HE valve on UPO reps

[jomama]

Has anyone explored their UPO and removed movement? The reason I ask is I am curious if the HE valve opening actually even penetrates the caseback.

On my UPO from Josh the HE valve screws but does not really tighten (as if it just hits the steel end of a hole that is drilled and threaded).

By the way I love this watch as it has become my "everyday banger". Since I live in Scottsdale I spend alot of time in the pools in the summer (120 degrees in the shade) and want to waterproof.

[Usil]

The Helium valve on the Ultimate PO is not a valve at all. It is simply a small crown with the HE stamped on it attached to a metal post that pokes throught to the inside of the watch and is crimped so it does not slide back out. It has no threads so it will never be tighter and because it goes inside the watch, it actually provides a water entry point to the inside the watch if you go swimming with it.

Usil

[jomama]

The Helium valve on the Ultimate PO is not a valve at all. It is simply a small crown with the HE stamped on it attached to a metal post that pokes throught to the inside of the watch and is crimped so it does not slide back out. It has no threads so it will never be tighter and because it goes inside the watch, it actually provides a water entry point to the inside the watch if you go swimming with it.

Usil

Thanks Usil. That is what I needed to know. With this enlightenment, what is the best way to seal or lock this baby so there is no seapage to case??

[Usil]

I removed the movement so I could see the inside location of the HE valve. Then I sealed the small well where the He stem was with epoxy.

Usil

[Rolexman]

I swam with my UPO.. no problems what so ever. True.... the HE valve does not really tighten but if you screw it down tight enough (along with the case back and crown) it will not cause any problems. I also dived with it to the bottom of te swimming pool (10 feet= 3 meter)

[Usil]

There are no screws, it is just a post sticking into the watch. It is supposed to be a press fit but because of the sloppy tolerances it sometimes floats around and spins when you turn it. If you can get it tighter on your watch your tolerances are marginally better and allow for a little press fit to take place. The looser the tolerances the more liklely it will leak. I would never advise another person with a rep that it is ok to swim with them. Way too risky.

Usil

[fleed]

There are no screws, it is just a post sticking into the watch. It is supposed to be a press fit but because of the sloppy tolerances it sometimes floats around and spins when you turn it. If you can get it tighter on your watch your tolerances are marginally better and allow for a little press fit to take place. The looser the tolerances the more liklely it will leak. I would never advise another person with a rep that it is ok to swim with them. Way too risky.

Usil

the HE valve has no function, it's only a wannabe.

to guarantee tightness, the crown must alltime be screwed on (the crown itself has a small gasket). all my PO's have passed the water resistance test up to 8atm without problems, they should be water resistant (like the sellers claim).

[Bazz]

Here is some pics of mine I had taken when I first received it and to try and show what Usil is saying.

As you can see basically the He valve is screwed onto a screw which has a spring on the outside end (between valve and case) which when the valve is screwed out, the spring pushes the He valve out away from the case.

As you can see there is no gaskets.

[fleed]

Here is some pics of mine I had taken when I first received it and to try and show what Usil is saying.

As you can see basically the He valve is screwed onto a screw which has a spring on the outside end (between valve and case) which when the valve is screwed out, the spring pushes the He valve out away from the case.

As you can see there is no gaskets.

bazz

i cant see any gasket on that crown...dit you remove it?

[Bazz]

No mine came with no gaskets on the He valve, I tried to fit some rollies crown tube gaskets I had but they didnt fit.

[fleed]

No mine came with no gaskets on the He valve, I tried to fit some rollies crown tube gaskets I had but they didnt fit.

thats really scary...both of my recent PO's have gaskets, i have no idea why yours has no gasket.

[Bazz]

Dunno? I did buy it when they first came out so maybe now the have rectified the problem?

[Usil]

Interesting that yours actually unscrews and has a spring. Mine just spins and looks like there is no thread and no spring. Maybe just more sloppyness in assembly. When I disassembled the watch, I saw the same end you show in yours.

I also examined the crown threads as these have been notoriously bad too on this model. Here is a picture looking inside.

Note all the crud inside and the threads are virtually non-existant.

I used this camera set-up to take the picture.

Usil

Edited April 15, 2007 by Usil

[Bazz]

Hey Usil,

On mine the He valve screws onto the post in the first pic and I needed to use a screw driver to tighten it from the inside, then the spring pushes it out from the watch case. From there the He valve screws onto the He tube but mine has no gaskets so I do not tend to swim with it.

Wow great macro BTW!

[Usil]

It may be that there may be some variations on He valves depending on where these were assembled. Mine was inferrior.

Usil

[Xac]

The HE on my 45mm PO screws down pretty tight. Tight enough to where I have to apply decent pressure with my fingernail to unscrew it. I bought it from Joshua on March 28th.