Can a J valve save your life?

[duckbill]

In California diving we have kelp and other entanglements to contend with so J valves were a problem.

1) We always disassembled the J valve and reversed the cam. With this change the J rod had to be pushed up to engage the reserve
2) The pull rod was tossed. To activate the reserve it was necessary to reach over the shoulder and pull the valve lever up. It always worked.

I've contemplated configuring my J-valves like this (several on tanks I bought already were), but was always afraid a dive shop would not realize it (or forget I told them) and give me a short fill or ruin my valve.

Did you fill your own tanks, or did the shops at the time just know that was the norm for your area?

Did you make it so the lever was facing forward?

[21]

This was a very common procedure in Orange county amoung the veteran divers. Most dive shop personel knew of the modifications so as a rule not a problem. On occasion they would have a new employee who was confussed.

I also had compressors on two seperate occasions and filled my own bottles.

So far as I can recall the lever was facing backwards in it normal position. Only the internal part was reversed.

I would guess we never thought of facing it forward-or perhaps some one did and there was a problem--entanglement ? who knows?

It is interesting that this was an accepted procedure with in the OC diving instructor community which encluded a number of US Divers, Voit, and Scuba Pro employees. However, not one company marketed or in any way acknowledged a reverse J valve.

This was very unsual for an idea would develop with in the group and it would migrate into the product line the following year. I had a number of instances--I used a rat tail file to cut a line cutter into my knife, the following year I think it was Voit or Sportsway came out with a line cutter knife. I faired the top of my snorkle and US divers ran with it, "30% more air" their advertisement read, and 70% more water was my reply--it really didn't help. And it goes on and on...

Stories for late at night over a cool one.....

21

[luis]

Scubapro DCAR (depth compensated adjustable reserve) valves came with the lever pointing toward the diver in its standard configuration, but it could easily be switched to point away from the diver. In either case the reserve was intended to open by puling down (but even that could be reversed).

The mechanism on most reserves (made in the US) doesn’t care if it is rotated clock-wise or counter clockwise (as long as it is rotated 90 degrees to actuate).

At one time Sherwood Selpac made the valves for Healthways, Dacor and maybe others. All of these valves were also design so the lever could be facing forward or backwards (they came normally with the lever facing away from the diver).

If you look at the valves made by Sherwood the lever, the mechanism, and the main body, you can tell that they were intentionally made symmetrically for this purpose (that was no accident IMHO). It was always intended to move down to open, but again you could even reverse this since the mechanism only care to rotate 90 degrees in either direction. The stops are normally on the body and the stem shaft is square.


As I can remember some of the valves made by USD were not totally symmetrically (some were not symetrical at all). The stem shaft was rectangular not square, therefore the reserve closed position was either up on the rear or down on the front, no other options.

I think the Sportways valves could not be switched at all because the body had lever stops that only allowed the lever on the back.

[Bob3]

... The pull rod was tossed. ...

Yep, we got rid of our rods too, they just doubled the locations where a gremlin could latch on & make mischief.
With the clunkier regs you could easily detect the change in draw but when some of the newer regs came into use you could dang near suck a vacuum on a tank without ever feeling it.
The SPG is one of the modern conveniences I like.

[hallen41]

I have useed both a K and J valve over the years and I think it all depends on where and how your diving. In the '60s I did a lot of river and harbor diving while I was in the Navy, mostly zero or near zero vis conditions. These were working dives so even if you could see, you may forget to check a SPG. J valves are my pick in these conditions. On sport dives, good vis and such , K valves and SPG work just as well.
I have never used a pull rod on a J valve and I can't remember having one accidently pulled. But I am getting old so maybe I just can't remember.

I truly believe that J valves play a factor in safe diving, Just know your equipment and practice untill using it becomes second nature.

I am looking foward to my first Sand Dog. See you'all