they'd get the damn things right and straight rather than
having to go through this seemingly every time you turn around.

I've got a friend who wears one that goes around his waist, which seems
wrong to me. I've seen the ones that go over your shoulders, and some
that
are part of a fishing vest. What kind do you have, Tom?

I have both - the shoulder and fishing vest types.

I like the fishing vest types best though.

I find that people who go with me and the client base like the
inflatable's also when underway. They aren't as reluctant to put them
on.

One of the Jetboaters and his dad capsized in Washington. The dad died
from
the inflatable choking him. Have not found out the rest of the story yet.

I'd be interested to see if it was caused by the inflatable or whether
a regular PFD would have done the same thing.

Both he and the son were wearing inflatables. Somehow his inflated tightly
around the neck from what I understand.