What is the shelf life of CO2 cartridges?

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by boat driver

INFLATABLES HAVE ESSENTIALLY A HIGH FAILURE RATE- READ THE CHICAGO-MAC REPORT FROM 2018
FAILURE RATE OF JUST SHY 10%
seriously- like all equipment- the captain should determine the appropriate for the passage.one type does not fit all.,
that said- question asked was how to test-
weight should be stamped on bottle neck- if not check manufacturer website an weights should be readily available- take to post office and they can measure

The inflatable automatic inflator might have a failure rate close to what you stated, but there is still the manual inflator pull which is unlikely to have a failure rate anything like the stated 10%. Then there is also the manual tube inflator which probably has a fairly high failure rate due to its difficulty to use in tough conditions.

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by boat driver

weight should be stamped on bottle neck- if not check manufacturer website an weights should be readily available- take to post office and they can measure

While all of my cartridges have the same nominal weight, there is +/- 2g variation in the individual marked weights. So relying on the manufacturers spec introduces additional error in testing.


By the way, you can use U.S. coins to calibrate your scale fairly accurately. Use only new, unworn coins. See here for weights: https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-an...specifications

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Carver Power

I would not rely on that type of vest! I know of two separate incidents of a vest failure. Not with your life.

So what are you recommending instead then? given that it should be comfortable as a modern inflatable jacket, light weight, have a sprayhood, twin crotch straps, perhaps a light and capable of attaching a tether?

Something resembling a life jacket off a cruise ship isn't going to cut it if you want people to wear them regularly.

This is what we are now wearing, fits the requirements perfectly. Can't remember when I last saw someone in Europe wearing anything other than an inflatable jacket. You should buy a couple and give them a try, let us know how you get on.

Pete

[Mikado]

I find this thread a little disturbing. The OP question was how to determine the shelf life of the Co2 life vest canister. Only one correct answer....the expiration date is stamped on the canister.

All of the recommendations to weight, etc to me is scary. We are talking about a $12.00 potential life saving component.

After hearing how common it appears that many sailors cut safety corners to save a couple bucks I’ll be sure to bring my own life vest when crewing in the future.

[Jdege]

I'm the OP, and I wasn't looking to save money, I was thinking about what kind of stocking schedule would be reasonable, on a long cruise.

And as for going by the date printed on the cartridge, no thanks.

Suppose I buy two recharge kits. One I install in the vest and wear daily in the boat, the other I keep in a Mason jar with a desicant packet. Would they be equally likely to fail? Of course not. But they have the same expiration date.

[Mikado]

Originally Posted by Jdege

I'm the OP, and I wasn't looking to save money, I was thinking about what kind of stocking schedule would be reasonable, on a long cruise.

And as for going by the date printed on the cartridge, no thanks.

Suppose I buy two recharge kits. One I install in the vest and wear daily in the boat, the other I keep in a Mason jar with a desicant packet. Would they be equally likely to fail? Of course not. But they have the same expiration date.

I understand what you are saying. You are probably a life vest engineer that knows more than me and the air canister manufacturer put together.

Just curious, do you apply the same reasoning to your life raft air cylinder, because they are equally important?

New cylinders have a 3 year mfg life. Are you really going to be unable to buy new back-up/replacements during that timeframe?

Hopefully your travels are safe requiring no life vest inflations.

You might want to think about what you would tell crew family and the law if there was a tragedy and the canister was expired, because I don’t think “I weighed it and it was the same weight as 4 quarters and 2 dimes” is going to satisfy anyone.

Jeff

[transmitterdan]

You buy one (or more) recharge kits when leaving civilization. Then when expiration is near you buy all new kits and put all the expired ones in storage marked expired-use for training only. Or you dispose of them per manufacturers instructions.

Seriously, you need to have all in-use or backup cartridges in unexpired status. An expired cartridge is not for use in anger. Never install an expired cartridge for real use at sea.

[boat driver]

Originally Posted by Mikado

I find this thread a little disturbing. The OP question was how to determine the shelf life of the Co2 life vest canister. Only one correct answer....the expiration date is stamped on the canister.

All of the recommendations to weight, etc to me is scary. We are talking about a $12.00 potential life saving component.

After hearing how common it appears that many sailors cut safety corners to save a couple bucks I’ll be sure to bring my own life vest when crewing in the future.

actually,
the prudence is to weigh the cylinder when new- simply because they do fail to seal in the factory as well leak in the transit- weighing is the only method of confirming it is full.

[Jdege]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

You buy one (or more) recharge kits when leaving civilization. Then when expiration is near you buy all new kits and put all the expired ones in storage marked expired-use for training only. Or you dispose of them per manufacturers instructions.

Seriously, you need to have all in-use or backup cartridges in unexpired status. An expired cartridge is not for use in anger. Never install an expired cartridge for real use at sea.

Having examined how these work, I'd not trust a cartridge to be effective to its marked date, if worn daily around the water in relatively humid environments.

They dissolve in water. Which means being splashed will damage them, and high humidity may weaken them.

It seems to me that I could trust the CO2 canisters to last to their use-by date, when installed in a vest and used regularly. But the dissolving cartridges? I'd trust them to last to their use-by date when keep dry and away from the water, but I expect I'll replace the one in the vest far more often than that.

[hellosailor]

jd-
If there's no weight printed on your cartridge, or even if there is? Spend $10 on ebay to get a small digital scale, the kind that measures grains and grams an carets, mainly used to measure less than a couple of ounces but do it precisely.
Weight the cartridge, write the weight and date on it with a Sharpie.
I've seen some go 20+ years with no weight loss, which means they were properly soldered shut and have held perfectly. I've also seen some fire extinguishers and CO2 cartridges that lost significant weight in three years. Odds are if it holds without any loss for the first three years? It will last many more.
The little scale is the only reliable way to tell if they have lost gas, and when you see the replacement prices...the scale is worth every cent it costs.