PFD help

General musky fishing discussions and questions.

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Esoxonthefly
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PFD help

Post by Esoxonthefly » Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:22 pm

I have an inflatable PFD from Gander MTN, actually the "Guide Series" brand that I bought in 2010. I left the CO2 cylinder in it over the winter outdoors and came to find it inflated in the spring. No big deal. When I bought a new cartridge last summer, it immediately inflated upon screwing it in. What could be causing this? The directions mention replacing the bobbin every 3 years so could the bobbin be damaged?
"I once heard of a guy that caught a 70" muskie weighing 80 lbs...."

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hemichemi
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Post by hemichemi » Mon Mar 26, 2012 11:07 am

JT,

The bobbin needs to be replaced every time it's been inflated. If it's like mine, the bobbin actually contains a LifeSaver-shaped pellet of salt that keeps the valve mechanism shut. If the salt is gone (it dissolves if you go in the drink, or when it's been left out in humidity too long like yours was), the valve remains open, and just putting a new CO2 cartridge on will result in what you saw.
Alcohol and calculus don't mix —
Don't drink and derive.

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Esoxonthefly
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Post by Esoxonthefly » Mon Mar 26, 2012 2:46 pm

Thanks Tom, that makes a ton of sense. Now to find a bobbin.........
"I once heard of a guy that caught a 70" muskie weighing 80 lbs...."

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Will Schultz
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Post by Will Schultz » Mon Mar 26, 2012 2:59 pm

Esoxonthefly wrote:Thanks Tom, that makes a ton of sense. Now to find a bobbin.........
You should have got everything w/ the CO2... at least I thought they all came with a recharge kit and not just the CO2.
Self interest is for the past, common interest is for the future.

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Esoxonthefly
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Post by Esoxonthefly » Mon Mar 26, 2012 3:29 pm

I'll have to look. I don't remember seeing one last year when I bought the kit from Gander but I may not have been looking either.
"I once heard of a guy that caught a 70" muskie weighing 80 lbs...."

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