Alternate Air Source

In common scuba diving terminology, an alternative air source, also called a buoyancy compensator or a hybrid DV inflation valve, is a typical diving equipment that is generally worn by divers to provide emergency air source and buoyancy underwater or on the surface. For today's professional scuba divers, the most common type of alternative air source is the buoyancy compensator inflation valve, which has the ability to adjust and control a diver's overall buoyancy. Some types of this buoyancy compensator alternative air source are designed along with a scuba set or are included in a set's harness.

The buoyancy compensator (BC) alternative air source holds varied essential features. The BC air source usually has low pressure direct feed that directs gas from the scuba tank and regulator to the BC; an inflation valve that permits the entry of air from the direct feed into the BC's bladders; pockets for decompression tables, buoys, and diving reel; and an over pressurization valve that accordingly vents the bladders if a diver injects too much air or over inflates the BC. Another notable feature of a buoyancy compensator air source is the vent valve. This valve allows air pressure to exit from the bladders of the BC. Most BCs have at least two vent valves, one at the bottom and the other at the extreme section. The vent that is situated at the bottom is used when a diver is inverted while the one at the shoulder is used when the diver is positioned upright.

Meanwhile, there are several common types of Buoyancy Compensator air source. One very popular type is the wings, which consist of inflatable bladders worn behind and at the side of a scuba diver. Considered as the latest development in diving equipment and gears, wings are preferably utilised in technical or professional diving since they have the capacity to carry more than one scuba diving air tank. A stab jacket, on the other hand, is also a common type of BC air source. It is basically an inflatable vest worn around the upper torso of a scuba diver. Generally acting as a scuba tank harness, a stab jacket provides up to 25 liters of buoyancy underwater. This type of BC air supply is the most preferred model among beginner and recreational scuba divers because it specializes in weights, buoyancy control, and scuba tank retention in one stable diving gear piece.