Dry suit valve question.

[fisherdvm]

My drysuit, which I bought from ebay... It is supposed to be new, still with the tag on it. However, it is an older model.

I tested it out today, no leaks. My neck felt a little uncomfortable, so I trimmed an extra 1/8 inch of the neck seal.

The arm exhaust valve, it must be an old system, does not automatically release when I raise my arm.

However, what concern me is the adjustment. If I unscrewed it completely out, shouldn't it automatically release air as I keep on filling the suit? Instead, air leaked out of the arm seals, but not through the valve.

Is the valve defective, or is it working normally at sea level? I am sure that my question will be answered this Friday, at my drysuit class.

 

[do it easy]

Maybe it is just stuck a bit. Depending on the valve, you might be able to take it apart and help it along, although for the uninitiated, exhaust valves are hard to disassemble and even harder to reassemble.

 

[Hickdive]

If its an auto dump and its unscrewed all the way it should vent.

If you can have it fully open and still blow up the suit until it vents through the seals then there is something wrong with the valve and I wouldn't dive with the suit in this condition

Try removing the valve from the suit and blowing through it with it set fully open. It might just be that the diaphragm has become tacky in storage.

PS be careful trimming latex seals, they slacken with use and over enthusiastic trimming when they're new can leave them too slack later. Try leaving them stretched over a coffee can overnight before resorting to trimming.

 

[fisherdvm]

I took the valve apart. It appears very simple, and has 2 spring, one valve on a piston, and a plastic screw part that adjust the tension on the valve.

It appears that it vents fine with the exhaust button when you pressed upon it.

I am guessing the valve should work well under water, and should vent with a little more than atmospheric pressure.

There appear to be no corrosion, no sticking, or any grits in the valve. I think maybe if I gripped the wrist a little tighter, the valve would probably vented. My guess is there must be a little opening pressure required to keep water from slushing into the suit at the surface if the valve is fully opened.