Planet Ocean HE Valve

[chaw6125]

Hi Guys,

I am slowly collecting the parts to franken my 42mm PO.

I have the gen hands, datewheel, crown, tube HE valve and a Sunnydale crystal.

It will also be getting a custom movement holder for a ETA 2892 (which is what the Omega Cal 2500 is based on with a co-axial movement). I can then fit a gen 2500 at some point if I got one.

Anyway - my question is this...

With a gen HE valve; why do people seal them with epoxy from the inside? The old HE valve is just pressed in and the gen is threaded so providing you can then thread the case with the correct thread size it should be water tight and be a functioning HE valve.

Yes I knowI wouldn't use that properly anyway as I won't be saturation diving, but the gen HE valve is waterproof to 5 ATM when the crown is undone let alone when it is screwed down.

Are people just going the extra mile to make sure it is watertight?

Seems a little over the top - unless it is likely to leak from the threads?

Any advice here would be great.

Thanks

CH

 

[R2D4]

The hole is too big in the rep already. Most people don't use the valve. It's easier to just epoxy it in.

Those are 3 reasons. You could... drill it out, thread it, put a solid plug in, drill and tap that and then screw down your gen valve. You will need the special Helium valve key as well.

Or, you could laser weld the hole, remill to the proper size and tap that.

Or, drill a through hole, epoxy the gen valve in and pray it won't leak.

Also, the hole that is there now, is too shallow for the valve to function properly. So you need to drill it out more anyway.

On the dial and 2892, you have 2 choices. You can either locate the tube higher or put in a dial spacer. Otherwise your stem won't line up centered with the existing crown tube opening. Most folks use a dial spacer because you would need to modify the crown guard opening for the higher crown/tube. Hope that makes sense. Basically the 2892 is thinner than the DG and 28XX.

 

[chaw6125]

Thanks R2. That clears that up.

The picture I saw made the rep HE valve look smaller, but if it is larger then epoxy makes sense.

Thanks again.

 

[R2D4]

Have a look at my edit too.

There was a sale here not too long ago with the 2892 in it. Look at the datewheel window, you will see the datewheel recessed. He had to bring it down to keep the tube/stem and crown centered. (thinner movement..)

 

[chaw6125]

I knew it was thinner but thought that the custom ring fixed that.

By fixing the stem height it has sunken the datewheel. I never noticed that before.

Would putting a new datewheel over the old one like an overlay work? Or is that then too heavy for the datewheel mechanism and a general bodge?

Thanks R2. I will have to think about going down the 2824 route then unless I source a cal 2500. I am guessing that would work or would that also have a sunken date?

All this for a crappy $140 rep. I must be mad. I have the DG4813 version so need to go Swiss or clone for the dial anyway.

 

[R2D4]

You might be right on the holder, I haven't explored that yet. I wouldn't mess with the mech for date change, the height is not that noticeable, It bothers me though.

 

[watchman12345]

Just go with the 2824. It's really not worth the cost/hassle going 2892. Nobody will ever see it, and the 2824 has the same beat rate so the second hand will move the same. Put the money saved towards a genuine dial...

 

[Luthier]

Hi Guys,

I am slowly collecting the parts to franken my 42mm PO.

I have the gen hands, datewheel, crown, tube HE valve and a Sunnydale crystal.

It will also be getting a custom movement holder for a ETA 2892 (which is what the Omega Cal 2500 is based on with a co-axial movement). I can then fit a gen 2500 at some point if I got one.

All this... for $140 "crappy" replica???
Definitely mad.

 

[Painter6]

Great information R2. I am in a similar boat. I am working with the 45 rather than the 42.

I wonder if filling the holes with silver solder and then taping the hole would work.

Also, does anyone know what the proper hand height is? I guess it would depend on the movement used. I have a few cal 2500b movements and wanted to order new hand wheels.

 

[chaw6125]

Was going for a gen dial anyway. Just when I get paid next month.

I could get a 2892 used and services for $150. Might just got or the 2824 as you said watchman.

The funny thing is. I ordered most of my gen parts while waiting for my watch from Trevor. A crown and tube here, hands there. Mainly as they were cheap. When it rocked up I was very impressed for $140. But I have seen other Frankens and have to do it.

 

[chaw6125]

All this... for $140 "crappy" replica???
Definitely mad.

I have done the same with my epiphone and squire guitars

Spent a fortune modding the pickups and wiring and bridge etc and could have bought a nice used Gibson and fender. But that's too easy.

 

[watchman12345]

It's a nice watch when it's done...

 

[Mr. Pap]

I did such a mod with my smp chrono

Pushers

HE valve

What did i learn? Many days lost to find the proper tools to open the threads, small leak from one pusher, not perfect fitment cause you will need the special screw drives from omega.

Can i wash my hands while wearing my watch? Of course!

Would i swim wearing my watch? No! I wouldn't swim even with a gen though...

If you want to do it that much, go ahead and try it. I wouldn't do that again to be honest...

 

[KBH]

The next problem and more important to being water tight is the Sunnydale crystal. At least with the 4th gen PO, the gen style gasket doesn't fit so you have to re-use the rep gasket. It's a pretty loose fit and the edge of the Sunnydale crystal is different than the rep crystal. So it can be made to work but I wouldn't expect it to be very waterproof. Maybe with crystal adhesive but unlikely to pass very high pressure.

Maybe the V5 is different?

 

[watchman12345]

Wiz did mine with sunny crystal and it passed to 5atm no probs. i'm not sure if it was difficult for him. maybe he will be along some time and answer...

 

[chaw6125]

Mr Pap - I saw that thread your SMP is amazing. It made me think about the threading on the PO.

Watchman - I wouldn't go diving with it, but certainly go in the pool. I thought the sunnydale crystal was same specs as the rep.

KBH - I have the V5 although I'm not bothering with a gen gasket as it needs shaving down.

I would have thought 5 ATM should be fine for the pool.

I could send it to Wiz for waterproofing, but with all due respect he is a busy guy and I don't know if I can be bothered wait. I think his current turnaround is around 2 to 3 months. Maybe I will do it if he thinks it has a decent chance of getting to 10atm.

Thanks for all your honest opinions guys. :cheers:

 

[kazin326]

Just curious which PO are you guys referring? My v5 PO 42mm from Trevor doesn't even have the HE valve hole going into the case back. It's a false hole that just screws down isn't drilled through to inside the case.

 

[chaw6125]

Just curious which PO are you guys referring? My v5 PO 42mm from Trevor doesn't even have the HE valve hole going into the case back. It's a false hole that just screws down isn't drilled through to inside the case.

Hi Kazin

Mine is also a V5 without it going all the way through. But the hole that has been made is bigger than the thread size on the HE valve.

That's how I understand it from R2D4.

If you fill it, drill the right size and tap it then you need a proper tool to drive the HE valve home for a good fit.

I guess I would rather it be water resistant so I can swim with it than have something that is built to gen but more likely to leak as per mr Paps SMP chrono.

Nothing is weirder than someone removing a 600m dive watch to get in a 2.5 metre pool.

 

[R2D4]

Just curious which PO are you guys referring? My v5 PO 42mm from Trevor doesn't even have the HE valve hole going into the case back. It's a false hole that just screws down isn't drilled through to inside the case.

Correct! It's a milled pocket as it sits. No threading and too large to accept the gen valve threads. You would need to weld it/silver solder it, then redrill and tap.

Sent from my Galaxy S3 via Tapatalk 2

 

[watchman12345]

50m is perfect for swimming...