FAQ Friday #38 - If the centre of my pressure relief valve (PRV) has blown out, do I need to replace the whole valve?

Not necessarily!

This week one customer came in and showed me this small part from his Leafield Marine PRV.

He asked whether he needed to replace the whole valve and whether glue and patches were required. I explained that he could unscrew the front of the current PRV (pressure relief valve) and install a new piece. And RIBstore could supply both the Leafield Marine PRV and required valve tool.

Here's the method:

• Use the correct valve tool to loosen the faulty PRV - don't fully unscrew it though, it only needs to be finger tight. In this case it's a Leafield Marine A6/B7 valve spanner or a Leafield Marine A6/C7/D7 valve spanner that is required.
• This is easiest when the tube is inflated, so if required plug the centre of the PRV up to prevent the tube deflating. On this particular valve, an A6 plug cap exists to prevent the PRV loosing any air. 
• Deflate the chamber with the leaky PRV and potential the neighbouring chamber too.
• Arrange the deflated tube so it's flat and you can keep a hold of the back section of the PRV (the nut part on an A6). An extra pair of hands is useful at this point as the part in the tube may not be fixed onto the back of the tube.
• Unscrew the PRV by hand.
• Check the surfaces are clean.
• Screw the front section of the new PRV into the old nut part that's inside the tube.
• Inflate the tube as normal
• Use the valve tool to tighten the PRV.

As long as the mechanical parts are on the external part of your PRV and you can get the replacement part, the above method should work!