KISS BOV - Storage Question

PhilSiswick

Hi,

Having stripped and serviced my KISS BOV last night, I have a question for those of you who have been using them for longer than I have. How do you leave it when you store the unit for more than a few days? Do you leave it in the OC/Bailout position or in the Loop position.

I ask because I had problems with the unit holding +ve/-ve after fitting the Proton adaptor. I traced the problem to the spool o-rings, which had got very dry. Before I fitted the adaptor, I hadn't used the unit (or indeed changed the position on the BOV) since late October when I got back from Scapa. It was left in the OC/Bailout position.

I'm just wondering whether, to avoid problems like this, I should store it with the BOV in the Loop position and close the mouthpiece in another way (for example with the mouthpiece plug thingie that came with the Proton.

And as a supplementary question, having spent an age wrestling the o-rings out - where in the UK can I get metal dental picks as recommended by Jetsam (without resorting to stealing them from my dentist ;-).

Cheers,

__________________
Phil

No comment on open circuit... it's an evolutionary dead end not really worth discussing here. Dave Sutton, 2007

I have always felt that the dive I am on is not nearly important as the dives I plan to be on the rest of my life. Tom Rose, 2007

www.hugsac.org.uk

RichClark

I don't know if it's the right answer or not, but if I'm not diving I always leave my BOV in the closed\OC position. I haven't noticed any problems with +\- tests in over two years.

As for brass picks, I stumbled across a set in a model shop one day. They came as a set of 3 in a small pouch; one straight, one hooked and one with a hooked ball end.

Cheers

Rich

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PhilSiswick

Hi Rich,

Many thanks - that's what I was doing. I'll keep an eye on it in the future.

Thanks for the steer on the model shop. There's one near me - I'll pop in at the weekend.

Cheers,

__________________
Phil

No comment on open circuit... it's an evolutionary dead end not really worth discussing here. Dave Sutton, 2007

I have always felt that the dive I am on is not nearly important as the dives I plan to be on the rest of my life. Tom Rose, 2007

www.hugsac.org.uk

iratnl

I store my KISS BOV with the lever midway between OC and CC; I figure it's putting less strain on either of the o rings used to seal the BOV when completely open or completely shut........I could be wrong though .

As for o ring picks - try ebay; I'm sure I've seen a set of 3 brass ones specifically for dive reg servicing on there before..

PhilSiswick

That's a good idea. Combined with plugging the mouthpiece, that should meet all the requirements. Thanks.

Thanks - I'll give that a try too. EDIT: Checked ebay. With Buy It Now, a set are on my way for 3.24 GBP including shipping (in case anyone else is looking for some)

Cheers,

__________________
Phil

No comment on open circuit... it's an evolutionary dead end not really worth discussing here. Dave Sutton, 2007

I have always felt that the dive I am on is not nearly important as the dives I plan to be on the rest of my life. Tom Rose, 2007

www.hugsac.org.uk

Ben Field

Glad you found the issue Phil, I guess perhaps the average KISS user might not get this issue because we're so used to stripping/servicing/checking parts between dives as part of the pre-dive process, whereas you have the BOV on an Evolution which (from what I've seen) needs slightly less attention on a day to day basis.

For long storage periods I leave my hoses and BOV disconnected from the unit and the BOV valve knob in the half way position (so the spool is loose) having said that it would all get rechecked and lubed up before assembly anyway.

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PhilSiswick

I had assumed that I could service this on an 'on condition' basis, or more likely, once a year. Does it really require more regular servicing?

Thanks - that's two votes for that approach :-)

Cheers,

__________________
Phil

No comment on open circuit... it's an evolutionary dead end not really worth discussing here. Dave Sutton, 2007

I have always felt that the dive I am on is not nearly important as the dives I plan to be on the rest of my life. Tom Rose, 2007

www.hugsac.org.uk

lizardland

I'd had a similar problem, I was getting quite major flooding after I'd swapped to the Mares. A full disassembly, clean and lube solved it. I'm not sure if there is any way of stopping it happening. It's a pretty simple and quick process to relube but I get worried every time I undo a screw in delrin.

I got my dental picks in the local market on the cheap tool stand. Keswick market used to have a brilliant tool stall until they replaced them with tourist shite.

An alternative is to get some cheap jewellers screwdrivers from the pound shop and bend the tip with pliers.

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Ben Field

I give it a quick non-stripped lube after each wash-down, only strip it down at the start and end of a season. I take the SNOG valve apart more often but thats because there is no way of sealing it effectively and its gets all soggy during boat rides... maybe I need a bung as you mentioned to block it up?

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Beware Fridge Suck

sunkmail

I actually got some from my Dentist. I just asked if they had any broken ones, they showed me a pile of them and said I could help myself. I walked away with 6 of them (a couple for some buddies).

They are broken on one side only, and even then, some of the breaks are very minor - bad for teeth, but fine for o-rings.

As for the knob position, I was taught that the halfway position is easiest on the o-rings during my initial training.