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SCBA Tank Valve Assembly. Saber Tactical????

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Airgun Al

Airgun Al

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Dec 6, 2023
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I am in the market for a new valve assembly for my SCBA tank.
Photo below of my old valve, with push button release, and worn out gauge with bent needle tip. If you look close, the tip of needle is actually bent from releasing pressure too fast. Its easy to do, due to the push button style release knob. Its difficult to gently press the push button and release pressure, without releasing pressure too fast! I DONT LIKE THE PUSH BUTTON RELEASE.

I prefer that my next valve assembly include:

1. LARGE GAUGE ....4" would be ideal for my old eyes.
2. A knob that screws to release pressure...No more push button that releases pressure much too fast, and bends the gauge needle.

I see the $200 Saber Tactical Valve Assembly, and Im leaning in that direction, and then probably upgrading to a larger 4" gauge due to my eyesight.

Is there another valve assembly that anyone would recommend, over the Saber Tactical, that offers a larger gauge?

Is there anything better, that would include a larger gauge, and maybe be priced less than $200 ?


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I bought a Saber Tactical valve (with the 18x1.5mm adapter for metric threads) and I do like the design, but I have to say the build quality was poor . . .

I decided to test it out on a spare 500 cc bottle I had, and I am glad I did. I ended up finding two separate fast leaks on the first test fill, and then a third very slow one from the burst disk - it took a second test fill to learn that the disc was defective and not just leaking at the threads or seal. I fixed it myself by pretty much rebuilding it rather than sending it back and possibly getting another like it. I'm glad I tested it out as I would hate to have wasted two fills of the 9L tank for which it was purchased.

I've heard of others with the same situation, and some have had issues with the valve knob itself. But once I "reworked" everything I think it is great - it just should have been sold that way!
 
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scubajeeper said:
I’ve had the Joe B valve on my tank for 7 years now with no complaints, it’s not cheap but nothing about this hobby is. I don’t mind paying for quality. A friend of mine told me years ago, “quality only hurts once “.
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X2 as scubajeeper said. One nice feature on Brancato valve is there is a restrictor for when you are filling your gun. But when filling your tank the restrictor is bypassed. Its design is similar to a check valve except it has a tiny orifice in it. Buy once, cry once. I know Brancato occasionally takes a beatinng here, but for the most part he sells good stuff.

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I too have a JB valve on a JB Guppy tank that I have had for about 6 years. It did develop a leak after about 4 years of use, and I has to buy a replacement valve stem for JB to get it back in service. I do like the slow fill nature of the valve. Some things about the JB valve are better, and some things about the ST valve are better. Such is life . . . .
 
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I love the way the ST valve is designed. Large, easy to use knobs. Easy to read gauge.
However, their assembly seems haphazard at best. I’ve read numerous issues with leaks, all of which seem to be solved by use of Teflon tape and/or snugging up fittings.
Mine leaked. I just tightened the burst disk, let’s hope that stops the leak.

beautiful but flawed by questionable assembly or quality control.
yes I would buy again, but come on……
 
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rayroz said:
Sabers valve leak thats all there is to it !
Bought 3 , 2 leaked one had a gauge that would stick at 2300 lbs . Got my money back from P A no problem .
I tried to contact saber t to fill them in on the piss poor quality , they never got back to me .
Its your money ,
Ray
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I find that VERY hard to believe. I have ALWAYS gotten quick responses from them, not only when I have questions, but even when I had my leak. And I've emailed them perhaps 30 times.

How are you trying to contact them?
 
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rayroz said:
Who are you . Believe what you want .
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Just some random guy on a PCP forum who has had several emails & phone calls with the folks whom you are claiming won't respond to you, and has shaken their hands, to include Donny himself.

I guess it could boil down to how you contacted them. Oh well. They are awesome folks. Send me your contact info and I will put them in touch with you.
 
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I had read Ray's terrible experience with ST valves. I still took a chance as it seemed that most of the issues that people experienced were able to be corrected by the end user. I am not happy about having issues myself, however I just had the same repair/issue with a less expensive bottle valve also. At this price point, letting a valve that hasn't been properly quality controlled is unacceptable. No doubt.
In my case I did not see a product that I wanted to spend money on, save the new Scandanavian Arms that wasn't available here, yet.

It's like a BMW, when it works it's great....
Unlike a BMW it seems it is just a few tweaks to get the valve to work.
 
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