EDIT: Using a wrench on the flats indicated in the photo below and striking the end of the wrench with a dead blow hammer as suggested by others in the thread below worked very well and is what I would recommend. Remove the hanging bracket first to make the flats accessible. Obviously, make sure the tank is completely depressurized before removing the valve by slowly opening the valve until nothing more comes out.
I picked up a very good condition Scott 60 min SCBA that was hydro tested fairly recently, for $80 delivered. There is only one small scratch on the entire tank and it doesn't break through the fibers on the outer fiberglass protective layer. It is bigger than I imagined it being. I am glad I didn't get a 9L for my haul it around tank. I will be filling it myself with a dual filtered Yong Heng, since there is no filling service near me, plus I don't like the idea of having to drive somewhere every time I need air.
Valve Removal
Before I fill it, I would like to inspect the inside of the tank with my USB inspection camera, but the valve assembly doesn't have what looks like wrench flats intended for removal. The best place I can see to place a big wrench is on the two flat bars on either side of the gauge. They are solid metal with just a tiny hole drilled in each one to hold the plastic protective cap in place. If my wide reach Monkey Wrench won't fit the flats, I might put the valve in my vise and turn the tank with a big strap wrench.
For holding the tank and moving the wrench, some suggestions I have found are to wrap a rubber floor mat around it and secure it with ratchet straps to a solid object like a picnic table bench, 2x6 in a vise or a Workmate table. Please chime in if you have any suggestions that might help. (Edit: As noted above, I ended up just putting my knee on the tank and hitting the wrench with a plastic mallet.)
Alternative place to put a large wrench - Note: I used the location at the top of this post, not this one.
Knob Modification
The knob has notches on it and a spring that pushes the notches against some tabs on the valve body, that prevent it from accidentally being turned off unless it is pressed in before turning. I see no need for that feature and it in fact seems like it makes adjusting the valve more difficult for PCP filling use. Some have suggested removing the spring to disable that, but on this valve I found that if I just tightened the nut holding the knob in place, the lockout would eventually be disabled with no need to take it apart and no increase in the amount of force needed to turn the knob.
Once that was done, adjustment seems very smooth and easy to control, but I won't be able to test it with air in the tank until next week when my fill station arrives.
I picked up a very good condition Scott 60 min SCBA that was hydro tested fairly recently, for $80 delivered. There is only one small scratch on the entire tank and it doesn't break through the fibers on the outer fiberglass protective layer. It is bigger than I imagined it being. I am glad I didn't get a 9L for my haul it around tank. I will be filling it myself with a dual filtered Yong Heng, since there is no filling service near me, plus I don't like the idea of having to drive somewhere every time I need air.
Valve Removal
Before I fill it, I would like to inspect the inside of the tank with my USB inspection camera, but the valve assembly doesn't have what looks like wrench flats intended for removal. The best place I can see to place a big wrench is on the two flat bars on either side of the gauge. They are solid metal with just a tiny hole drilled in each one to hold the plastic protective cap in place. If my wide reach Monkey Wrench won't fit the flats, I might put the valve in my vise and turn the tank with a big strap wrench.
For holding the tank and moving the wrench, some suggestions I have found are to wrap a rubber floor mat around it and secure it with ratchet straps to a solid object like a picnic table bench, 2x6 in a vise or a Workmate table. Please chime in if you have any suggestions that might help. (Edit: As noted above, I ended up just putting my knee on the tank and hitting the wrench with a plastic mallet.)
Alternative place to put a large wrench - Note: I used the location at the top of this post, not this one.
Knob Modification
The knob has notches on it and a spring that pushes the notches against some tabs on the valve body, that prevent it from accidentally being turned off unless it is pressed in before turning. I see no need for that feature and it in fact seems like it makes adjusting the valve more difficult for PCP filling use. Some have suggested removing the spring to disable that, but on this valve I found that if I just tightened the nut holding the knob in place, the lockout would eventually be disabled with no need to take it apart and no increase in the amount of force needed to turn the knob.
Once that was done, adjustment seems very smooth and easy to control, but I won't be able to test it with air in the tank until next week when my fill station arrives.
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