P-valve installation

[divinman]

I am installing my own P-valve in my drysuit on Friday. Any tips and tricks I should know? Any thing to avoid?

Let's try and keep this on topic ok? :11ztongue

Terry

 

[jerryn]

It is actually not very difficult. I first located the spot where I wanted to place the valve. Then I drew a circle on the suit of the size of the hole for the bolt to go through. I put a block of wood inside underneath the spot. Then took a needle point soldering iron and began burning the hole from the center out. I stopped just shy of the hole I drew. For installation 50:50 aqua seal and cotol, tighten her down and let her sit.

Jerry

 

[OE2X]

That sounds about right. A friend did mine using a die or hole punch. Haven't had any problems with it.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Best hole punch is a .45 brass casing. Take a rat tail file and sharpen it a bit if you have one. Put a small block of 2x4 under the fabric where you want the hole. Take three deep breaths before deliberately holing a couple thousand dollar drysuit. Whack it.

 

[OE2X]

Faster is just put a 2x4 inch piece of steel behind the area and then shoot the .45

 

[radinator]

Don't forget to take off the suit first! :monkeydan

 

[H2Andy]

Faster is just put a 2x4 inch piece of steel behind the area and then shoot the .45

this is highly unsafe, and i wouldn't reccomend it

:shakehead

what IF the bullet ricochets on the steel, careens up the suit, and ruins the zipper?

or worse, what if the hot bullet or the heat of the gun fired at close quarters ignites
the suit, and burns a poodle-size hole on it?

let's please think before acting, people

i would suggest shooting a 9mm.

 

[jfoutz]

If you are gluing on the gaskets for a removable valve like the Dive Rite, here’s a suggestion. After gluing the two gaskets on, instead of tightening the valve down to hold the gaskets against the suit, use a bolt with washers big enough to cover the entire gasket surface. It will give you a better, more uniform compression and thus will be a better seal.

 

[jonnythan]

Good thread, I'm going to go through this on Friday

As a related question, what caths does everyone use? The Mentor Freedom seems popular, but what about the Freedom Clear, or Rochester Wide Band?

 

[Boogie711]

I'm not going to speak about "what everyone else uses" but I got a bunch of the Freedom Mentor caths for cheap.

I'm giving them away and getting Rochester Wide Bands. But be warned - once they're on, they're on.