DUI exhaust valve leaking or ....?

[bertschb]

I have a brand new DUI CLX 50/50 suit. I dove it last weekend and had quite a bit of water leak around the exhaust valve. The shoulder and sleeve of my undergarment were pretty wet. I'm new to diving so I wasn't sure exactly what happened. I do know I was underweighted so I pressed the center of the exhaust valve a few times to manually vent the suit.

Before calling DUI, the LDS owner removed the valve and fiddled around with it before re-installing it with some silicone. I'm going on a boat dive this weekend and now I'm worried about the valve leaking or not working correctly. The LDS was kind of rough while working with the valve.

My LDS called DUI and the DUI rep said if you vent the suit manually (press the center button) water can come back in through the valve. Is that true? Also, are these valves pretty rugged? The LDS owner had great difficulty re-installing the cap on the inside of the vlave and spent 15 minutes smashing the two halves of the valve together before he unscrewed it a bit and tried again (which worked).

Thanks for your help

 

[ERP]

If it's a low profile apeks valve (it probably is) they pretty much all leak, if they are fully open. I know a lot of people including myself who've had this issue.

I sent my suit back to DUI and had it replaced with a high profile Apeks valve which has thus far been leak free. Other people I know prefer the low profile Sitech valve which are also an option.

 

[O-ring]

Mine leaked when I got it, but I gave it another half turn or so and it hasn't leaked since..

 

[JeffG]

Also, the manual method of using the exhast valve can make you "wetter". If you are holding the valve open with no air going out....some water will get in.

 

[ERP]

O-ring once bubbled...
Mine leaked when I got it, but I gave it another half turn or so and it hasn't leaked since..

Given the valve on my TLS350 was so tight that I broke it while trying to remove it to do the replacement myself, I don't think my problem was that it was loose.

 

[O-ring]

ERP once bubbled...


Given the valve on my TLS350 was so tight that I broke it while trying to remove it to do the replacement myself, I don't think my problem was that it was loose.

Ok, agreed...back to the drawing board!

 

[bertschb]

Update

Three other people I dive with bought new DUI suits recently with the Apeks valves. All of them leaked. We all replaced the Apeks with Si-Tech. No leaks for any of us since.

It amazes me that a company who builds what many consider to be the finest suits on the market use that Apek valve.

Hello DUI???? Are you listening?????

 

[Marvintpa]

I replaced my low profile as well because it leaked since the very first dive. My girlfriend did the same. We were told by the LDS the valve had been redesigned and improved since she replaced hers a few months ago (the only reason I allowed one to be installed on my suit in the first place). Looks like it could stand some more improvement.

 

[bertschb]

Yeah, right. I've heard all the excuses too.

We all bought our suits in the last three months. One as recent as three weeks ago.

 

[Genesis]

I ordered mine with the high-profile Apeks valve, and haven't had any trouble with it.

Get it swapped and make DUI pay for it - it shouldn't leak and they should stop using garbage that does, IMHO.