Blue steel Pro valves don't work with all yoke regulators!

[Wayward Son]

fwiw, the thicker vales do not work with scubapro yokes, barely work with aqualung & if I recall correctly worked fine with zeagle yokes.

 

[mike_s]

Does the XS Scuba valve use the same rebuild parts as a Thermo or does it have its own? I ask because I already have a couple of thermos and the two blue steel. If I start adding even more brands finding parts might become more of a chore.

~Jess

are the rebuilt kits interchangeable?

I don't know for sure, but in a post over on I think Decostop I think that one poster said there were some minor differences.

since the XSScuba valves are so new and I doubt have been rebuilt much, I don't know if many people have tested this.....

but under 3442psi, you want to make sure you have the exact fit parts and not have a tolerance failure at 100 feet if the part is just 1% difference in tolerance. So I'd reccomend the rebuitl kit for whatever brand you get.

The difference in the internal of the Thermo verses the XS Scuba valve is the 'crush bonnet'. Also the XS valve doesn't take as many turns to turn on/off. So there's got to be a difference in that part also. The only other difference is the dip tube is hex on the end instead of round. This is so you can install with a wrench. I would guess this part is interchangeable.

-mike

 

[widget]

We buy valves directly from San-o-Sub and had the same issue about a year ago, so those valves are more than 12 months old. When I contacted them, they told me that they were aware of the issue and had modified the tooling, but Yes, a small number of yolks wont fit that particular model valve - but its no longer available anyway.

They did offer replacement units to us, but we just use those valves as Dins now.Perhaps Blue Steel will consider replacing them as San O Sub will replace to them I am sure.

Since then we have purchased over 500 valves from San-o-Sub with no further issues.

 

[mike_s]

We buy valves directly from San-o-Sub and had the same issue about a year ago, so those valves are more than 12 months old. When I contacted them, they told me that they were aware of the issue and had modified the tooling, but Yes, a small number of yolks wont fit that particular model valve - but its no longer available anyway.

They did offer replacement units to us, but we just use those valves as Dins now.Perhaps Blue Steel will consider replacing them as San O Sub will replace to them I am sure.

Since then we have purchased over 500 valves from San-o-Sub with no further issues.

You said about a year ago.....

one thing to note, is that a lot of the Blue Steel (Faber) tanks being sold now days are a "year into hydro" from manufacturing date. So chances are that the original poster might have valves from the same time period with the same problems...

or if it was just the valves he bought, it could have been from a dealer that had them on the shelf for a year.

So, since this apparently is a "known issue" with San-o-Sub/Blue Steel valves, I think the original poster might have recourse for getting them replaced.

Don't know where he bought them... but he could take them back to that shop.

or contact Blue Steel directly

Bud Allen
Director of Sales and Marketing
BlueSteel LLC.
Bud@BlueSteelLLC.com
Toll Free - (877) 434-8325​

 

[JessH]

I emailed Bud Allen and he got back to me very quickly. He said he hasn't seen the old valves in about a year and half but offered to swap out the valves for me. All I can say is great quick customer service. I will definitely be buying from them again in the future, and now think I may end up swapping the rest of my yokes for blue steel pro valves instead of thermos if the new ones I get don't give me any problems.

~Jess

 

[JessH]

Another quick note for anyone wondering. I bought my tanks about a year and a half ago with a known old hydro of 05. So they have definitely been sitting around for a while. I wouldn't expect this problem with tanks or valves purchased now.

~Jess

 

[Stu S.]

I have come across three different Blue Steel "Din-Yoke" valve versions. The early ones would hardly fit any yoke, including Oceanic. That's the ones that the distributor changed out. The valve on my LP-85 fits everything except a Scubapro yoke. (This valuable feature was designed to keep one of my co-workers from borrowing it.) The latest, on my HP-100's fit Scubapro.

 

[widget]

You said about a year ago.....

one thing to note, is that a lot of the Blue Steel (Faber) tanks being sold now days are a "year into hydro" from manufacturing date. So chances are that the original poster might have valves from the same time period with the same problems...

or if it was just the valves he bought, it could have been from a dealer that had them on the shelf for a year.

So, since this apparently is a "known issue" with San-o-Sub/Blue Steel valves, I think the original poster might have recourse for getting them replaced.

Don't know where he bought them... but he could take them back to that shop.

or contact Blue Steel directly

Bud Allen
Director of Sales and Marketing
BlueSteel LLC.
Bud@BlueSteelLLC.com
Toll Free - (877) 434-8325​

I see the issue has been sorted and it seems Blue Steel agrees with the approx 12-15 months old valves, so this is just for interest.

The problem as we saw it (and San-O-Sub agreed) was really just the cut away (approx 45 degree) chamfer on the rear of the valve was not sharp enough (probably only about 25 degrees) so when one fitted a yolk which as we all know is widest in the middle and tapers towards the rear - the chamfer of the valve was not sufficient for the taper of the yolk and the yolk wouldnt slide down over the valve.

I dont really know how else to explain it - the manufacturers just really increased the chamfer (cut away) to about 45 degrees, so the taper end of the yolk fits fine.

We really do find these excellant, robust valves and the replacement / service kits are
very inexpensive.

 

[mike_s]

well I'm glad I was able to help Jess with the contact info for the person to get his valves swapped out.....

seems like everything worked out and he didn't have to lay out $100 bucks on new valves.


As a note, I had to have my tanks replaced by Blue Steel and Bud was able to help with that. it wasn't a "glitch free" process, but it got done.

 

[widget]

well I'm glad I was able to help Jess with the contact info for the person to get his valves swapped out.....

seems like everything worked out and he didn't have to lay out $100 bucks on new valves.


As a note, I had to have my tanks replaced by Blue Steel and Bud was able to help with that. it wasn't a "glitch free" process, but it got done.

Just looking at the posts, do most Faber tanks sold in the USA come with San o Sub valves (Blue Steel) ?? - it would just make sense because Faber Italy buy all their valves from San O Sub and with shipping, warehousing, retailer shelf time etc its not that unusual to get a "new" cylinder thats effectively 12 months old.!