Pee Valve

[LCF]

I've installed three of them now, and only had leaking problems with the one I put on a compressed neoprene suit. (Learned a lot from that one.)

I use the Halcyon balanced valve, and this was after reading a bunch of feedback from women using the She-P, where minimal resistance to flow is pretty important. (The adhesive on the device fails more often, I think, than catheters blow off men.) But there is a theoretical reason for men to choose the lowest resistance system they can, as well -- there is no "safety valve" for excess pressure in the p-valve system for men, so any resistance can cause reflux into the bladder, and thus a higher risk of UTI. In women, there is a low pressure alternative, so although we have shorter urethras, I wouldn't be surprised if we end up being less susceptible to p-valve UTIs than men are.

[JDostal]

Very easy to install. I bought a punch when I installed my first one about 8 years ago, I think it was $10? I like using the balanced P-Valves from Salvo (now out of business...) and now I think I have an OxyCheq one. They are cheap and rock solid, nothing to maintain on them except for the typical post dive vinegar rinse.

I figure out where I want the valve. Then I put a towel in my suit, then put a small wood block on the towel underneath where I'm going to punch the hole. Put the punch on the mark and *wham*, drill it hard with a hammer. Actually takes a few good whacks to bust through good trilam.

I like to dab a little Aqua Seal on either side and then screw it down tight. Leave it sit overnight, dive and pee to your hearts content.

It literally took only a few minutes to do - super simple install!

[FW]

I like to dab a little Aqua Seal on either side and then screw it down tight.....

If you have a crushed neoprene suit, be careful how tight you screw it down. It can cause the neoprene to squeeze out from under the washer. It will even stretch the hole to about double size. Just tighten them enough to partially compress the neoprene, the Aquaseal will do the rest.

[fno]

Regarding the block of wood inside the suit. Find a piece of hardwood (Oak or Maple) My first attempt was on a DUI CF-200 and the peice of 2 x 4 pine split in two and the punch made its way to the other side of the leg. A testament to the CF, the punch did not penetrate the suit twice!!!

[JDostal]

Yikes! Luckily that didn't happen to me

[Superlyte27]

Regarding the block of wood inside the suit. Find a piece of hardwood (Oak or Maple) My first attempt was on a DUI CF-200 and the peice of 2 x 4 pine split in two and the punch made its way to the other side of the leg. A testament to the CF, the punch did not penetrate the suit twice!!!

maple is not considered a hardwood. oak really isn't either, but certainly harder than pine.
I got tons of it around, I am/was a cabinet maker.

SYP is 870 on hardness scale, oak is 1290 and maple is 1450. You don't really get into hardwood until Pecan, Walnut, Hickory, etc. Above 1500 hardness scale. At least that's how Lowe's sells it.

All that said, who cares right? Point is, make sure you don't put a hole punch through both sides of your drysuit. Hehe.

[adam0321]

I bought one from edd. unbalenced oxycheq. the cheapest he had. put it in my slef. not a big dea. I burned a hole in the suit. didint want to cut it and risk it running or something. intalled the valve sandwiched between two pieces of neprene then aquaseald the heck out of it. no problems yet..

[Superlyte27]

Adam -- What was the cheapest one? I just called DR for their's and it was pretty pricey even at my cost.

[FW]

Adam -- What was the cheapest one? I just called DR for their's and it was pretty pricey even at my cost.

I can make you a real deal on a used, unbalanced, P-valve.

[Superlyte27]

Uh... no thanks.