Optimal P-valve placement?

[kr2y5]

I am feeling a mild anxiety about punching the hole for the Halcyon P-valve in my Whites Fusion Sport (with Highlander X-shorts), and I have a few nagging questions on my mind regarding the optimal valve placement.

1) Left or right? I can imagine left is preferable, since if you follow DIR or some such philosophy, there is generally more equipment located on the left, including stages, and it may be easier to reach the valve with the right hand going across the torso. Aside from body asymmetry, is there anything else to consider?

2) Assuming front of thigh is 12 o'clock, inner thigh is 3 o'clock, back is 6 o'clock, hip D-ring is 9 o'clock, what time exactly is best? Obviously 9-12 is out since that is where the pocket is located, whereas 3 is probably impractical while walking or doing flutter kick. Having no other point of data, I'm inclined to pick 1:30. Would you rather pick 1 or 2 o'clock? What did you do, and were you happy with that placement when diving?

3) High high above the knee? I'm inclined to put it somewhat low, since I don't plan to punch a hole in my X-shorts. I'm assuming the only reason not to get too close to the knee is to avoid seams around the knee pad, and the potential for failure after catching or hitting against something while swimming. Are there any other pitfalls? I'm inclined to place it around halfway between the crotch and the knee cap. How high did you place it and why?

 

[tech3324]

I put a Diver Rite balanced p-valve in my Fusion Sport. The Fusion is kind of a special case and you might want to search SB for other threads on p-valve installation on a Fusion, some with pictures.

Because of the very baggy inner core on a Fusion it is difficult to precisely locate the p-valve on the leg. I would recommend you fully suit up in the Fusion with undies before you try marking the spot on the suit. Mine is located as close as possible to the leg seam, and I also used the Fusion patch kit to reinforce the spot before cutting through the suit.

You also need to decide whether to just mount the p-valve to the inner core or also through the outer skin. I recommend just mounting to the inner core initially, you can always mount through the outer skin at a later time. Because the suit is so flexible I found a pronounced tendency for the p-valve to want to turn sideways on the leg. This is caused mainly by the stiff Norprene tubing to the p-valve. I resolved this by using a much more flexible clear tubing from McMaster.

Good luck, go slowly, and ask if you get stuck.

 

[TSandM]

It is easier to reach the valve if it's on the left. You want the valve facing somewhat inward so it's not a line trap, but not straight toward the other leg, where it catches. The point about being unable to site it precisely on the Fusion bag is spot-on. If you DO put a hole in the skin for the valve (which makes it much easier to open and close, and also doesn't tend to trap urine between the skin and the bag) make the hole WAY WAY smaller than you think you need, and burn it so it doesn't ravel. Mid-thigh seems to be a good height for me.

 

[TTPaws]

For item #1 I have it on my right thigh about 2 o'clock. I have the balanced light monkey one with the bolt and I just loosen the bolt before I leave. I actually loosen one to far once and lost the bolt. Damn thing is like $8.00 so I only open it enough for the hole to be exposed. BTW I finished the dive w/o the bolt and had no problems.

I was a coward and had Whites put it in. it is about a little above half way between knee and hip (crotch).

Every few dives I would make sure that the plastic ring holding valve to the inner and outer core be tightened. My original must have been loose and when I pulled up my suit the valve ended up ripping the suit. Not cheap to fix it. But I can't dive without my drysuit or the p-valve outside of the 3 summer months.

 

[kwinter]

I put mine near my ankle so I wouldn't need much tubing from the end of the catheter.

(Someone had to say it)

 

[kr2y5]

Ok, I finally found the time and the will power to begin, and immediately run into a possible problem... the placement of the valve and the pattern of seams on my Fusion does not seem to match anything I found on the net (such as in this thread). In the pictures below is the approximate location I clumsily made with a sharpie marker under the sport skin while wearing the suit. I've tried to pinpoint a spot that, while in the suit with a full set of undergarments, falls roughly in the middle point between my crotch and my knee cap, and roughly at 2pm. This location does not seem to be consistent with anything I've seen elsewhere, I"m afraid I may be doing something wrong. What are your thoughts? ( As a side note, the damned whiteout is waterproof and won't come off by rubbing, do you recommend using acetone to remove it? I'm not sure how it will react with the dry core material. )

 

[kr2y5]

Also, here's where the location falls while wearing the dry core (this time without undergarment, but it sholdn't matter much). I'm inclined to only move it a bit further away from the seam, maybe by 0.5 inch (that is, more towards 1-1:30pm, or at slightly less than 45 degree angle from the front of the thigh), and also, to move it maybe about 1 inch higher on the leg (that is, towards the crotch). Does that seem about right?

 

[TTPaws]

That seems really low.

Mine was factory installed. I'm 5'9" and it is about at the end of my fingers. You might ask Mike at DRIS before you do any melting. BTW I ripped the valve out of my suit and it cost over $500 to replace the leg panel.

 

[kr2y5]

Thanks very much, that's what I suspected... I haven't seen that triangular seam on any other pictures. I'm going to hold off with this, I sent Mike a PM in the meanwhile.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

On the fusions, we almost install them dead center on the leg. The end of the valve is about an inch from the center. The reason is how the Fusion is made. Unless you have tree trunk legs, when the skin wraps tight around your body, the core will follow, and that location will be in the inside thigh in optimal position(not interfering with kicks or walking).

Your location now is no good. It will be in the middle of your leg in the way of your kicks, and possibly almost backwards facing...don't punch that hole

The thing to think about for the length down, is also different than a regular drysuit. Again, we go a little further down because the suit gets pulled up by design.

On some cores, there is actually an outline of where to put the p-valve, but I don't see it on yours.

Feel free to give my guys either Jay or Eric a call at the shop Monday, they do it everyday and can give you better specifics. I haven't done one in awhile, but can 100% give the ideas as I trained them and used to do them all the time. I just don't remember exactly how many inches they typically do now for the fusions and different sizes

Hope that helps!