Installing a valve on drysuit?

[Bubbletrubble]

bubble , new suits can turn into the money pits too A good example is my suit. If I was not doing it all by myself I wold have spent at least 600 in fixing different things.

I paid 150 for the materials and parts.

With a new drysuit, you really shouldn't have to do anything to it for at least a year. At that point, the only things that should require replacement are latex seals, which I consider consumables.

What kinds of repairs (beside moving the location of the exhaust valve) did you have to do to your new drysuit? How long did you own it before having to fix things?

 

[elan]

Sweet! Thanks for the step by step process elan.

One question. This suit I believe is a bilam, so when I cut that hole, will there be 2 loose layers there? and if so, do I need to put a little glue between those layers to keep them together when screwing down the valve?


The parts will be about $50-$60 for me to do it, so it's not too bad, and no leaks as of yet, zipper looks really good.

They should not be loose but I did not put the glue in between, you can do it if they are loose. My dry suit is trilam and the outside layer is just protective from abrasion - it is not waterproof and it come loose in some places but I did not bother gluing it. But in your case the outer layer might as well be the waterproof layer and you need to make sure that the port makes a good waterproof connection with the waterproof layer thorough the other layer or directly - depending on your suit. So if they are loose you need to put the glue in between if the waterproof layer is the outside one.

BTW I forgot to mention one thing. Once you cut the hole - lock the edges heating them with a soldering iron. This is what I also did

good luck.

 

[Matt S.]

Since some knowledgeable folks are on the thread I wanted to put in a related question--what is the correct procedure for mounting a new valve into an existing port?

I have an old Bare suit and new valves for it... the ports are in fine shape. Can I just screw the valves in place, or do I need some kind of goop on the threads or on the port sealing surface?

And what side does that white plastic washer go on?

Thanks for letting me threadjack.

 

[WASP7000]

Thanks alot elan. Do you think it would be ok to use aquaseal instead of PB 300? I'm just thinking having aquaseal around is a good idea and it's relatively cheap. That way I don't have to spend $20 on a can of glue that I will use once. Any thoughts?

 

[Gombessa]

Thanks alot elan. Do you think it would be ok to use aquaseal instead of PB 300? I'm just thinking having aquaseal around is a good idea and it's relatively cheap. That way I don't have to spend $20 on a can of glue that I will use once. Any thoughts?

I think that depends on the drysuit fabric. From what I've experienced, the trilam that DC uses hold aquaseal REALLY well. The DUI TLS350 tends to shed aquaseal after a few weeks/months of use, so I wouldn't necessarily rely on it for that application. The interior fabric of bilams is the smooth waterproofing surface, so I'm not sure how well they'll keep aquaseal.

Short answer, if you're diving in waters cold enough to require a drysuit, does it really make sense to be sweating $20?

 

[WASP7000]

Well I suppose not. The reason I asked is because I got quoted about $90 for a shop to do it, so if it wasn't any cheaper to do it myself, I'd rather just have it done professionally.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Since some knowledgeable folks are on the thread I wanted to put in a related question--what is the correct procedure for mounting a new valve into an existing port?

I have an old Bare suit and new valves for it... the ports are in fine shape. Can I just screw the valves in place, or do I need some kind of goop on the threads or on the port sealing surface?

And what side does that white plastic washer go on?

@Matt S.: The white anti-friction washer always goes between the attachment nut and the inside of the suit. Depending on how thick your drysuit material is, you may also have a black "spacer" that goes between the anti-friction washer and the inside of the suit. If you download the valve brochure on the Sitech website, it gives a more detailed description of the unmounting/attachment procedure.

Sitech sells an Attachment Tool set that makes it a cinch to install exhaust and inflater valves. The tool set isn't necessary to do the repair, though.

I would try mounting the valves without any "goop." IME, the exhaust valves don't need any thread-lock goop. My Bare suit didn't come with any goop in the threads of the exhaust valve originally...so I figure why start? I haven't replaced my inflater valve, but I would not use the goop there either. YMMV.

Good luck.

 

[Matt S.]

Thanks!

 

[elan]

With a new drysuit, you really shouldn't have to do anything to it for at least a year. At that point, the only things that should require replacement are latex seals, which I consider consumables.

What kinds of repairs (beside moving the location of the exhaust valve) did you have to do to your new drysuit? How long did you own it before having to fix things?

Out off the box my boots came 2 sizes bigger (the rep has measured me with the bare stupid boot caret according to which I supposed to have 2XL). They said oh well not our problem. I replaced the boots by myself 1 year later.
On the first dive it was leaking in between the glove ring and the fabric of the suit. I could send it back but it took me half an hour to fix it myself as I did not have time to send it back (I had courses scheduled)
I know it was my luck or misfortune

 

[elan]

Thanks alot elan. Do you think it would be ok to use aquaseal instead of PB 300? I'm just thinking having aquaseal around is a good idea and it's relatively cheap. That way I don't have to spend $20 on a can of glue that I will use once. Any thoughts?

Aquaseal is difficult to clean up later if you need to do it.... I would recommend PB300. Should you need to remove the port later PB300 can be heated up and it will come apart, with aquaseal it will not work that way as far as I know. In this place the glue only needed to get a waterproof connection. The port is actually held in place not by the glue but by the valve itself

You can use PB300 later when you need to replace your seals.