leaky valve

[oxyhacker]

Any dive shop should be able to service valves, but they will often tell you it isn't worth it and try to sell you a new valve. They'll also sometimes tell you that the old 1/2" NGT valves cannot be serviced. So it can really make sense to DIY, considering especially how easy it is.

Also, shops will often want to install a complete OH kit, including the seat, when they service a valve, whether it needs it or not. But 95% of the time when a valve starts leaking the problem is just one little O-ring (the one on the valve shaft), which can be fixed in a couple minutes for the price of one O-ring, without even having to empty the tank.

Valves are easy to diagnosis - if they leak from the knob when a regulator is mounted and the valve opened or during a dive it's the O-ring. If they leak all the time from the outlet so it loses the fill then its the seat. And if it leaks from the flange where the valve meets the tank then its the tank neck O-ring (which should always be replaced when reinstalling the valve).

 

[cbrich]

Everyone is correct, on how easy it is to service. Who made the Scubapro valves?

Dive Gear Express has a photo of a valve apart along with it's components. I personal think a valve is easier than a faucet, it could be put in the same catagory as an oil change.

 

[hbhobby]

sounds easy (I am slighlty mechanically inclined) but where do I buy the repair kits? are they universal or do I have to know exactly which valve I have? I found a shop that will do them for $15 each but they take a week and I have to drive 1 1/2 hours to the shop. so if I could find the parts online I would prefer to do that

 

[paddler3d]

I ordered some massive O-ring kit from Divegearexpress and I can find the O-rings I need in there. All my valves are Thermo and again I can get my parts through Divegearexpress.

Try Globe. Global Mfg. Corp.

For that long of a drive, it may behoove you to figure this one out!

 

[keyshunter]

If you have cash, replace them with Scubpro valves, really worth the money and peace of mind.

Another dose of nonsense from ajduplessis.

Valves are very easy to service/rebuild. All major brands of valves are reliable.

 

[widget]

Yes sure, most scuba valves come from a few factories who simply press the valve body and assemble the unit anyway. Internals like spindles and seats etc are commonly used on a number of differant valves and are usually purchased in from other suppliers, so its not unusual to find identical internals on a number of differant brands and those same internals will be found in a number of generic valves as well.

I concur, scuba valves are simple to repair and rebuild and internals are common amongst various brands and generics, unless the body is seriously damaged, I cant see any reason to not repair them.

 

[ajduplessis]

This is bad advice, valves are easy to rebuild and kits are readily available from the trident catalog. Valves tend to last a really long time once they're rebuilt. There's a good write up on rebuilding valves in the Vance Harlow book on regulator repair, which you can buy for less than the cost of one new valve.

If you have cash....... How on earth is this bad advise! How is fitting a better valve a bad thing?

 

[ajduplessis]

Another dose of nonsense from ajduplessis.

Valves are very easy to service/rebuild. All major brands of valves are reliable.

How is fitting a better quality valve a bad thing? Just because you feel different, does not mean the rest of the responses are nosense. It is a suggestions which I would consider. Secondly, the valve is leaking, I taught all brands are reliable? Why is this reliable valve then leaking? And NO, I am not going to label your advise on rebuilding them as nonsense. It is just another piece of advise to a question.

 

[Couv]

Why is it bad advise? Because advising someone to replace an entire valve, when in all probability only an o-ring is needed, is tantamount to advising someone to buy a new car when he gets a flat tire.

See this for clarification:

..... If you have cash to burn I can give you my banking details.

 

[redacted]

How is fitting a better quality valve a bad thing? Just because you feel different, does not mean the rest of the responses are nosense. It is a suggestions which I would consider. Secondly, the valve is leaking, I taught all brands are reliable? Why is this reliable valve then leaking? And NO, I am not going to label your advise on rebuilding them as nonsense. It is just another piece of advise to a question.

All "reliable valves" and scuba regulators will eventually leak. O-rings have finite lives even if not used. What makes you think a Scubapro valve is "better quality" than any other valve?