Leaking floor air Valve

[Sibfisher]

I have a leak from my inflatable floor valve, it is a Elling KB 350 I have put a photo below of the problem.
Any one can suggest how I can fix this or do I need a new valve if so where to buy one.
If you look close you can see the bubble coming from the valve
Thanks in advance

[Fenlander]

I can’t quite see the bubbles but easily sorted. There’s a valve spanner in the kit so if the bubbles are from the central valve itself unscrew and there will probably be a bit of grit to clear out. If the leak is around the edge of the valve then with floor deflated grasp the back of the valve boss through the material from below and then tighten with the spanner. This is a common leak point on the Elling.

[Brinormeg]

Cant see from the photo where exactly the leak is but have you tried tightening down the valve and I also had a bit of thread causing a leak on my excel . The folks here said its very common to need to check them. Excel comes with a key for it.

Sorry ....
Fen just beat me to it

[Oldman2]

I had loose stitches on my valve that would be blown into the valve when you deflate and stay there while you inflate so the flap didnt seal correctly.

[Sibfisher]

Thanks for your help lads
Looking at it could be a loose stitch that is coming from it.
I cannot find my valve key, how else can I unscrew another way to remove it to clean

[Brinormeg]

Will post a pic of the key i have once I get home and maybe you can make something up......although the elling guys can better advise if their keys are different.

Ebay might be your friend or someone with a 3d printer

[Sibfisher]

Originally Posted by Brinormeg

Will post a pic of the key i have once I get home and maybe you can make something up......although the elling guys can better advise if their keys are different.

Ebay might be your friend or someone with a 3d printer

Thanks for that when I bought the boat it was second hand and the valve key did not come with it, I looked on Ebay UK and Spain as the boat is based in Spain can get one from china but wont be here till end of May so need to find another way to unscrew the valve

[chipko]

Elling valve key is 8 notch 30mm outside diameter. A Halkey Robert’s 8 notch 31mm dia. generic one may fit.

Pic of Elling valve key.



In the interim you may be able to push any visible fibres back inside below rubber seal with tweezers if careful. Long term need to remove valve inner and trim back any stray fibres.

[Brinormeg]

Should get one online or post in the buy/sell bit.....maybe someone got an old one to sell

[Sibfisher]

Brinormeg & chipko for sending photos.

The problem that I have is my boat is in Spain and all the looking I have done, the only valve key I found is from China and wont be here till end of May.

The problem is a thread that is in the valve itself but keeps breaking trying to get it out.

Any ideas what I can use instead of the valve key

[chipko]

A few Halkey Roberts type on eBay from Uk chandlers, message for shipping costs/time to Spain.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/202056028...mis&media=COPY

Might be worth a call to the guys at Boatworld to see if they can ship one out.

Failing that if you can find some plastic tube with 25mm inside and 30/31mm outside diameter then fairly easy to cut 8 notches for a makeshift key. Just be careful not to damage valve as it will only be an approximate fit.

[Fenlander]

I was thinking easy to make. Plastic tube in short lengths on Ebay. Slots can be cut according to spacing seen on valve.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200973097...kAAOSw4ppgtiZD

My Elling valve leaked on delivery and I found it doesn't need to be that tight to seal so a near enough DIY tool would be sufficient.

[GARYSHORT]

Ok this works every time unless the valve is damaged: Pull the valve top from the floor. the bottom piece will stay in the floor. Gently clean the top piece in warm soapy water and with a nylon dish brush. Look carefully to be sure that there is no debris (sand...) in the valve. Now for the hard part. Do the same with the ring that is left in the floor. Don't worry about a little water getting into the floor. It won't damage it. Now dry both pieces thoroughly. Then take silicone or dielectric grease (usually dielectric IS silicone) and generously lube the threads and the lips/flanges of both parts. Be sure there is no foreign matter/debris on the threads of both. then screw back together tightly. Inflate and then check for leaks with soapy water.

[Sibfisher]

Thanks for all the help you all have given me so far.
I have found the valve spanner, when I bought the boat from the UK to Spain put it away and forgot about it.

When unscrewing the valve does it have a long thread that takes a bit of unscrewing as when I tried to take the valve it seemed to unscrew for a while but did not seem to come out and when feeling underneath the mate I could feel it turning.
Do I keep turning the valve until it comes out or the best way to remove it for cleaning.

[Oldman2]

The outer ring inside the floor needs to be held while you unscrew the valve, otherwise all that will happen is the whole lot will just go round and round as you turn the key. Here is a picture of the valve insides with the button depressed and more showing stitches loose.


valve with button depressed.jpg


valve sealed no stitches.jpg


valve loose stitches.jpg


valve out plenty in there.jpg

[Sibfisher]

Originally Posted by Oldman2

The outer ring inside the floor needs to be held while you unscrew the valve, otherwise all that will happen is the whole lot will just go round and round as you turn the key. Here is a picture of the valve insides with the button depressed and more showing stitches loose.


valve with button depressed.jpg


valve sealed no stitches.jpg


valve loose stitches.jpg


valve out plenty in there.jpg

Thanks for explanation and photos Oldman2, I unscrewed the valve successfully cleaned it and got the bit of thread out that was coursing the problem, screwed it back together checked it after 24 hrs and so far so good tried the soapy water test and no bubbles.

[Tomas_S]

Hi,
I have a stuck valve as well and found this thread. The whole assembly just goes around when I try to unscrew it with a wrench. And after that my leak got worse. I deflated it fully and can feel everything is turning inside. And there is nothing to hold onto. The whole outer part is turning and I cannot get a grip on the part inside. At first it was really hard, now it is looser but nothing is getting unscrewed as I turn it with the wrench. Anyone knows how to deal with this?

[Fenlander]

Hi Tomas and welcome to the forum. What make is your SIB? Any chance of a picture of the valve?

[Brinormeg]

Depending on the make.....if you see Oldman previous post and explanation and photos it makes more sense. But basically on my excel i had to get hold of the back (inside the tube) and hold it while unscrewing. First time i did it i didn't realise the inner wasn't attached and it fell away down inside the tube. Took ages to shuffle it back to the correct place.

[Tomas_S]