leaky valve

[oxyhacker]

John at Northeast scuba supply has a good selection of parts, all on the website where you can find them easily. O-rings you can buy from him or at your local bearing and seal supplier, or through various inet suppliers - see any of the many threads here on where to get O-rings. I don't like the hardware store ones, they vary in quality too much. You will have to figure out the right size if you choose to buy individual O-rings rather than a kit to fit your valve, though often the bearing and seal shop can help you size them. And some O-ring catalog (and our regulator book) have size charts so you just match up your O-ring with the picture.

Though remember what I said, though, that unless the tank is leaking badly all the time, that is to say, loosing pressure just standing by itself without a reg attached, it probably doesn't need a full rebuild kit.

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

 

[ajduplessis]

couv/awap

....probability only an o-ring is needed... Nice assumption on both parts guys. So no rebuilding needed then, just replacement of the o-rings!! Have you (or any of us for that matter) seen the valves in question, know what’s wrong? I am very sure the owner of this tread knows how to replace o-rings.

When the standard valves on my cylinders start giving issues, I replace them with new ones, Scubapro to be exact. They are less than $100. How much to have valves serviced (not replacing o-rings, that’s not servicing) 20, 30 dollars???

 

[redacted]

couv/awap

....probability only an o-ring is needed... Nice assumption on both parts guys. So no rebuilding needed then, just replacement of the o-rings!! Have you (or any of us for that matter) seen the valves in question, know what’s wrong? I am very sure the owner of this tread knows how to replace o-rings.

When the standard valves on my cylinders start giving issues, I replace them with new ones, Scubapro to be exact. They are less than $100. How much to have valves serviced (not replacing o-rings, that’s not servicing) 20, 30 dollars???

Costs me between $.10 and about $5 depending on the leak.

 

[Doc Harry]

It isn't that hard at all to do it yourself. You can make or buy or use a golf divot tool to remove the valve knob. It is real easy.

1+

You can get ChristoLube and replacement o-rings from a variety of sources.

 

[redacted]

Some folks can not and should not even attempt to change an o-ring. They have little choice but to fix things with their wallet. I'd rather DIY and save the $$$ for diving. If someone would rather spend $100.00 than spend $.10 and a little work; then I hope they use the same shop I use because I probably don't spend $$ enough there.

But I have a hard time telling divers they should spend more $$ than they need to.

 

[Couv]

Perhaps you didn't listen to yourself the first time:

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

Valve: 75 dollars (unless you have a friend who sends you one for free)
o-ring: 20 cents

Being able to repair it myself; priceless.

 

[widget]

Sure, replacing an entire valve because of a leak is a bit like replacing your engine when the spark plugs wear out.

Valves can only leak through either faulty o rings or seats, which are the working parts, and all valves, no matter the brand, will leak at some stage of their working life, the o-rings and seats have a definate lifespan depending on their operating conditions and will wear out sooner or later, unlike the brass body which should last pretty much forever in a recreational enviroment.

 

[the dive_addict]

Sure you can service the valve yourself,if you are wilLing to bet your life on the quality of your work. Remember this is life support gear.

 

[the dive_addict]

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).

does the 1/2 valve use an o-ring seal?

 

[redacted]

Sure you can service the valve yourself,if you are wilLing to bet your life on the quality of your work. Remember this is life support gear.

I can see how a DIYer could make a valve unusable or even destroy one. But I really don't see how he could make one dangerous. Perhaps you would care to explain the life threatening hazard that could be created.