Fitting a drysuit dump

[String]

Has anyone fitted their own dump valve to a drysuit ?  If so how difficult was it ?

I attempted to dive with the shoulder dump on my new suit and had to contort into all kinds of wierd shapes to get it to dump anything despite the valve fully open.  After a dive involving lots of holding onto rocks ive decided i want to go back to a cuff dump which at least ive used and am happy with.

I ordered the valve, it arrived today but no instructions with it.  I found a roho watersports site on the net giving instructions and it didnt LOOK that difficult but wondering if im missing anything.

Im after tips and things to avoid as the prospect of putting my shiny suit under the knife is terrifying!

[Dominic]

Umm... if it was an old-style Apeks low profile dump, try replacing it with a decent dump rather than giving up on them altogether

As far as I know, just cutting a hole and sticking in the new dump is about all there is to it..

[Finless]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (String @ Mar. 30 2004,15:24)]After a dive involving lots of holding onto rocks ive decided i want to go back to a cuff dump which at least ive used and am happy with.

Good man. I keep telling all the auto dumpers they are "'kin retards"    - - no offence intended    .

If you are unsure on how to proceed I would recommend you contact your LDS for a price on doing it for you. By the time you have bought the necessary glue etc it probably won't be much dearer to get the LDS to do it.

[String]

Time is the main issue, got a trip planned in 2 weeks, dont really have a local dive shop (unless you count 40 miles as "local" and theyre the type of outfit i wouldnt trust to buy an o-ring off!).  Im quite happy to have a go myself provided theres nothing obviously tricky to do.
Im fairly sure no shop anywhere round here would fit it in a few days.  I also need the suit thursday for pool lifesaver drills so hope to get it dont before then (although i can get away with it as pool only 4m - just put no air in at all).

From what i can see its mark the hole with the insert washer thing (guessing thats the technical name), cut it with a scissors, glue the backing patch around the hole and screw the thing through.  If thats it im happy to try.

Not sure why the auto dump didnt, could be drysuit fit, i noticed in the water when horizontal the air was pooling on the back of my shoulder.  With the dump being on the front the only real way to dump air would be to roll totally face up which is more than a touch inconvenient.  Ive gotten to like the raise arm to dump method from my old suit so think its best to stick with what i know.

Its a northern diver (therefore apeks) low profile valve.

[Mdemon]

String mate,

I had EXACTLY the same problem - Hitler Salute to dump air, buoyancy goes to pot, spoils the dive.

My solution was to move the autodump about 4 inches backwards and 1 inch up. I used two-part glue from a mate (used to patch inflateable boats) but I believe Aquasure will do it.  I marked up a circle to allow the dump to get through JUST.  I did put a patch of rubber from an inner tube on the outside to allow the dump to seal well.

The resultant hole I blocked with a spare Buddy dump valve (how about that for redundancy!).

The result is an absolute dream - I roll my shoulder slightly up and dump in a precise, easy way whilst remaining horisontal.  Dive bliss!

Do it - you won't regret it...  Unless your suit leaks of course...  

[KimH]

<font color='#000080'>You didn't say what undersuit you use. &nbsp;There have been problems with Weazels clogging up some dump valves on the inside so that they don't exhaust properly. If that's the case you can get a neoprene guard to go over the opening to stop the suit getting sucked in.

[darthmoll]

<font color='#0000FF'>dont use aquasure, its not for that type of thing, use bostic 2402, or something like like that. Apart from that you seem to have got it just about right, only glue the backing patch, the valve just screws tight

[Martyn Ward]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (KimH @ Mar. 30 2004,23:07)]You didn't say what undersuit you use.  There have been problems with Weazels clogging up some dump valves on the inside so that they don't exhaust properly. If that's the case you can get a neoprene guard to go over the opening to stop the suit getting sucked in.

Funnily enough, me and Liz both have Northern Diver &quot;Divemaster &quot; suits with Weezle undersuits.

My suit has a neo guard over the dump valve, Liz's doesn't, and neither of us has ever had a problem dumping. &nbsp;

[String]

Ive got a weezle extreme suit but really dont think thats the problem, there is just an air bubble on the back of my shoulder and the valve is on the front so its never going to dump at that angle. FWIW at one point i physically pulled the dump valve forward (ie away from my bottom) to make sure that wasnt the case as i was getting desperate (and tired holding onto rocks) by then.

Given i never want to repeat that experience and im running out of time with a trip in 2 weeks im thinking its best i stick to what im familiar with and thats a cuff dump.

The best site i found with fitting info seems to be here:

http://www.roho.co.uk/divesuits/diving_valves_cuff.html

As well as the 2 halves of the valve i have a small white washer which is what im assuming is called the &quot;backing patch&quot;. &nbsp;From that &nbsp;site i take it i glue this to the inside of the suit ?

I also ordered a &quot;cuff dump rubber backing patch&quot; which was separate from the dump. &nbsp;Am i correct in assuming this bigger rubber patch is glued onto the outside of the sleeve to serve as a secondary seal (its not shown or mentioned on that site) ? &nbsp;That appears to be how my old suit (bought second hand) is set up.

[NeilB]

String,
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I think you are right. IIRC (years since I wore a suit!) trilam and neoprene don't provide a very good seal....one is rough and the other has a fabric covering. So the two rubber Os are to be glued to the suit and provide a nice smooth rubber seal for the dump valve.