Question Convert XS to Thermo valves?

[OMyMyOHellYes]

I suppoose I could go take on apart to see and scratch my head, but .....

I dislike the XS Scuba Fornicator/Gladiator/Vindicator/Toemater "Safety" handwheel. The "I'm too stoopid to tell clockwise from counterclockwise" handwheel that pulls back the red sleeve and exposes a green sleeve when open. Big clunky things that to me serve no purpose but to sell another doo-dad.

I have one on the bench I took out of another and I'm picking up two more tanks today with them. I can pretty easily (I think) substitute a normal black rubber handwheel, but I don't have the packing o-ring used in this setup as opposed to the standard copper crush washer that everybody (Thermo included) has used because they just work. It seems that the guts are common parts outside the o-ring/crush washer, bonnet nut (?), and the Fornicator wheel.

Anyone tried to replace the bonnet o-ring with the copper crush washer? Maybe swapping out the bonnet nut to the same one as the Thermo valves?

If not, any idea what a standard equivalent o-ring would be for that application? [found thread linked below] I don't like parts proliferation so the only valves I will use on active tanks are the Thermo for big bottles and the BlueSteel/San-o-Sub for small tanks. If I can find the o-ring online I think I could just overhaul the Fornicator valves and peddle them to somebody that likes them?

XS Scuba Manifold / Valve Bonnet nut oring size

Anyone know the Bonnet nut o-ring size is on an XS Scuba valve or manifold? XS won't cross reference their o-ring size for me. Their part number is VX17-E Here is the e-mail I received: "We do not provide generic o-ring sizes for our valves. It has been our experience that when 3rd party...

scubaboard.com

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Answer -

No, they are not directly compatible. Talked directly to XS. Didn't take their word, so took apart a Thermo and XS for comparison. What I found on disassembly was the bore of the stem flange and the bonnet is larger diameter and a different thread pitch on the XS Fornicator valves.

It may be possible to physically put a crush washer down in there and torque it, but I'll try and follow mfg spec for working parts, and not in effect designing and implement my very own valve design. I'm a doctor, Jim! Not a valve engineer!

So, there we have it.

I ordered O/H kits for the three - I may just do that and stick normal handwheels on them, or I may order new Thermo valves while they're on sale and sell these with their fancy color changing wheels. I go back to not maintaining a common stock of parts (though we're really just talking one o-ring vs a crush washer... And I ordered a dozen of them from France this past weekend - plus the 3 that will come in the kits.)

Fine'

 

[rhwestfall]

To Each Their Own... I find the larger handwheel beneficial to reach and adjust on my doubles as well as a visual component of a safety check on the folks I dive with...

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

To Each Their Own... I find the larger handwheel beneficial to reach and adjust on my doubles as well as a visual component of a safety check on the folks I dive with...

You want just the wheels or complete valves? What pressure set for the valves? You want the kits to do the rebuilds yourself or you want them pre-serviced? We can talk Paypal.... Or Venmo if you prefer

 

[rhwestfall]

perhaps... I need to inventory my tanks... Just ordered 4 valves from DR with their offering that I will have to get handwheels for them...

There is also one brand of pro-valve (can't remember which) that doesn't play well with my vintage yoke stuff...

 

[Whitrzac]

Why cant you just take off the handwheels and replace with rubber ones from DGX?

 

[Boarderguy]

Any chance these are pro valves? I've got a tank or three that wouldn't mind an upgrade if the price is right...

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Why cant you just take off the handwheels and replace with rubber ones from DGX?

If I keep them, that's what I'd do, but I was tying to get away from a third valve design in the fleet and just stay with the Thermos and Blue Steels. Keeping a small stock of one metric sized o-ring won't kill me. All the other parts in the XS valves are interchangeable with the Thermos (except the bonnet nut itself and the valve body-those aren't consumable) (unless you get to the DIP tube old thread/new thread issue, but those aren't consumable either ...)

Dropped the tanks for hydro this morning so it's time to rebuild the valves in any case. If somebody loves the XS pro valves because of the indicator wheel, it may be better all around to fix these and put them where they'll be loved and cared for and happily used and just buy new Thermos for my use. I keep a couple of new Thermos and BS around anyhow....

When I get a used tank, it usually has a crusty K that needs to be replaced, and even if it's a pro valve, if it's not Thermo (big tank) or Blue Steel (pony bottle) it gets replaced.

 

[Tracy]

Is this a manifold or just a single valve? If manifold, I have Thermos that I would swap you straight up.
I like the vindicator valves. Especially as rental tanks on the boat.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Is this a manifold or just a single valve? If manifold, I have Thermos that I would swap you straight up.
I like the vindicator valves. Especially as rental tanks on the boat.

Just the plain, every day, wash and wear XS single tank pro valve.