Attaching my big hose to my pee valve

[testpilot58d]

Now that I have your attention...

I am new to drysuit diving and going to try my pee valve for the first time. Have a Si-Tech dump valve with the stock hose attached to it. Ordered a bunch or Rochester wide-bands and figured out how to put one of those on successfully (that was 3 weeks ago, I still can't get it off)..so I am up to the point of connecting the hose to the condom cath.

What should I use to secure the hose to the cath? It isn't very 'snug' in there when I slide the hose into the condom cath. A little light pressure and it comes right out. I REALLY don't want to have it blow off and pee all over the inside of my drysuit.

Thank you.

Brian

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Brian,

Never fear, technology is your friend!

1. Connecting your condom catheter to the hose - use o-rings. Since hose sizes differ I can't recommend a specific size, but go to your friendly LDS, make nice with the tech, and go back to that plastic chest where he keeps all his o-rings. You'll find a vast assortment of sizes. You want the ones that you have to struggle and have a good attitude to get over the latex rim of the condom catheter. I use two. (Redundancy ) Don't forget to get another couple for when they break, etc.

2. You will be much happier (not to mention more welcome in mixed company) if you perform another small alteration. Cut off about 4" of the hose leading to the P-valve. That short little bit is what attaches to the condom catheter with the o-rings.

you attach the short bit to the rest of the plumbing using a connector. You can use a double barb polymer or brass item, but I use a small polymer quick disconnect coupling from McMaster Carr: McMaster-Carr

Your local Lowes or Home Depot may also have something that will work.

The point is that you don't want to be messing with your plumbing too frequently on mixed dive boats! The quick disconnect lets you install the condom catheter in your hotel room (where you're not (generally) dealing with 3' - 5' waves, rocking swells, and women you haven't met yet), then don your drysuit on the charter boat and discretely hook yourself into the suit plumbing.

Final tip...always 'prime your tubing' at the surface before the dive. If the tubing is filled with air, and you try to use your plumbing at 150', guess what happens all over the inside of your drysuit? Remember to prime, for a happy time!

Best,

Doc

 

[testpilot58d]

Doc,

Thanks so much! All the answers I was looking for!

Brian

 

[fdog]

Since you're new to the dry suit pee-valve thing, here's an article that is pretty much a must-read:

Mastery or Misadventure...Secrets of the Condom Catheter

If you do not laugh so hard that you start crying, there's something wrong!

It's at TDS, so you'll have to register to see the article, but so worth it.


All the best, James

 

[jepuskar]

I just put the catheter on, put the opening over the p-valve tubing and away I go. It's on there snug enough not to blow off.

 

[testpilot58d]

jepuskar,

The sample condom cath that came with the pee-vlave was a nice tight fit on the hose (I could barely get the hose up inside of it). Based on all the reading I've done here at Scubaboard, Rochester wide-bands seemed to be the 'rubber of choice' so I ordered them. The opening for the tube on the rochesters is slightly larger than the sample condom cath and the tube slips out easily.

Fdog...lol...yeah, I read that article. I was trying to be witty in my original post, but I was nowhere near as hilarious as THAT guy!

 

[donooo]

somewhere I have read, and since tried, that if you cut the end (little end) fo the wide body at about a 45 dg. angle it makes it easier to get the little tiny o-rings on. Try it !

don O

 

[Web Monkey]

Remember to prime, for a happy time!

That should be in the instructions.

Terry

 

[Bob]

jepuskar,

The sample condom cath that came with the pee-vlave was a nice tight fit on the hose (I could barely get the hose up inside of it). Based on all the reading I've done here at Scubaboard, Rochester wide-bands seemed to be the 'rubber of choice' so I ordered them. The opening for the tube on the rochesters is slightly larger than the sample condom cath and the tube slips out easily.

I got tired of the wide glue band on the Rochesters and switched to the Mentor freedom cath, which works better for me. I plug it in the p valve hose and that's that. almtree: Bob

 

[hawksbill]

I am using a Halcyon valve that came with a plastic hose barb. You may be able to find a plastic hose barb that works for your size tube. Orings sounds like a pain. The hose barb is secure compact and as fast as a quick disconnect if you can find the right size.