Rapid Charging of SCBA Cylinders

[doughesson]

This is not true. The carbon fiber cylinders do not hold up to rapid filling. Some departments around here have run into issues when the cylinders get hydro tested and experience a very short life span due to rapid filling. The metal cylinders are better capable of withstanding the rapid fill but I still wouldnt recommend doing it. And if you absolutely have to get it tested before it goes back in service.

I did say,"supposedly",Cap,because some of the training came from a guy that had only recently been checked out on the rig himself.After I mentioned that to a couple officers,it got corrected very quickly.
We'd have to log each cylinder,it's hydro date and when it was last filled(according to previous entries for that last box)before refilling,and routinely assigned probies and/or Explorers to inventory the cylnders to check dates.
As I also said,there may well be a material that can take repeated rapid fills but I'd be willing to bet real money that even that cylinder made of unobtainium will eventually be filled too fast and rupture like a balloon.

[Haweater]

No, not missing that at all.

Bingo.

Now that this thread is hijacked, might as well stay on the ride. There is no faster way to get air to the mask of a downed firefighter (I'm going with the assumption that he is down and his pack is simply now out of air) than using the whip on the MSA. Two push on quick connects and you've now shared the air from the rescuer's pack.
Now, if this is happening in a large enough structure that the two will not be able to get out after sharing the rescuer's air, then it would be better to take in a pack or a bottle.
As for the original question; I would assume rapid filling would be hard on any bottle. Only recommended when necessary and if you're doing it in training, only connect packs with somewhat close levels of air so you're not transferring enough to stress the bottle.
Cheers
Gord

[voyager9]

I don't know that I'd ever advocate refilling a downed firefighter's pack as the first choice during RIT/RIC operations. As was said above, you're usually left with half a bottle but more importantly it takes too much time. I'd rather swap out the pack with our RIT bag, or another whole pack. Use the quick disconnect between the facepiece/regulator and pack(Scott). It's one step instead of several that have to be made under stressful and potentially dangerous situations.

As for hot filling, the bottles *may* stand up to it, for a while but you're still going to be left with less-than full once the bottle cools.