Tank Valve Service For Many Tanks. Buy Kits Or Bundle Of Parts?

[walkonmars]

Hi Folks,

I am an owner of more than a dozen tanks. Half are rather new or very new but the other half are used and two have questionable history.
Lets say you are a good DIY person and already service regulators on your own.
Is it reasonable to disassemble all your tank valves and inspect them and replace only the "bad" parts?
What parts are the most likely to be a problem?
Is it better to buy a lot of rebuild kits or just buy a lot of separate O-rings, washers and seats?
Some of my valves are Thermo, some Sherwood and some are unknown.

 

[guruboy]

i would just leave until there is a problem. I also considered servicing my valves recently but the cost of parts vs a new valve didn't make it worth it to me.

 

[The Chairman]

Every time I do a visual, I replace the #010 O-ring in the valve. You can do this with the tank full of pressure. This is one place you should use lots of lube.

 

[rjack321]

I buy the individual parts online and Orings from mcmaster.
The neck orings, valve stem orings, and bonnet nut orings get replaced often
The HP seats not very often, depends on condition. I do wash them in an ultrasonic as this is one place hydrocarbon accumulation is really bad.
The burst disks only at hydro time.

With kits you're buying a bunch of parts which may not need replacement.

 

[sealark]

If you service regulators valves are much easier to do. It's no more then lubing and replacing O-rings or and teflon washers on some of the older ones. I have some valves on tanks from the 60s still serviceable. Only thing I found to replace a valve for was a damaged seat. I'm sure some of the newer ones might have other reasons. I love the old USD valves I take the J valve apart and silver solder the sawed of reserve stem and you have a K valve. You cant take the J valve apart and change the on off valve parts with pressure on tank like an original K valve.

 

[Caveeagle]

I also have over a dozen tanks on hand, as well as several spare valves and manifolds. I am doing research to put together a modest kit to have parts on hand to service my gear.
I am pretty sure that others here have already put together their own list of parts.

Anyone care to share their list?

 

[walkonmars]

From what I gathered so far, it seems we need the -010 O-ring, tank neck O-ring, copper crush washer and possibly the seat.
I purchased a number of tanks used and will tear down and inspect the valve and parts. O-rings can be purchased very inexpensively (~$15 for pack of 100 viton type) if we know the size dash number. I have purchased two rebuild kits and lots of O-rings but expect to need to swap out the seat in only a few that look very worn. The only parts I suspect will need to be replaced is the copper crush washer and possibly one of the teflon O-rings. The trouble is that I have a mix of brands of valves including Sherwood, Thermo and unidentified brand. I don't see huge problems but I do not have a spare valve I can just put into service in case I have a problem or end up missing a vital part that needs to be ordered. Definitely but a pack of Viton tank neck O-rings because you will need to change those when you have a tank drained and want to look inside. Sometimes a dip tube comes loose and rattles inside and you need to open it up and tighten it.
The burst disc assembly should not be touched.

If the other experts out there can contribute their experience...
What are the parts in a valve we need to definitely change every we time we disassemble the tank valve for inspection?
How bad must the seat be to need changing? As long as it holds air for the tank and no deep burrs and gouges?

 

[Caveeagle]

I have several types of valves on hand: Mostly Thermo, but also OMS, Sherwood, and ScubaMax 'Pro Tank Valve'

Just to get me started, I have broken down and cleaned a Thermo and ScubaMax valves. They appear to be mechanically very similar accept for one difference. The difference is how the HP seat cover seals against the body of the valve.

>With the Thermo valve,the threaded 'cover' seals with a 15.8mm (OD) copper washer and no o-ring
>The Scubamax 'Pro Tank Valve' does not have the copper washer, but does have an o-ring up above the threads on the cap.
*I find it interesting that the threaded HP seat 'cover' on both valves looks like it has the seat for the 0-ring. Maybe its just a common cover that works on both types of valves?