P-Valve Opinions

[astrofunk]

I tried holding it, Depends, and a p-valve. The p-valve was the winner, hands down.

Holding it sucks. Particularly in cold water, particularly if you're staying well-hydrated, you're going to need to pee. I don't care if it's a long dive or a short dive, do you really want to rush it just so you can make it back to the head?

Depends work fine, but dude, do you really want to wear a diaper? If the answer is yes, then go for it. But keep in mind that you're going to be swimming around with a nalgene's worth of fluid slung under your junk. You'll notice it.

As for the p-valves themselves, the balance chamber on my oxycheq eventually leaked a bit on to my knee. So now I'm diving unbalanced (I swapped out the balance chamber with a part my buddy picked up an auto parts store) with no issues. If you want to go balanced, you may have better luck with other brands.

P-valve maintenance (and the associated personal grooming) is something of an art. This is required reading:

The Deco Stop

Get a p-valve. My only regret was waiting so long.

 

[Web Monkey]

For me to have to urinate through a pee-valve the dive would have to be 3-4 hours long. I'm amazed that people would cut a hole in their drysuits deliberately because they don't want to pee right before the dive.

Technical divers may have some needs for this, but I can't see the vast majority of divers making two hours+ dives frequently enough to justify a hole in their precious drysuit.

As Gombessa mentioned, a pee valve lets you drink all you wish and remain well hydrated, which lowers the risk of DCS (according to current thinking).

The risk of leakage is insignificant. I've had a loose neck seal that leaked, a wrist seal that leaked, a zipper that leaked, and an exhaust valve that leaked. I've never had a pee valve that leaked.

In fact, I'll never have a drysuit without one again. I don't think you'll find a single person who has had one that's willing to go without one.

Terry

 

[astrofunk]

From what I read so far Balenced is the way to go, but which one ?

As I said above, I had issues with my oxycheq balance chamber. It may have been a fluke, or may not. I might go halcyon if I had to do it again -- I think theirs might be the most streamlined of the bunch. I'm sure you'll get a lot of opinions about brands... It probably doesn't really matter; my feeling is that the end product is more the same in each case than different.

Do NOT want leaks or anything coming the wrong way down the pipe

If you're worried about this, go balanced. But I've been diving unbalanced with no problems.

Where do these mount in the suit ?

On the thigh, usually a bit toward the inside. Right or left is user preference.

Can you dive with them not hooked up is there a shut off etc or one way valve ?

Sure. Screw down the exterior bolt. This will be obvious when you see one in person.

How hard is it to disconnect or connect downing or offing the suit ?

It's easy. Plugging the male end of the p-valve tubing into the condom catheter takes about a second. Slightly less for unplugging. Some folks like to have a quick disconnect elsewhere on the p-valve which makes this even easier. I've been fine without a quick disconnect.

 

[Peter_C]

I could not imagine diving without a pee valve in a drysuit. Personally I use an unbalanced, of the simple kind. I had a balanced valve and it leaked.

 

[Sintax604]

Or for about $10 you could make your own that works just as good as anything you can buy.

DIY P-valve plans

I have been diving with the unbalanced version for several years. Never had a problem. It's my opinion that the unbalanced are better since there's less places for bacteria to grow. It's pretty straight forward to clean the unbalanced ones. YMMV.

Hunter

I realize this post is a tad old but...

I'm considering making myself a p-valve using the airspeedpress.com instructions. A buddy warned me against the unbalanced version as "you get a shot of cold water on the end of your member" when you first get in the water - is this true?

Also, has anybody tried this valve on a Bare NexGen suit? I have a terrible time getting Aquaseal to stick to it, so I can't imagine that 2 hard plastic washers would form a seal on their own.

 

[astrofunk]

I'm considering making myself a p-valve using the airspeedpress.com instructions. A buddy warned me against the unbalanced version as "you get a shot of cold water on the end of your member" when you first get in the water - is this true?

I haven't noticed it, but since I only recently went unbalanced, my experience is limited to a handful of relatively calm shore entries during which I was very careful to "flood the line" as I entered.

I'm curious about what other folks have to say.

 

[Gombessa]

I haven't noticed it, but since I only recently went unbalanced

I've just realized that I don't really know what "unbalanced" means.

Does it mean a straight hole in the suit end leading up to the cath end? Or is there a one-way check-valve at the suit end?

For the former, it seems like you could get a shot of cold water if you do inverted/rolling entries off a boat or swim on your back, IF you don't pre-charge the tube on entry.

For the latter, it seems like you won't get any water entry, but you WILL get an uncomfortable squeeze if you descend without pre-charging the tube.

Either way, sounds like pre-charging is a good idea!

 

[coldsmoke]

Unbalanced generally means that it doesn't have a way for the positive pressure in the suit to equalize the system. You can have an unbalanced system with a check valve, but that's not the way mine is. Just a straight shot.

As far as a cold shot it's pretty hard. You would have to displace what ever is in the system with water pretty quickly and since the hose bends around a good bit I don't really think it's possible.

That being said, I always charge. With an unbalanced set up you need to get the tube filled with liquid that won't compress so when you get to depth the hose doesn't get pinched closed.

Hunter

 

[Divehorr]

I just bought the oxycheq balanced p-valve and am mounting on a bare xcd2 tech suit. Does it need to be glued in place? Aquaseal? How would the hose routing go from the valve. Straight up to the catheter or off to the side? Problem is the secondary check valve sticks out a few inches. I know where to cut the hole just the angle of the hose coming from the valve itself. I also have the quick connect unit. Any help here??

 

[walke121]

I use this. Works well for me.
SCUBA Diving Equipment for Technical, Wreck and Cave Diving: Dive Rite, Inc - Product Catalog - Balanced Relief Valve