Removing Pro Valve DIN insert?

[rhwestfall]

Ouch!

 

[spectrum]

I have a mix of DIN and yoke regulators and yoke only fill options so my inserts are in and out a lot to juggle things. I am in the built up deposits camp. Even with frequent removal I need to periodically take a toothbrush and vinegar to all threads then rinse them to neutralize or they get gnarly. The tread path is not in the sealed envelope and loads with salt water every time you hit the ocean. It's essentially a dead end so most of that salt water is left to dry in there leaving salt.

Application of vinegar long enough to do much will risk the finish. I would try to let it spend some quality time in very warm fresh water.

 

[Nemrod]

I've never tried to remove the DIN plug before, but when I looked the hex insert looked like the inside corners were slightly rounded. I bought the tank new, but it had been sitting around for several years. It is a metric hex wrench size

I always rinse off the tank and valve well after diving, but trying to figure out why yokes sometimes get stuck on this valve. I don't think it should take excessive force to remove the DIN insert, which is why I asked

I had (I just tossed it in the recycle bin) a Thermo Pro valve which was drilled for the insert off center and actually slightly off axis. I had for a number of years yoke regs that would extrude O-rings with it and as well, was hard to remove the regs and even worse, several of my yoke regs would not fit over the valve or just barely.

N

 

[geoff w]

I had (I just tossed it in the recycle bin) a Thermo Pro valve which was drilled for the insert off center and actually slightly off axis. I had for a number of years yoke regs that would extrude O-rings with it and as well, was hard to remove the regs and even worse, several of my yoke regs would not fit over the valve or just barely.

Was it defective right from the start? Or got that way over time?

 

[Nemrod]

Was it defective right from the start? Or got that way over time?

It was manufactured incorrectly. Probably did not index the blank correctly in their mill.

James

 

[Capt Scotty]

If I don't remove and clean the inserts on my tanks every few months they become permeant Yoke setups....The inserts are made of a really soft material and round out really easy.

 

[Peter_C]

I can tell you even with a top of the line Snap-on hex socket the insert can easily round over. Removing them once rounded can destroy the valve and I tried everything to save it. After it was completely rounded over I started using a slotted remover, no luck. Switched to a reverse threaded extractor, it just ripped the brass apart. Kept going bigger and bigger, until I figured by now I had just expanded the metal far too much, and threw it in the trash. Not a freezer, nor an ultrasonic cleaner did any good. I spent more time than the valve was worth, but did manage to save two other ones that were stripped at the hex hole.

In the case on the one I destroyed, it had been overtightened. The owner was a big strong guy. These soft metal items do not need to be very tight at all. Watch your torque on them.

 

[geoff w]

Thinking to the future... If/when I ever get the DIN insert out, is there any problem putting plumbing teflon tape around the threads before reinserting the DIN to yoke piece? No plans to make my tank O2 clean. Just curious if this would prevent the problem in the future

 

[Hickdive]

The plugs are just chromed brass and therefore very soft and easily rounded by a hardened steel hex key.

Remove the valve from the cylinder and give it a good long run in a warm ultrasonic bath with a mild citric acid solution. A few taps with a rubber mallet might help as well. If that doesn't work then the time and effort you put into removing the plug is worth more than the cost of a new valve.

To avoid the problem in the first place; go DIN! Failing that, remove the plug and rinse after each dive and leave it out of the valve until you need to fill or dive the cylinder again.

Do not be tempted to lubricate the threads. The threads are lubricated by the chrome finish and adding silicon grease will just make the problem worse by holding more salt crystals against the metal when it dries out whilst making rinsing with fresh water post-dive less effective.

 

[geoff w]

...
Do not be tempted to lubricate the threads. The threads are lubricated by the chrome finish and adding silicon grease will just make the problem worse by holding more salt crystals against the metal when it dries out whilst making rinsing with fresh water post-dive less effective.

I figured something like silicone grease would be bad on the threads as far as holding salt or sand. What about the thin teflon tape used by plumbers to keep two metal threaded pieces from corroding together and pipes from leaking?