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Post by SeaRat on Apr 2, 2020 15:08:26 GMT -8
Okay, I got around to taking apart my manifold for my jump tanks. We had a problem at the dive shop, in that the operator of the filling bank could not release the pressure on the tanks. I have a slight leak in the threads, and wanted to get a bit of pressure into the tanks so as to prevent any rusting in empty tanks. But when we tried, we could not get the pressure released, even when the valve was turned off. Well, I found the problem. The seat was displaced, and non-functional. Here's the photos: IMG_1442 by John Ratliff, on Flickr IMG_1444 by John Ratliff, on Flickr Here is the actual seat, which was not damaged. IMG_1445 by John Ratliff, on Flickr Here is the bad seat, empty of the Teflon materials that made the seal, and a good replacement from another unused manifold that I have. Have any of you ever experienced this? Is it caused by trying to close the valve with too much force? John
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Post by scubalawyer on Apr 2, 2020 15:35:48 GMT -8
I've seen messed up teflon seats like that before but don't know the cause. Doesn't seem like cranking the handle closed hard would do that, even over time. The pressure is even and the seat can only go down over the volcano orifice so far. Might have been a bad seat to begin with or the seat got really really hot somehow and melted? All guesses. Be interesting to find out what happened. M
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Post by cnotthoff on Apr 2, 2020 15:50:37 GMT -8
I'm guessing what you mean by "could not release the pressure on the tanks" is that the valve could not be turned off to bleed the fill yoke. In that case, they would have to drain the tank through the fill yoke bleed valve.
So the answer to your question is yes, I have seen this. When tank valves are turned off too forcefully, the seat gets damaged. I've even seen the stem broken by gorilla torque. I see this more nowadays since non-divers are using scuba cylinders for paintball, air rifles, and even starting model airplane engines. They never had an instructor teach them how to handle scuba gear.
It looks like you're on your way to fixing it.
Good Dives, Charlie
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Post by nikeajax on Apr 2, 2020 18:32:56 GMT -8
I guess this means we can start callin' 'im "Gorilla knuckles Ratliff" then! JB
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Post by SeaRat on Apr 2, 2020 20:09:09 GMT -8
"Gorilla knuckles". Well, I'm not sure I can live up to that one. But, I have replaced the part, and it is working. I used my crossover manifold with a single hose regulator attached to half-fill the set from a single 72. The dive shop is currently closed, and I wanted to put the set under pressure. So that is finally accomplished. It is one of the pluses of the stay-at-home orders from Covid-19. John
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Post by duckbill on Apr 3, 2020 0:11:17 GMT -8
I also wonder if a seat can start to become damaged like that from gas cutting when blasting air through the valve, as is often done to verify a tank has air in it or to displace water from the yoke.
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Post by SeaRat on Apr 6, 2020 15:58:45 GMT -8
I also wonder if a seat can start to become damaged like that from gas cutting when blasting air through the valve, as is often done to verify a tank has air in it or to displace water from the yoke. I don't know. I kinda doubt it, as this has been done in normal operations for a long time. It looks to me that someone (me? or the dive shop?) cranked down too hard on the valve to shut it off. But then again, damage could have occurred in the years before I got the valve too. It did come from the Army Special Forces when I bid on it on E-Bay. Here's a like set from E-Bay: PJ Tanks by John Ratliff, on Flickr And here are my set being worn: John with PJ tanks on Lamprey Video by John Ratliff, on Flickr John
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Post by nikeajax on Apr 6, 2020 16:25:51 GMT -8
"Airman Ratilff! Spark plugs don't belong on scuba gear: now drop and give me 20!"
Sorry, you know I can never resist givin' trouble JB
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Post by SeaRat on Apr 6, 2020 17:15:30 GMT -8
"Airman Ratilff! Spark plugs don't belong on scuba gear: now drop and give me 20!"
Sorry, you know I can never resist givin' trouble JB Ya, the spark plug didn't quite fit into the manifold! But I did change the sparkplug on my son's Subru power washer, and it still didn't start. I just spent a few hours trying to get the carbaretor apart, and couldn't even do that (the YouTube video wasn't correct, in that it apparently takes an Allen wrench I don't have to get the injectors apart). Well, at least I spent some time on it this PM, staying at home. John PS, I did 20 push-ups last week when we did indoor exercise. I can still do that!
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