Aqua Lung/Whites Fusion P-valve Install

[Reku]

Did a light monkey tinkle p valve install last night.

Tested it today. When it's on its out of the way and doesn't catch on anything.

Used a 7/8 hole punch for the drycore and a smaller punch the size of a pencil eraser for the skin hole and two rubber gaskets on the inside and outside of the drycore between the p-valve chamber and the outside nut.

like this:

Valve -- gasket |--drycore--| gasket -- outside nut

Notes:

1. I did not burn the outer skin hole edges - there seems to be no fraying.
2. I did place the valve on the drycore where the whites circle is on the drycore.
3. I did not use glue of any kind - I cut a rubber gasket down the middle and sandwiched the drycore and stalk screw(?) between the two halves.
4. I did not have to remove the entire bullet skin - I just undid the zipper part and pulled the drycore leg up.
5. I find the placement in the center of the panel actually a very good spot - it doesn't get caught on my leg or on any of the tons of fishing line I drifted through.
6. punch a TINY TINY hole in the outer skin because it stretches. Use scissors to make tiny hole a bit bigger if you need to.
7. You may need to cut the hole in the gaskets to match the diameter of the stalk - do not force the gaskets over the stalk or it will bend when compressed and cause a leak.

After my test - 40ft for 40mins in 8 knots of current, There were no leaks and the P valve performed flawlessly.

The p valve can be removed and replaced very easily because it is not permanent.

The entire install process took 10 mins.

STEPS:

1. pull drycore leg out
2. find the circle on the leg - stick a piece of wood in the leg under circle
3. punch hole with 7/8 punch - punch is slightly smaller then whites circle - their circle is too big.
4. put half of gasket on p valve stalk - push stalk through the drycore hole.
5. put other half of gasket on - screw p valve together.
6. put drycore back in and don suit.
7. find p valve on skin and mark spot and put board under skin and punch TINY TINY SUPER SMALL HOLE.
8. unscrew spout top from p valve
9. stretch skin over the stalk
10. screw the spout top back onto the stalk
11. Go dive your new p-valve

If you have questions just ask.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

8 Knots of current? Holy crap where were you diving?

 

[ajduplessis]

turbo charged scooter

 

[Reku]

UPDATE:

Still not glued in - still working great - zero leaks - easy to disassemble entire p valve and all parts and reinstall for cleaning/maintenance purposes.I can remove it entirely and put it all back in within 5mins.

I am glad I did not glue it in. I have an entire spare p valve in my save a dive kit that I can easily install.

 

[Doby45]

I did the same install but with the DR balanced pee-valve. I also glued nothing but the gaskets. Makes removal and assembly a breeze.

 

[tech3324]

I am glad I did not glue it in.

I did the same install but with the DR balanced pee-valve. I also glued nothing but the gaskets either. Makes removal and assembly a breeze.

Same here but I didn't glue the gaskets. I mounted mine through the dry core only, did't see a need to mount through the Sport skin.

 

[RandomGuy1]

Just did mine with a dive rite balanced valve. No glue anywhere and it works great. It did take me a month to get up the nerve to punch a hole in my drysuit though.

 

[reddiver970]

Same here but I didn't glue the gaskets. I mounted mine through the dry core only, did't see a need to mount through the Sport skin.

Do you have any issues opening and closing the valve with the skin over the top of it? I have a light monkey on my new suit that is under the skin and am little concerned about being able to open and close the valve with dry gloves on. I am scared to punch a hole in the skin , afraid it may spread out to much.

 

[tech3324]

Do you have any issues opening and closing the valve with the skin over the top of it?

I'm using a Dive Rite balanced valve, there is nothing to open/close, so no issue with working through the skin. But with your valve I can see it being a problem to manipulate through the Sport skin, and maybe impossible with a thicker skin like the Bullet or Tech.

I think you can safely mount through the skin, maybe seal the edges of the hole with AquaSeal so it won't unravel.

 

[Doby45]

I have cut a hole in both my Sport and Bullet skin and have not noticed any unraveling or enlarging of the holes in either skin. I have well over 50 dives on the skins with no issues.