DIN valve cover?

[Tom Winters]

I recently had occasion to ship my lp85 doubles over to Avalon. I had the SS plug installed, hand tight. I bird dogged them as much as possible, but between the Express and the Catalina Baggage company I could not always be present.
When I went to use them, guess what? Both plugs were tight! (Remember the 8" cresent wrench) Somebody had managed to turn on both posts just humping them around.

Ok Tobin, you're stepping out of your field of expertise here. I love the stuff you make, and ANYONE with a BP/W who does not have three sets of your delrin thumbwheels is sadly lacking.
But by swapping out the delrin plugs for stainless steel plugs, you're messing around with the future of the human race.
You had TWO chances to take idiots out of the human gene pool at waist level and you blew it big time, buddy. Plus, they're going to learn and be prepared next time - "Hey George - lookee here at these here Tobintanks with them nuts on 'em. Let's take a look and see who can wrench 'em off first..."
In the state of California, when you're convicted of a double homicide, it's special circumstances, and Johnny Cochrane is dead.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Ok Tobin, you're stepping out of your field of expertise here. I love the stuff you make, and ANYONE with a BP/W who does not have three sets of your delrin thumbwheels is sadly lacking.
But by swapping out the delrin plugs for stainless steel plugs, you're messing around with the future of the human race.
You had TWO chances to take idiots out of the human gene pool at waist level and you blew it big time, buddy. Plus, they're going to learn and be prepared next time - "Hey George - lookee here at these here Tobintanks with them nuts on 'em. Let's take a look and see who can wrench 'em off first..."
In the state of California, when you're convicted of a double homicide, it's special circumstances, and Johnny Cochrane is dead.

Tom, you have a truely unique (twisted?) perspective, I always look for your posts, they make me chuckle.

Tobin

 

[dbg40]

I use the stainless plugs for one reason,, Ever accidently smack an unprotected din valve? It eggshapes the opening! Lost dive, new din, $$$ The delrin plugs wont supply the same level of protection. (I don't think)

 

[Diver0001]

I too live dangerously, apparently. I have the plastic plugs, and they work fine. I must have a special kind, though, cuz mine will actually let air through them if you turn the valve on through a one way air release valve thingy (sorry if I lost anyone with all the technical jargon here).

Either one of you gents care to do a little experiement for us? Although it sounds quite plausible, the plastic plug thing might turn out to be an urban myth. Would either of you care to play mythbuster for us and try blowing the plug out by turning the air on....

R..

 

[TeddyDiver]

Duck tape? Condom (black would be DIR )?

 

[jonnythan]

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=79242&highlight=delrin+plug
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=69986&highlight=delrin+plug

 

[DA Aquamaster]

We are really taking about 3 types of plugs, not 2.

SS plugs do provide more impact protection, but then dropping tanks on their valves is, as far as I know, not DIR anyway.

The big SS advantage is that they will completely seal the opening to the extent that if your valve is turned on nothing is going to leak out. This is nice if you are taking some very expensive tri-mix on a trip, but will require a wrench to get the plug out under pressure. In my opinion, this was the intent of SS plugs.

Delrin plugs usually have a vent in the end that will vent any gas in the event the valve is opened . On the ones I have seen, this vent does not allow a direct run through the face and any dust woudl have to turn a couple corners and negotiate a very narrow spave around a plate in the vent and consequently will also prevent any significant amount of dust or dirt from entering. Delrin plugs are also a bit more solid and I think offer a fair degree of impact protection to the valve.

Then we have the cheaper plastic plugs. They also vent gas, but usually this is just through a small hole in the face of the plug. I also would not rely on them for much impact protection.

I have primarily delrin plugs but on a couple of tanks have plastic plugs. A small piece of electrical tape over the vent hole keeps out dust and yet will allow the plug to vent if the valve is turned on with the plug in place. It's a simple solution to the dust problem.

Personally, I have found brains and common sense to be far more important in preventing dust infiltration or a disaster than dogma regarding which plug you should be using.

If you find you are still fretting over which plug to use, you probably need to be diving more and talking about diving less.

 

[cmalinowski]

Duck tape? Condom (black would be DIR )?

That's pretty much my thought too. Am I wrong? Do you need the plugs? I have dust covers that I put on them just as I would have on my old yoke. Should I be greatly concerned about the dust? Won't a quick knob turn to blow the dust out before putting on the reg be sufficient?

I'm not trolling, I am serious. If I need to get the plugs, I will. After everything thing else I've spent money on this year that is diving related, this would be cheap...

Thanks,
Chris

 

[cool_hardware52]

At the risk of beaing a dead horse.....

Stainless plugs 1) Provide true sealing of the orfice via a face seal oring, just like the one one a regulator. 2) Support the shape of the din threads to prevent distortion if the valve is struck, 3) Are not likely to become a pnuematically powered emasculator!

Plastic plugs 1) Do not have a face seal oring, and as such do not really provide even dust protection. 300 Bar Din valves have a relief hole in the side of the casting to prevent 200 bar regs from sealing. Without a face seal oring on the plug this hole to is a conduit for contamination. 2) Plastic plugs offer no support for the din threads. 3) Plastic Plugs have the potential to be dangerous.

SS Plugs work, Plastic Plugs are decoration at best, and a hazzard at worst.

Sure you can blow out dust, etc by opening the valve, but what about deco bottles or Rebreather O2 bottles?

Is it wise to rely on a plastic plug to keep the valve on the 100% bottle O2 Clean? Do you really want to quickly snap open the valve on the 100% to blast out the crap? Mind if I leave the area first?

I use SS din plugs. If I don't have enough of them I use plastic stretch wrap. You can buy stretch wrap in a 2" wide roll. It's cheap, It works, fits all types of valves. It has no adhesive to muck things up. I bought mine at U-Haul, I'm sure it's available all over.



Tobin

 

[cmalinowski]

At the risk of beaing a dead horse.....

Stainless plugs 1) Provide true sealing of the orfice via a face seal oring, just like the one one a regulator. 2) Support the shape of the din threads to prevent distortion if the valve is struck, 3) Are not likely to become a pnuematically powered emasculator!

Plastic plugs 1) Do not have a face seal oring, and as such do not really provide even dust protection. 300 Bar Din valves have a relief hole in the side of the casting to prevent 200 bar regs from sealing. Without a face seal oring on the plug this hole to is a conduit for contamination. 2) Plastic plugs offer no support for the din threads. 3) Plastic Plugs have the potential to be dangerous.

SS Plugs work, Plastic Plugs are decoration at best, and a hazzard at worst.

Sure you can blow out dust, etc by opening the valve, but what about deco bottles or Rebreather O2 bottles?

Is it wise to rely on a plastic plug to keep the valve on the 100% bottle O2 Clean? Do you really want to quickly snap open the valve on the 100% to blast out the crap? Mind if I leave the area first?

I use SS din plugs. If I don't have enough of them I use plastic stretch wrap. You can buy stretch wrap in a 2" wide roll. It's cheap, It works, fits all types of valves. It has no adhesive to muck things up. I bought mine at U-Haul, I'm sure it's available all over.

Tobin

I can see the point for o2 cleaned tanks.

Just ordered a pair. See, I'm easily swayed to the path of righteousness.