Suggestions for a pee valve plug?

[divestoclimb]

On my last trip I missed a day of diving for a very stupid reason: the night before I removed my Dive Rite pee valve from my dry suit to clean it out, but I left it sitting in the hotel room :doh2: This gave me the idea of putting together some hardware that I could use to cover the hole left by the missing valve in case I ever did this again, or in case I had a failure of the valve itself and was unable to get replacement parts for it at my location.

I was wondering if anyone else has any experience assembling such a kit. I presume I would need the following, but I'd like to hear from anyone who's already done this to see if I'm on the right track:

• Two marine-grade stainless steel wide washers to cover/compress the outer and inner gaskets. I presume the washers compressed against the gaskets will be enough to make a seal, or do I need to add O-rings somehow?
• A short marine-grade stainless steel sealing bolt (with O-ring under the head).
• A nut, preferably stainless

I may also need to make sure any hardware sticking into the suit doesn't hurt when the suit squeezes, though I have no ideas for addressing that yet.

 

[hawksbill]

I have done something similar to cover a 3/4" hole in a full face mask and it is still working after many years.

You might consider a round head slotted or philips screw 1/4" with the head on the inside of the suit. A 1/4" carraige bolt would also be smooth. just grind off the square shank or find the propper washer. Thin rubber washer under head of bolt or screw and then the fender washers on both sides and you could put on a nylox nut and file the bolt about flush and smooth.

I'd look for another pee-valve pretty soon though.

 

[divestoclimb]

I was checking out McMaster-Carr and realized they sell sealing nuts as well as sealing bolts. That would let me put the nut on the outside instead and use a round-head screw against my undergarments as you suggest. I think I'll try that!

 

[hawksbill]

Thanks for mentioning the self sealing nuts and bolts. I never knew such an animal existed.

 

[Van Isle]

Spare pee valve?