Auto Inflatable Life Jacket

[Tin-Can]

"Any ideas how long they stay inflated for? How long in cold water? "

Every year when I replace my charging kit, I pull the manual lanyard, the vest blows up in a fraction of a second, and I have left them sit in the garage over night with absolutely no loss of pressure. Have been thinking of jumping in the pool at my place with one on just to see it work in water. But to answer your question, as long as there are no leaks in the vest, the coldness of the water, will have minimal affect on the pressure in the vest. I worked with aircrew life support equipment for 20 years in A.F. (inspecting and recharging 1 man, 7 man, and 20 man life raft inflation cylinders. The charge cylinders in commercial auto inflate PFD's are C02. When C02 is released by rapid expansion (letting it out of a cylinder suddenly) it turns very cold. If the water that has activated your PFD is cold, say 40 to 50 deg. (which is dangerous hypothermia temperature) it still isn't as cold as the C02 when it is rapidly expanded. As that C02 is warmed by the water and the body of the wearer, it will actually increase in pressure slightly.
With no leaks in the vest and the pressure change due to temperature being minuscule, a good auto inflating vest should stay inflated indefinitely or until acted upon by some other factor. They also have a tube inside the vest that can be used to blow into the vest bladder to offset any minor leak or temperature pressure drop.
Self inflating PFD's have a very wide range in cost..........but what you got to ask is.......... what is your life or the life of your lady, or other family member worth? Many of us here on BFT painfully learned that lesson a couple years ago when one of our fishing friends were lost at Willard Bay due to cold water and NO Life Jacket worn. Sure made me change course. My boat is small and subject to high winds. If my boat is on the water, and you are in my boat, you will wear a PFD, and I have purchased enough of them to provide one to each of the possible passengers that I have room for. [fishon]
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