respir...respar..rspora...oh bugger, gas masks?

[Duiker]

I've got an old Racal Airlite but all the seals are buggered. Does anyone know where i can buy new seals? I tried looking it up on the net but all the information points to this model now being obsolete. Is that true? Do I have to buy a new one?

Thanks again guys,

Mick

 

[Chris Knight]

Mick,

I had one that broke. Racal don't make it any more so I was b'd for spares. I got a Powercap instead - good piece of kit with a much more powerful fan and less sign of any dust in the mask.

 

[Duiker]

Thanks,

I saw the two models and wondered if the Trend respirator is any good as it looks quite like the Racal and has the integral battery as oposed to the seperate battery pack.
Sod it, I knew this was going to mean more expense than I thought!!

 

[Guest]

I am waiting delivery of a Trend Airshield from Rutlands so when it comes I will let you know what I think of it

 

[houtslager]

hoi Duiker I´ve got and USE 8) the AIR CAP, if you pop over this Saterday I´ll let you try it on PDG imho and its works a treat.

 

[Duiker]

Thanks guys, I'll keep an eye on this thread to find out what you think of the Trend Jaymar.

Houtslager, nice one, thanks. I'm away on business this weekend, perhaps next?

Cheers,

Mick

 

[Duiker]

Just before I posted this thread I found a link to a site offering the two respirators (Trend Airsheild and the Air Cap) as alternatives to my Recal.
I sent them an email asking much the same question and I thought you might like to read the reply:

"Mick

Your presumptions are largely correct. The few spares that 3M did release ran out well over 12 months ago.

The "crime" of what 3M did was that they didn't even take any steps to secure a supply of filters: they simply worked like good accountants and measured the write-off value of the stock and compared it to the value of complete units. It is abundantly clear that no effort whatsoever was made to match spare parts run rates with market needs and a suitable obsolescence date - maybe 3 years would have been reasonable. Hence there were huge amounts of spare chargers that ended up being dumped but almost no batteries or filters, which people need regularly. Even two years on I could go ballistic about their penny-pinching, mean-minded, anti-humanitarian actions: effectively throwing their clients to the dogs of disease caused by particle inhalation. And to do it with no notice whatsoever: they were selling units for a premium price one day and unable to supply the most basic spare part the next. The only reason that I, or anyone else in the industry, got any notice at all was because a careless (or embittered) 3M employee let it slip to me that the product was internally classed as obsolete and I phoned around the trade to try to get some representation together. Even their largest UK distributor was unaware until I called them!

I believe that I have left in stock a single pack of face seals if that's what you need, along with a pack of visor overlays. I may also have a European charger, but that's about it (I'll have to check physically to be sure.) I don't think anyone else in the UK will even talk to you about spare parts for Airlites."

Ineresting eh? At least I am now completely aware of the situation and can now justify the expense of a new respirator (despite the old one still working :evil:
I'm not sure I should divulge the source openly given the content but I will say I was impressed with the level of service this company offers and will give you details via PM if you want them.

 

[Woodythepecker]

Duiker, i personally complained about this to the M.D at 3M but i might as well have saved my time. They claimed that the few Airlites in service would not warrant them continuing to supply spares.

I believe it was Axminster who bought all the spares that were left from 3M, but that was a year or two ago so i would have thought that these are are gone by now, but you never know you might be lucky, so give them a ring.

I use the Trend Airshield now which is a lot better and unlike the Airlite has a flip up mask. It also has a pre-filter before the main one, which again is better then the single one on the Airlite.

I do hope that you find what you are looking for.

Regards

Woody

 

[devonwoody]

Give Axminster a ring they had some respirator parts on a shelf when I was in their cottage last time.

 

[Duiker]

Will do, cheers guys.

 

[dickm]

According to an ex-employee of Racal, they referred to this item as the Air-*****! I've got one, plus quite a lot of spares, so agree with the name but will have to stick with it for a while. I recently modified the on-board battery to use single NiCad cells when the old ones wore out. Relatively simple process, which I'll try and remember to write up some time!

 

[Duiker]

I had a reply from Axminster today. They ran out of spares a long time ago so cant help. The Tool Post said he might have one set left but given the problems I will buy a new one. Even if I find face seals now I will have trouble later when I need filters etc (which dont last for ever). If I do replace the Racal, dickm, I might be able to let you have some spares?

Cheers,

Mick