On Sat, 19 Jan 2008 17:25:39 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:


There is one mysterious feature. On the top of the pressure casing
there is a small resin colored plug.

Obviously :-) a porous plug which equalizes pressure when dry and does
not do so when wet.

It is visible from the outside
of the case through a hole in the label. I presume this keeps the
device from exploding if you take it up into space or something. On
the other hand it could be the little bit that dissolves every two
years so you have to replace it... Or, perhaps, they use the hole to
fill the chamber with inert gas... In any case, if the bung were out
the device would not operate. I suppose it is worth looking to make
sure it is there periodically, particularly if the release has been in
an airplane.

-- Tom.

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 11:02:16 +0000, Goofball_star_dot_etal
wrote:

On Sat, 19 Jan 2008 17:25:39 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:


There is one mysterious feature. On the top of the pressure casing
there is a small resin colored plug.

Obviously :-) a porous plug which equalizes pressure when dry and does
not do so when wet.


Thinking about that....if the leakage rate is slow, wet or dry,
then that would work for a hydrostatic release container which might
sink 13 feet in less than say 30 minutes....

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

On Jan 20, 1:02 am, Goofball_star_dot_etal
wrote:

Obviously :-) a porous plug which equalizes pressure when dry and does
not do so when wet.

That sounds reasonable and I suppose it would make the release depths
more consistent. For me the big question is, is this the bit that
goes bad in two years? As I've mentioned, mine was manufactured in
march of 2000 and it sat in my EPIRB case for years and I just
disassembled and inspected it yesterday and it looked absolutely
perfect...

-- Tom.