MSA Airpacks & Batteries

[rrlyons]

As some of the comments about them maybe getting bumped while in the truck and coming on. these units will only come on once you turn on the air valve. we dont have any turn off for the hud (ours is only led no voice amplifiers ) once you turn off the air bottle then bleed the pressure from the regulator and push the button on the side of the pass twice we get beeps then read out says off and hud lights blink and go out.
I also agree we used to have scott and some survive air packs. just plane old AIR PACKS (turn them on /strap them on your back/and go) and hopefully you remember to turn your pass on before you entered.

And sure even if they happen to be dead or dye out on you while in use they will still work fine (except for the pass alarm) which is the most important thing needed if and when S*** happens. the buddy breathing hook ups and or quick fill (rit) is great If you know where or can find a downed man

it just makes me mad as H** that everyone is going to all this electronic crap (or being forced to have it) when it is not reliable. sure some things are great that they are coming out with (instant pass on when pak pressurizd)
it sure seems not only on this site that there is some issues with these packs. we talked about maybe going back to the old clip on pass system for a back up ??? as we gave all our old ones along with the paks to a dept. on our county that was in need of upgadeing theres. kind of wish we had them back @ times.

[FiremanLyman]

RRLYONS, I will be at work tomorrow and am an MSA CARE repair tech. Send me the model number on the ICM and I'll look through the MSA publications.

[rrlyons]

FiremanLyman thanks for looking into this the model #'s on all 12 of our packs is
7-2183-1 (hope this is the # you are wanting)
Like I said above we have no complaints with our salesman or any service we have been getting on the ones that have had error on the digital read outs
but this battery issue seams alittle extreme. I'm sure our salesman is getting
or @ least should be getting something from MSA if there is any possible issues with there packs.

Look @ Toyota I know some car manufactures have recalls and some minor issues that they don't recall but if a vehicle comes in with this trouble it is covered but they don't issue a mandatory recall as long as its still in the warranty period. On something like this (air Packs) I would hope to think that a manufacture would not operate like this when lives depend on them.

[backsteprescue123]

Our MSA Firehawks seem to be working pretty well for us. No battery problems here, we change them twice a year or when needed. We have had some problems with the Heads Up Displays coming off the masks. Mine came off as I fell through a floor and the mask got ripped off my face but some guys have either just broken off or fallen off. I never used the thing anyway, if I need to check my pressure I just look at the gauge so when I told the Chief that it was no longer on my mask I told him to save the money rather than replace it.

[FiremanLyman]

RRLYONS-

The M7 Control Module 7-2183-1 is avalible with several options (thermal sensor, Quick Fill, and Radio Transmitter). Either way they should act the same way.

Few trouble shooting ideas. The battery plate, insure that the O-ring is intact iside the plate, water build up would be bad. Also you can have a trained service person remove the control module from the high pressure line and check for corrosion (could indicate moisture in the pack, bottle or fill station).

The reccomended batteries are Duracell MN1500 or Energizer E91. MSA warns other batteries can effect perfomance and viod safety approval.

The Error messages, on the ICM TxR they give a code. Without a code number, the only option is to replace and send back to manufactuer. The Error message should come up when the pack is charged, but will not turn off unless batteries are removed. This could have been the problem with them going off on their own (phantom), when checked the user did not note the error message and put the pack back up, since the pack does not turn off completely in Error, then the alarm later sounded.

Hope it is as simple as the batteries or cover. Anything else needs looked at by a tech.

[rrlyons]

FiremanLyman
The o-rings are good and there is no water or even any moisture inside where the batteries go. as for the moisture in the control module I don't think there has been any in there or @ least when our service tech has replaced them he has not said anything about it.

On the pack that came on (pass alerted in the station) we were called to mutual aid to a structure fire with a neighboring Dept. I and another F.F.
packed up to make entry
when he put the pack on the batteries were dead. as this was the only 2 packs we had @ the time as we were in the fast attack truck ( pumper had not arrived yet with the other packs) this pack had been checked a few days earlier and was fine. I went to the station the next ,morning and replaced the batteries in it. turned it on and off twice and everything worked ok. then put it back in service. about 2 hours later ( while still @ station)
I heard a pass going off (and I know it was off before I put it way) it was this same pack. I was able to push the side button and shut it off (and the bottle was off no air to it) when I went to put it back in truck as soon as I snapped it into the rack the pack it turned back on. I then turned it back off. then turned the air on and off a couple times and it worked fine. put it back in then checked it a couple 3 days later still ok. about a week after this we were checking packs again and this one had dead batteries. when we replaced them it had a error on the icm (COMM ER) and it went in for repair.

all our packs that have had errors have said the above on the read out.
the ICM that the packs came with have a black dial to read tank pressure on them and the ones that have been replaced are white now. don't know if that tells you anything or not.
I guess we will just have to see if things get better as they get replaced.
hope so. I just have a hard time spending all the $$$$$$$$ for the price of these packs (not just MSA) and having this kind of issue with them.
I will be asking our service man if there has been any sign of moisture in the
control modules

I want to thank you for taking the time today to do some researching into our problem for us

Once again THANKS for your time