LEARNINGCURVE
The ' quick disconnect ' fitting is shown connected ( right ) and disconnected ( left ) so that you can get out of your suit
Mechanics and hygiene
So , whether using a condom or a She-P , at this point we ’ re all wearing a bit of silicone that ends in a spout , ready to connect to the pee valve system . They all come with a tube with a plastic connector that is simply pushed onto the silicone spout that you ’ re wearing , to make a liquid-tight seal . This is probably the most common point of failure , so to prevent it happening I wind a turn of self-amalgamating rubber tape over the outside of the spout . This stretchy rubber tape forms a really tight elastic band and stops any unwanted accidental disconnecting .
Some systems come with quite a stiff tube that ’ s difficult to kink , which is a good thing - if the tube kinks under your suit , then you won ’ t be able to get the pee past this restriction . A lack of kinks is also important at the end of the silicone spout , so the barb needs to be pushed all the way in to stop it from twisting or folding at this point .
If you ’ re in and out of your drysuit then a quick disconnect can be used for convenience . They can come with a little valve in each half to prevent dribbles when disconnected - if you have this option then it ’ s worth buying a plain half so that you can unlock the valve if you need to go between dives . Using a quick disconnector makes it really easy to clip the hose together as you ’ re donning your suit , ensuring the hose takes nice , wide bends to avoid folding or twisting . To get the hose out of underwear , some divers go for the up and over option , others the down and out . It ’ s worth experimenting to find the best route with the fewest kinks .
Fundamentally , there are two types of pee valve – balanced and unbalanced . An unbalanced one is a simple pipe that goes to
38 your pee valve . The problem with this is that as you descend , the pressure will make the tube inside your suit collapse . To stop this , the balanced valve was developed , where a couple of one-way valves balance the pressure inside the tube with the pressure in your suit . The pee valve should be located on your inner thigh , towards the front so it doesn ’ t hit your other leg when walking or finning .
Once in the water and ready to test , it ’ s a good idea to pee with caution . Little and often is the key . Unscrew the external cap , and at this point you have to trust to technology and your gluing skills , then give it a go . It ’ s a very strange feeling at first – after years of not peeing in your drysuit , you ’ re suddenly trying to break that instinct . Divers tend to stop finning , and adopt a look of deep concentration , sometimes combined with thousand-yard-stare .
Once you ’ re used to it , free-peeing will become second nature ... but be aware that for those dives where you are not plumbed in , you need to remember to restrain
Useful links
She-P : dirdirect . com / She-P-Kit-No-1 . html She and He-wee : customdivers . com / urination-systems-90-c . asp Halcyon Pee valve : dirdirect . com / Halcyon-Streamlined-P-Valve . html Unbalanced and balanced pee valves : seaskin . co . uk / acatalog / Pee-Valves . html
Condom catheters : seaskin . co . uk / acatalog / Pee _ Valve _ Catheters . html aquanauts . co . uk / rochester-wideband-p-valve-catheters-box-of-30
Valved QD fittings : https :// uk . rs-online . com / web / p / hose-couplings / 0138335 ; https :// uk . rs-online . com / web / p / hose-couplings / 0138278 https :// uk . rs-online . com / web / p / hose-couplings / 0138385
yourself ! It ’ s also not a matter of if but when something will go wrong . A spare undersuit is a useful addition to your kit . Along with some handwash .
Post-dive care is essential when using a pee valve . Several divers have been hospitalised with urinary tract infections where they haven ’ t cleaned out the system properly after use . Once disconnected , flush the system through with fresh water , followed by medical disinfectant – I use Chemgene ( used by rebreather divers to disinfect their counterlungs ) in a squeezy catering sauce bottle and allow it to sit for a few minutes to kill any bugs .
This is followed by another rinse and if you can , a gentle blow through with clean , dry air . Finally , we now have to remove the sticky thing that we didn ’ t want to come unstuck , from a delicate area . Many suppliers include a spray or wipes that can be applied before sticking , and some adhesive removal wipes to clean things up . A gentle but firm peeling action while holding the skin in place works , rather than ripping it off like a plaster and leaving a dent in the roof .
So - happy peeing ... and fingers crossed you won ’ t need your legs crossed . �