Sherwood Dry Bleed valve problem

[FIXXERVI6]

I have a sherwood first stage, normally there is a small stream of bubbles coming from the black bleeder plug deal, but this is bubbling more than mormal and its not coming from the hole in the middle its coming from around the edges of the black bleeder plug thing, does anyone know where I can lay my hands on another one of these bleed valves? I'm assuming the little check valve or whatever in the black plug is clogged, the reg was serviced recently.

 

[Marek K]

I have a sherwood first stage, normally there is a small stream of bubbles coming from the black bleeder plug deal, but this is bubbling more than mormal and its not coming from the hole in the middle its coming from around the edges of the black bleeder plug thing, does anyone know where I can lay my hands on another one of these bleed valves? I'm assuming the little check valve or whatever in the black plug is clogged, the reg was serviced recently.

As far as I know, the bubbles are supposed to come from around the edges of the bleed valve. Older Sherwood models (like my 1985 Brut) have what looks like a hole in the center of the plug, but it doesn't go all the way through. You'll see that if you carefully lift the plug out with a fingernail. The bubbles are suppose to seep out through a cut-out on the side of the plug.

Newer Sherwood models don't have the apparent hole in the center; the valve works the same way.

If you think there's more bleeding than normal, a dealer would be able to check it out... there's a standard test to dunk the first stage underwater while pressurized, and measure how much air bleeds out over a period of time. I'm not sure whether that's part of the normal servicing, but it's mentioned in the service manuals. A dealer ought to be able to get you a replacement valve if necessary... I don't think there's anyplace you could find one on your own.

--Marek

 

[Poseidon8118]

Marek K is absolutely right…the bleeding happens at the edges of the valve not the center. The Tech should have measured the flow output with a graduated cylinder. The measurement should be between 13 and 25cc’s of air after exactly one minute. This is a big margin because 25cc of air is almost twice as much as 13cc of air, so if you see about twice as much air coming out of the regulator you should be just fine. Now if you see what seems like 3 to 4 times the amount of air take it back right away it might be a bad flow-control-element which almost never fails.

Hope this helps a little...

 

[rescuediver009]

I don't know that you would have to go to the extent of measuring the output of the bleeder, but these guys are right. the bleeding is supposed to be coming from around the sides. More often than not the only problem with the bleeder is when there is nothing coming out at all as oppsed to too much or too little. Also the source of the air that feeds the bleeder is not unidirectional and the valve itself is not symetrical. It fluctuates its output depending on its orientation. There should be a little dot on the valve. It should be oriented to the yoke/DIN fitting of your regulator. Otherwise I wouldn't worry about much. As for the type of bleeder that bleeds out the middle that one hasn't been around for at least 10 years.

 

[FIXXERVI6]

Thanks for your replies, I'll give it a measure over and if comes within the numbers there then I guess its ok!

 

[Marek K]

Also the source of the air that feeds the bleeder is not unidirectional and the valve itself is not symetrical. It fluctuates its output depending on its orientation. There should be a little dot on the valve. It should be oriented to the yoke/DIN fitting of your regulator.

The bleeder valve is shaped like a mushroom, with the stem down in the first stage body. The newer Sherwood bleeder valves don't have the big blind hole in the center of the cap, but rather a molded Sherwood logo and a dot on one edge. Like rescuediver009 says, Sherwood apparently used to advise that the valve be oriented so that the dot is toward the inlet of the first stage, if the dot is there.

But I'm not sure how critical that is; the older valves (like the one it sounds like you have) don't have the dot. And the manual for my newer Sherwood says that "no particular orientation is necessary."

The new dot actually lines up with the cut-out along the "mushroom stem" of the valve. The cut-out looks identical on both types of valves. So you can orient the old type if you want once you have it out and can see the cut-out. I did.

The difference between minimum and maximum acceptable flow may be even greater than Poseidon8118 wrote, depending on whether you had an updated part put in recently. When you do the bleed flow test for a minute, according to Sherwood, "the measurement at this point should be between 13 and 27 cc for the old style flow control elements and 20-30 cc for the new laser drilled flow control elements. [...] If the reading is significantly higher [...], check the O-rings and sealing surfaces mated to the piston."

OBTW, all Sherwood tech manuals are available here.

--Marek

 

[darkstar]

I have a sherwood first stage, normally there is a small stream of bubbles coming from the black bleeder plug deal, but this is bubbling more than mormal and its not coming from the hole in the middle its coming from around the edges of the black bleeder plug thing, does anyone know where I can lay my hands on another one of these bleed valves? I'm assuming the little check valve or whatever in the black plug is clogged, the reg was serviced recently.

I got my Blizzard back from servicing with a similar issue this spring. Way, way too much gas (large bubbles) from the dry bleed port and you could actually hear a soft hiss when you turned on the tank valve. After scolding myself for not testing it before leaving the shop :redface: , I took it back. When I picked it up again the shop monkeys mumbled something about the piston and having to replace a "ring". Since they fixed it without cost and it works fine now, I didn't really investigate. I suspect it may have been assembled incorrectly or that they mystery "ring" was actually left out.

Since your reg was recently serviced, you may want to take it back to see what they say.

BTW, it normally bleeds a small stream of tiny bubbles from the edge of the black plug.

 

[darkstar]

OBTW, all Sherwood tech manuals are available here.

--Marek

Thank you so much. Man I've been looking for these for a long time and they have been impossible to find.