Wetsuit p-valve wanted

[billtodive]

Searched to no avail for a wetsuit p-valve. I would accept a little seepage from whatever sealing system available. I don't like flushing with 50 degree water.
The opening doesn't need to be very large.

 

[robertarak]

The opening doesn't need to be very large.

Is there a troll smilie?

 

[rollerboi]

Searched to no avail for a wetsuit p-valve. I would accept a little seepage from whatever sealing system available. I don't like flushing with 50 degree water.

Maybe it's time to consider upgrading to a drysuit, if you're consistently diving 50-degree water in a wetsuit. That's pretty cold!

The opening doesn't need to be very large.

 

[do it easy]

I've seen a thread somwhere that even had pictures :11:

The wetsuit p-valve isn't as complicated as the drysuit p-valve- you could even make one for about $5 from the scuba aisle at the local hardware store. It's essentially a barbed fitting, a bit of tubing, and then a right angle barbed fitting to exit the suit. Don't worry, the barbed fittings aren't as painful as they sound.

I recently made a few modifications to my drysuit p-valve. The 3/8 OD barbed fittings seem to fit the catheter condoms well. I used the white nylon ones- the brass ones might give you a rash! You could reduce to smaller tubing, but I wouldn't recommend anything smaller than 1/4 ID, or else you would be peeing through a straw, figuratively speaking I just used the clear plastic tubing in the plumbing section. Then to finish the whole thing off, use a right angle barb fitting to exit the suit somewhere in the crotch. Just be sure it won't poke you in unpokeable places. I suppose you could even glue this in place so that it would lie down and reduce the seepage. Be sure to leave the hose long- about 18"- this will make you feel better, make it easier to hook up, and will give you some slack so that you can move around.

This would be an unbalanced p-valve, but you wouldn't need to balance it in a wetsuit. You could add a check valve (in case you are afraid of candiru critters) but that is beyond my experience.

Good luck and if anything bad happens, I am not responsible!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I don't know of one made for wetsuits. You could rig one up but because of the way a wetsuit needs to fit you may end up not being able to use it at all. The wetsuit needs to be snug to work properly, the valve(hose) needs to have some freedom to move with you. You could also end up with a telltale groove in your skin where the hose was. Drysuit time.

 

[Rick Inman]

How about installing a zipper?

Good luck and if anything bad happens, I am not responsible!

Sure, I'll bet you say that to all your dive buddies, too.

 

[SteveAD]

I thought a wetsuit WAS a P-valve.

 

[billtodive]

How about installing a zipper?
QUOTE]

No trolling intended, just a bit of self-deprecating humor.

I f the zipper is the only way, that is what I will do. I drink lots, and flushing 4 times a dive is not appealing; nor is not flushing.
Rick, I thought I recalled you mentioning a "pee-ette" for wetsuits some time ago?

 

[Rick Inman]

Rick, I thought I recalled you mentioning a "pee-ette" for wetsuits some time ago?

Not me. When I go to warm water and use a wetsuit, I hate not having a pee valve. I'm used to having the freedom to vent.

 

[billtodive]

Thanks for the input...will let you know how the experiment goes!