I checked the condition of the inflating part of the LJ. All looked well. I checked the reflecting tape sections - strangely one seemed a bit degraded, but still OK. One internet entry said to check the condition of the inflating section by inflating it with a pump, not by mouth because air from one's mouth will be damp and will not be good for the LJ; another advice column said that the modern materials from which LJ's and made can easily deal with a bit of damp air used to test a lifejacket. Which advice to believe? Hhhmmmm!
I needed to make a decision, so chose to use the 'old' gas cylinder to inflate the jacket (perhaps it was under weight anyway?), and send off for a replacement cylinder and trigger cartridge; the new cylinder did not cost that much more than the cartridge alone, and after all this is MY life we are talking about! I left the LJ inflated for 12hours to test for leaks then, after installing the new gas cylinder and cartridge, re-packed the LJ.
'What about the light?' I hear you say. You will recall that I couldn't withdraw the battery unit to check it's 'replace by' date. My LJ is only a few years old so the battery should fine since the battery life expectancy is 5 years. I tested the battery by short-circuiting the terminals on the activation lead that would in an emergency be short-circuited by the sea. The light flashed away brightly! Good!
Job's a good 'un!
Joke:
How do you make a pirate angry?
Take the 'p' out of him!
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| Testing my lifejacket |
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