"STRANGE" valve question for "Tank Gurus" and Tech-Heads!

[Harley1962]

As mentioned in the title, this is a rather bizarre question but I am in a bit of a "bind" and need some solid advice regarding tank valves.

As most people know, Thermo (brand) valves are used in the vast majority of AL cylinders world-wide, although I am now in a Dive Center situation where most of the cylinders have Genesis branded valves (most being the convertible type, with the threaded DIN inserts). I also have some tanks which do have Thermo valves (both standard and convertible).

A quick removal of a Genesis and a Thermo confirmed that the threads ARE indeed compatible, meaning that tanks which had Genesis valves can be "replaced" with Thermos with no problem. However, to minimize cost I would like to keep the (functional) Genesis valves and replace into the tanks after Hydro-testing, but I am unsure as to whether the INNER parts (seat / plug, stem, etc..) can ALSO be "switched" between brands! Unfortunately I am without adequate tools to disassemble one Thermo and one Genesis to compare inner components.

Has anyone done a full comparison of the internal valve parts of both brands, and if so, what (if any) differences are there?

Having full "interchangeability" would greatly reduce my expenses, not to mention that in many parts of the world spare valve kits / parts for Genesis valves are simply UNAVAILABLE!!

ANY suggestions or advice on this matter would be MOST appreciated! (or even a place to mail-order Genesis valve kits IN SE ASIA?!)

Thanks in advance!

Harley
MSDT #190066
DAN International Decompression Chamber Technician / Operator

 

[NAM001]

I dont know if i am commenting on what you want to know. However i prefer the thermo because of the way the valve operated.. You take a thermo and open the valve one turn andair comes out slowly and continues to increase as you open it further. Other brands go from no air to a lot of air very quickly. If my thermo is put next to other valves and i open the valves to the same say 1/2 turn i can tell whos valve i am breathing off of. Brand x has all the air you could ask for. thermo is only a triclke. TYhat also means if you are bumping your valve on an overhead brand x goes from air to nothing and thermo just gets a bit harder to draw.

 

[jwelburn]

Valve Servicing

BLUF: Parts are not interchangeable between the two valves.

 

[Harley1962]

Valve Servicing

BLUF: Parts are not interchangeable between the two valves.

Many thanks for the info. I should have looked more carefully on the scubaengineer.com site for those schematics! Clearly the seat / plug assemblies are very different in shape / size so IF I stay with the Genesis valves I'll have to find a source somewhere in Asia, or "bite the bullet" and change ALL my tanks to Thermos!

And lastly, forgive my ignorance but what does the abbreviation "BLUF" stand for???

Thanks again!

harley

 

[gcarter]

Many thanks for the info. I should have looked more carefully on the scubaengineer.com site for those schematics! Clearly the seat / plug assemblies are very different in shape / size so IF I stay with the Genesis valves I'll have to find a source somewhere in Asia, or "bite the bullet" and change ALL my tanks to Thermos!

And lastly, forgive my ignorance but what does the abbreviation "BLUF" stand for???

Thanks again!

harley

https://www.google.ca/search?source...fe_rd=cr&ei=ZFS7VKG6E8yC8QeGgoG4Aw&gws_rd=ssl

Bottom Line Up Front

 

[AfterDark]

I dont know if i am commenting on what you want to know. However i prefer the thermo because of the way the valve operated.. You take a thermo and open the valve one turn andair comes out slowly and continues to increase as you open it further. Other brands go from no air to a lot of air very quickly. If my thermo is put next to other valves and i open the valves to the same say 1/2 turn i can tell whos valve i am breathing off of. Brand x has all the air you could ask for. thermo is only a triclke. TYhat also means if you are bumping your valve on an overhead brand x goes from air to nothing and thermo just gets a bit harder to draw.

What you described is the difference between a throttling valve and gate valve. When dealing with HP gas a throttling valve IMO is the way to go. A slower build up of pressure (throttled) is easier on the gear than a sudden blast of 3000+ psi of gas, at least it would seem that way to me.

 

[NAM001]

I agree wiht you comment. Althoug they are both throttling valves I enjoy hte slow throttling of the thermo as opposed to brand x's. Especially when samling air ect.

What you described is the difference between a throttling valve and gate valve. When dealing with HP gas a throttling valve IMO is the way to go. A slower build up of pressure (throttled) is easier on the gear than a sudden blast of 3000+ psi of gas, at least it would seem that way to me.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

The inner parts should easily last 5 years between hydro's, and if you travel anywhere that USPS or UPS delivers during those 5 years, replacement parts are easy to get. Nothing wrong with the Genesis brand valves, I have a few myself, and on the odd year that a new seat is needed, I just order one online. Burst disk should be a little different, too, and that's also an important thing to change.

 

[ti325v]

Valves and rebuild kits cheap, good service...just have to figure out which one fits your valves. http://stores.ebay.com/maxdive2007/