Drysuit Dump Valve Problem

[njaimo]

...should have mentioned that before, I had absolutely no troubles unscrewing the inside part of the valve, none. Just plain screw it hand tight against the low-friction washer and good to go. The outside part of the valve you do not want to rotate, as it was glued to the outside of the suit with rubber cement, and twisting it would rip the rubber cement seal... If installed properly, with the correct sealing cement, taking it of and on is a breeze. SI-Tech actually recommends not over-tighten it...

 

[tech3324]

Not sure I fully understand, but my Si-Tech valve easily removes from the suit when inner half is unscrewed, leaving just a hole in the suit fabric. Not sure why the outer part of the valve would ever need to be glued to the suit. Just hand tightening is sufficient to prevent leaking around the valve, the pressure differential across the valve is only a couple of psi. Be sure the nylon thrust washer is on the inside.

 

[njaimo]

...have placed order for SI-Tech Valve Tools; they did not have any magic bullet solutions to deal with the silicone in the valve threads. Hope I'll be able to take it apart with the valve tools...

 

[fmerkel]

If you could unscrew the inside 'nut', you don't have silicone in the threads. Those are the threads.

They probably put silicone around the sealing surface on the underside of the valve. With the nut off you should be able to pry the suit away from the valve. Pick an area that looks likely, grab the valve firmly, then start pushing the suit away from the valve slowly but firmly. Unless they used some awful glue like Aquaseal it should start peeling away. Work all the way around. Then you can probably twist it off and out.

If they used something like Aquaseal.....they owe you big time. Hopefully they weren't THAT stupid.

 

[TrimixToo]

Call them. Tell them what the problem is. Ask for a new valve, shipped, at their expense. If they agree, do what you have to do to remove the valve. (One manufacturer replaced one of mine because it could not be removed, even by them, with the right tool, without breaking it. I installed the new one myself on the spot.)

 

[njaimo]

...fmerkel -- so far, cannot unscrew the inside nut -- I have access to SI-Tech's "valve tools" tomorrow, and will see what happens... not sure what was used, Aquaseal, silcone ?

...TrimixToo -- yep, did that already, stated that if I have to destroy the valve to take it off, I am owed a replacement.

Thanks for the bits !!

 

[fmerkel]

??? But you said this in post #11 [I had absolutely no troubles unscrewing the inside part of the valve, none.]
I'm confused.

 

[njaimo]

...LOL... that was "before" I had the valve re-glued by the shop...

UPDATE -- I was able to take apart the valve yesterday, with the help of the SI-Tech valve tools, and quit a bit of "torqueing" ... though not "twerking"... ...will try to load pics. A vinegar(acetic acid) smell indicated silicon had been used, and it was all over the threads, and even got inside the outside part of the valve through the gap in the threads and the valve body.

I have contacted the drysuit Co. and they have apologized, promised to "restrain" the tech person doing the silicon application, and will send me a new valve.

Moral of the story ?... I am going to permanently install an external "valve port" (see SI-Tech website) which will enable me to take the valve off anytime, and not have to "reglue" it ever again ! Apeks recommeds the same, using their rubber gasket.

...and a corollary... if using silicone, use very sparingly...

 

[undrwater]

Useful post. Thanks.