Argonaut Kraken exhaust loop flooding issue...?

[rhwestfall]

Don't you think you could just adhere another spider to the surface (metal or "plastic")? You would obviously need to enlarge the OEM hole.

 

[Fibonacci]

....or just a flat seal such as found on an AIR 2

Yep a flat seal would also work but running out of thread engagement in the unsupported area... the Air 2 was designed for such a seal and has plenty of thread engagement.

 

[Fibonacci]

Don't you think you could just adhere another spider to the surface (metal or "plastic")? You would obviously need to enlarge the OEM hole.

You could indeed machine a small recess and bond a flat spider waterjet machined from 0.5mm 316 Stainless sheet but I would be worried about the adhesive failing and it lifting off at some point... water under pressure seeps in.
The housing material appears to be ABS or PC/ABS and reliably bonding a stainless spider to it would be tricky.
Ultrasonic welding would be best, that insert would never move then!

 

[lexvil]

I decided to try something, I had changed the valve before with inconclusive results, I have a G250 valve in it right now, which feels and looks pretty much the same as the original. I had some time on my hands and decided to try something, I cut a disc of 600 grit wet and dry and found a piece of rubber to use as a handle and did a circulat lapping of the seating surface for the valve (I did remove the valve just in case you were wondering
It did show low spots once I started, without removing much material in a very short time I had an even surface which upon reinstalling the valve seems to hole a very small vacuum where it didn’t before. I don’t know if this will help but I hope to get the Kraken back in the water soon to find out.

 

[Luis H]

I decided to try something, I had changed the valve before with inconclusive results, I have a G250 valve in it right now, which feels and looks pretty much the same as the original. I had some time on my hands and decided to try something, I cut a disc of 600 grit wet and dry and found a piece of rubber to use as a handle and did a circulat lapping of the seating surface for the valve (I did remove the valve just in case you were wondering
It did show low spots once I started, without removing much material in a very short time I had an even surface which upon reinstalling the valve seems to hole a very small vacuum where it didn’t before. I don’t know if this will help but I hope to get the Kraken back in the water soon to find out.

Some times the simplest solution is the best solution.

Just make sure the center of the valve is tight against the spider.

If it is not tight, you can do the silicone caulking trick I already mentioned or you can try installing a small
washer between the arrow head and the spider (same ID as the spider). I have seen this second trick used in the past on mouthpiece valves (back when we were trying different valves). Installing the washer in the mouthpiece valves is easy. Doing the same thing in the exhaust of an Argonaut, IMO, is kind of like building a ship in a bottle. I don't have the patience.

I guess you probably could bond the washer to the back of the spider before you try to install the mushroom valve. That would probably work fairly easy. But either trick is only needed if the valve is not tight against the spider.

Personally I often still do the silicone just because it is easy and it is not permanent.
YMMV

Have you tried the light test? That will give you a real good idea if it is going to seal.


Good luck and good dives...

 

[lexvil]

Light test passed, reg back together and ready to dive, depending on conditions this weekend may be it.

 

[rhwestfall]

I don't remember which one, but either a hp spool o-ring or the o-ring from the ScubaPro Poppet stem make a potential spacer.

As @Luis H said, it will be like making a ship in a bottle to install it...

 

[TectonicDrake]

Light test passed on my exhaust valve. I cleaned out a bit of dust and debris since it had sat unused for a while until I bought it. Used the caulk sealant trick on the exhaust valve also since I had the silicon sealant laying around. I may have also been getting water from my hoses or the dsv itself on the exhaust side. As I didn't have any wet breathing with mine.

The individual I bought this from had put green hoses on to match the label and the hose clamps were as tight as they would go, now that I have ordered a set of original hoses I can't get nearly that tight I"m guessing I may have had a slow leak from there. Also he possibly didn't use original replacement o-rings on the dsv as after cleaning and changing out all the o-rings it feels like a completely new dsv. I know I probably should have done one fix at a time to find the main cause but I just don't want to have it flood again so I used the shotgun approach. I will try to test this weekend.

 

[Fibonacci]

The individual I bought this from had put green hoses on to match the label and the hose clamps were as tight as they would go, now that I have ordered a set of original hoses I can't get nearly that tight I"m guessing I may have had a slow leak from there.

I would also check the IP is stable at 135psi... when my HP seat started failing it was delivering IP air at 200psi which also came out from under the slightly loose mouthpiece Cobra cable ties, then vented via the octo if the DSV was closed.
The previous owner may have over-tightened the hose clamps in an attempt to fix an IP over-pressure issue caused by the HP seat?

 

[TectonicDrake]

Was just noticing the difference between the aftermarket hoses and the original hoses I just bought. They fit vastly differently and the hose thickness was much different so the clamps maybe couldn't honestly tighten enough to get the job done on the hoses he put on. I've thrown an ip gauge on it and it will go to 135 and maybe creep 4-5 psi to 140 and won't budge. From what I can tell this is completely normal.