Author Topic: Leak around valve. possible bad hole cut?  (Read 2593 times)

JCKsupgirl

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Leak around valve. possible bad hole cut?
« on: August 28, 2022, 05:47:11 AM »
Hello. My inflatable leaks at the perimeter of the valve.  I have replaced the valve, and I have made gaskets from bike inner tubes, and tightened everything as much as physically possible. Neither attempt has fixed the issue.  I believe the hole for the valve was not cut properly by the manufacturer. See photo.
I am determined to fix this! What do you recommend I do?  Thank you so much for your help in advance.

surfcowboy

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Re: Leak around valve. possible bad hole cut?
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2022, 07:07:20 AM »
Interesting. I've not got much experience with inflatables but I'll say that you should test some sealants from silicone to 3M marine sealant (in some test material or another part of the SUP!!)

You might be able to seal in the valve a bit better.

But first try to warranty it. Inflatables are less expensive than hard boards but I've found my 2 boards somewhat disposable.

sflinux

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Re: Leak around valve. possible bad hole cut?
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2022, 08:26:54 AM »
Is it leaking from the grey threads, or the black?  I would test with soapy water.
This valve looks like a modular design for replacement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgnFa6_Pm7s
Quiver Shaped by: Joe Blair, Blane Chambers, Jimmy Lewis, Kirk McGinty, and Bob Pearson.
Me: 200#, 6'2"

JCKsupgirl

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Re: Leak around valve. possible bad hole cut?
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2022, 09:45:13 AM »
It is leaking at the gray, outer threads. I was considering silicone paste, based on a video I watched.

What do you think of this idea? Would silicone grease from a tube do the job/is it any different from the paste ? It is much cheaper than the paste. I have never worked with either product.
Thanks

PonoBill

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Re: Leak around valve. possible bad hole cut?
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2022, 09:54:26 AM »
It looks to me like the hole was cut properly, but the valve was inserted with the sealing ring distorted and folded. The inner ring is almost certainly the seal ring, not the outer ring. I'd use a smooth stick, like a blunted barbecue skewer, to tease the fold out and get the ring as unobstructed as possible. A little gentle heating with a hair dryer might help. A heat gun would be too much. Once you pull the valve body up through the hole, work the ring some more to get it as perfect as you can before tightening the collar. I'd try all that before using sealant, that's probably an irreversible step, so it should be the last ditch.

Silicone grease will just blow out. I expect the paste will be a slight improvement, but only if the seal is nearly perfect. If you can get the seal close to perfect some standard, cheap, silicone dielectric grease might help a little. If nothing else it would lubricate the gasket as the tightening torque gets applied and make the connection more uniform and forestall the kind of distortion that's causing the leak. I'd use some TefGel, which is expensive, but I have a two-ounce tub that I've had for many years that I've hardly put a dent in though I use it for all kinds of things. A little goes a long way when your applicator is a mascara brush.
« Last Edit: August 28, 2022, 09:56:39 AM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

JCKsupgirl

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Re: Leak around valve. possible bad hole cut?
« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2022, 11:50:44 AM »
I really appreciate the input. If I am understanding you correctly, you are talking about the vinyl layers of fabric being folded at the opening and mis-shaped. I examined the hole again. Nothing is folded. Am I understanding your comments correctly?

I got out sewing scissors and cut even more carefully any strings that might interfere with the lower valve “nut” from seating correctly up onto the vinyl board. I have not cut the opening in any way.

I inserted the valve “bolt “ and not any improvement. I haven’t used any sealants or lubricants yet, due to the irreversibility as you mentioned.

Thoughts?
Thank you very much.

PonoBill

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Re: Leak around valve. possible bad hole cut?
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2022, 08:26:33 PM »
Yes, it looks like a fold in the V-shaped distortion of the fabric, but I can't say for sure in a photo. Your thought that it is an incorrectly cut hole is probably correct. I'd certainly see if it can be warrantied, but if you have to seal it, try some gorilla snot, which is what greasy mechanics like me call 3M weatherstripping cement. If you get some on your fingers and need to rub it off you'll see why we call it that. Apply it copiously, both to the face of the valve on the inside and around the entire edge before you run the outer nut down. Don't worry about getting a little on the threads, it won't hurt anything and might block the leak. Don't try to clean off any excess before it sets, Once it is fairly hard you can rub the excess off. The big advantage of weatherstripping cement is that it stays flexible once it's set, and it's waterproof. You can probably get the valve back apart if you need to for some reason and it cleans up pretty well with alcohol, though it takes a lot of scrubbing. Also, it's cheap and you can get it at any auto store. Let it set up completely--a day in the sun would be ideal.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

JCKsupgirl

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Re: Leak around valve. possible bad hole cut?
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2022, 11:27:30 AM »
thank you. I will give it a try and get back to the forum with results.

JCKsupgirl

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Re: Leak around valve. possible bad hole cut?
« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2022, 12:03:16 PM »
An o-ring fixed it! I had one in my garage that fit easily within the rings of the top part of the valve. I lubricated it, put it around the top “bolt” and installed the valve again. I wish I thought of this earlier when I messed around with a gasket from a bike inner tube.

Simple solution that actually didn’t  cost me anything and didn’t make a sticky mess on the board.

I hope this helps someone else too. Thanks for your input.

PonoBill

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Re: Leak around valve. possible bad hole cut?
« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2022, 05:47:01 AM »
Good for you! I'm surprised it sealed in that compromised area. There's not much surface for it to work on, but since it did, it should hold well, the pressure in the board and the tension from the valve will both push it outward against the larger ring.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

 


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