Spinlock ALTO Belt Pack Owner's Manual (PDF)

OWNER'S MANUAL

Approvals, status checks, donning, re-arming with DW-RAK75, re-packing, the three-level inspection routine and in-water testing for the Spinlock ALTO manual inflatable belt pack (USCG / Transport Canada and ISO versions).

DocumentSpinlock ALTO Belt Pack Owner's Manual

FormatPDF · 28 pages · 0.5 MB

LanguageEnglish

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Approvals Donning & Inflating Re-arming Inspection Testing Products

Spinlock ALTO Belt Pack — Owner's Manual

Approvals & Limits

	USCG / Transport Canada version	ISO version
Standard	UL 12402-5, Level 70N (15.7 lbs)	EN ISO 12402-5:2020 50N buoyancy aid; EN ISO 12402-6:2020 special purpose buoyancy aid
Inflation	Halkey Roberts manual inflator, 16 g CO2 cylinder	Manual only, 16 g CO2 cylinder; minimum buoyancy when inflated 75N
Size	One size	Waist 70–145 cm; adult use only, 40 kg +
Users	At least 16 years old; not recommended for non-swimmers or weak swimmers	Swimmers only, sheltered waters, help at hand; trained users only (secondary donning in the water)

Spec sheet: 75N (17 lb) inflatable waist-worn flotation, one size 60–145 cm (27–57 inch) waist; inflates into a horseshoe shape that supports you around the chest; worn front or back.
Not a lifejacket: limited protection against drowning. Not approved for white water paddling, water skiing or other high-impact, high-speed use.
Not compatible with a safety harness.
Use only between 32 F (-0° C) and 140 F (60° C).
To count as serviceable (USCG / TC) it must be armed with a full CO2 cylinder, a status indicator and an accessible manual inflation lanyard, unless worn inflated.

The USCG manual gives Level 70N (15.7 lbs); the spec sheet says 75N (17 lb); the ISO leaflet gives waist 70–145 cm and the spec sheet 60–145 cm (all as printed).

Check and Don

Open the cover and check the firing unit is armed: green indicator clip in place.
Check the 16 g cylinder has not been pierced and is screwed in hand tight.
Put the ALTO round your waist, close the buckle and tighten the webbing to your waist size.

Inflate

Manual: pull the handle sharply; the cylinder inflates the bladder within seconds (fully within 5 seconds in the test procedure).
Oral: open the cover, remove the end cap and blow into the tube.
Once inflated, position the bladder under your arms.
Below freezing, even a full cylinder may not inflate it adequately: top up orally after the CO2 has discharged (not before).
CO2 permeates the bladder faster than air, so pressure drops over several hours: top up with the oral tube.
Never fully inflate orally and then fire the CO2: the overpressure can damage the device and lose flotation.

Re-arming & Re-packing

Re-arm (kit DW-RAK75)

Deflate through the oral tube: invert the end cap into the valve and gently squeeze the bladder, then return the cap.
Unscrew the used cylinder counter-clockwise.
Close the red manual arm and insert a new green indicator clip.
Check the gasket where the cylinder threads into the firing unit; replace it if worn.
Fit a new 16 g cylinder, checking it has not been pierced, and hand tighten clockwise.

Re-pack

Fold the bladder along the markers in order 1 to 7.
Re-packing sheet sequence: fold over / fold under along the bladder, fold the printed panel back, then pull the outer cover over to finish.
Check the cylinder is armed and secure before re-packing.

Part no.	Description
DW-RAK75	ALTO re-arming kit: 2 × 16 g CO2 cylinders and 2 × green clips	View part →

Page 5 of the USCG manual calls the kit DW-RAR/75 (as printed); the re-arm page and the spec sheet give DW-RAK75. Unscrew and inspect the threaded end of the cylinder to confirm it is unused.

Inspection & Care

Three-Level Routine

During use: check buckles and fastenings regularly.
Before and after use: look for damage, abrasion, wear, tears or contamination, especially stitching and webbing. Remove the cylinder, check it is unused, refit it tight.
Every three months: check the fabric for cuts, tears, abrasion, heat or chemical damage; inflate orally until firm and leave 24 hrs (any loss of firmness = leak, unsafe); hold the inflated tube under water to check the oral valve.
If a leak persists, or you are not confident with self-inspection, do not use it until it has been professionally serviced.
ISO leaflet: service every two years at an approved centre.
No modification or repair except by Spinlock Ltd.

Cleaning, Storage, Life

Remove the cylinder, hand-wash and rinse in fresh water at max. 86 F (30° C); dry in a cool, ventilated, dark room.
Store away from direct light and extreme temperatures; keep away from petrol, oil and solvents. Report chemical contact to Spinlock.
Disinfect with a product compatible with polyamide, polyester, polycarbonate and PVC, diluted, max. 30° C; soak one hour, rinse cold, dry slowly.
Lifetime: up to 3 years shelf life before first use; 5 years after first use (USCG manual). The ISO leaflet gives 3 years after first use.
Not a cushion, fender or kneeling pad; do not attach it to the boat.
Warranty: one year, first owner.

Testing Your ALTO

Test in a pool or calm, supervised water. Buy two re-arming kits: one for the test, one as a spare on board.

Manual Inflator Test

With cylinder and green tab removed, cycle the lever several times: the lever arm and piercing pin must move freely, no binding.
Put on the fully armed ALTO and jerk the pull tab: it should fully inflate within 5 seconds.
In shallow water, check it floats you on your back or slightly back of vertical with your mouth well clear of the water.
Remove the used cylinder, deflate orally, dry thoroughly, then re-arm and re-pack.

Oral Inflator Test

Remove the cylinder first (prevents accidental firing) and check it is unused.
In shallow water, add one breath at a time to learn how much inflation keeps your airway clear; breath air cools and contracts, so top up.
Then inflate fully and check the floating position as above.
The device must be fully inflated to perform as approved. Deflate, dry, re-arm and re-pack.

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