What's wrong with my CK ADV?

David Pye

Hi chaps,

I've got a problem with my ADV - it's extremely hard to get gas from it underwater, and it's got to the point that although I can get enough gas into the loop via it to get to the bottom, it doesn't seem to be able to put enough gas into the loop for me to be comfortable. So I end up having to crack open the BOV knob to bleed gas in from the Paragon.

I've had a quick look at it - the diaphragm does appear slightly 'curved' around where the plastic knob bit mounts to it, and it isn't completely flat. Does that mean it needs replacing?

I also heard quite a few things about old and new-style ADV valve stems or similar? How can I tell which type I have?

Cheers,

David

onetime

What does your stem look like? The old ones look like a little cap on top of the stem that has an oring in it. The new ones look more like a little pyramid at the top of the stem.

andibk

David
On the KISS we have the needle itself was slightly bent. If you looked at it with the naked eye you could not even tell if it was bent or not. Kim sent me a new needle and once I replaced it worked fine. Nothing worse then to be at 75 meters and could not even get a breath of gas. I ended up taking a breath from the BOV and blew it into the counterlungs. Made it through the rest of the dive with no problems but do not really care to do it again.

andibk

David Pye

Sorry to be a muppet, could you explain how I get the stem out please?

dave t

Take the feed of the adv and then the fitting after that and you will see the needle, check very carefully the o-ring that is glued to the undeside of the needle seat it may have come unglued. the new stlye needles have the seal seat bonded and this cant happen.

HTH

Dave

Sub Finder

Hi Dave, how old is the unit?. Mines only about 6 months old and I have to really suck on it to get it to fire. If your loop volume is to big, then the ADV won't fire anyway. I find she works better with a fresh scrubber. If I use a part used scrubber, she's always harder to breath from, which I guess is due the lumps of sofnolime than form when it gets moist, which in turn creates breathing resistance.

Hope this helps.
Charlie.

__________________
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David Pye

Hi Charlie,

My unit is number 69 so it's quite an old beast. But it's possible it has been upgraded in the past, not 100% sure I think the 'baggy' diaphragm might well be part of the problem, but while I'm at it, I will take off the bits above as people suggested and have a look.

I'm not bothered by having to suck quite hard, but it still doesn't seem to be able to put enough gas in to make the loop comfortable (ie breathable without it bottoming out) at depth hence having to cheat and use the Paragon, which I don't really like having to do

Thanks for the advice,

David

Philippe GERIN

The adv should blow by itself when you roll your right shoulder below the mouthpiece wheither your loop is @ full volume or not.
The best fix for what you're describing is changing both the stem and the diaphragm. While you're at it, check that the dil first stage IP is around 10 bars.
Best
Philippe

Dave Crampton

This is exactly what I did when I bought #051 last year. Kim at the show in Nov 06 had said I should change the needle valve. It does not cost much and is easy to do. Buy a couple of ADV diaphrams, they're cheep and having spares is usefull. My Kiss has performed faultlessly every since.

David Pye

Sounds like good advice I've got a spare diaphragm that I'll put into use shortly. From the KISS parts list, is the needle valve assy I need the ADV Valve body, ADV Valve stem, or both?

Cheers,

David