Has anyone used the gas valve feature on their Sea-Dweller?

[naptown airking]

Hello again,
Wondering.........Has any had a chance to use the gas value feature on their Rolex Sea-Dweller? I know that it would be crazy for someone to go 4000ft, but......maybe someone dives that one in awhile.

Hope this does not sound like a stupid question.
Just wondered.

Darrick

[JJ Irani]

Hi Darrick,

Not at all a silly question, pal. You do realise, of course, that the He valve on the SD is automatic. Which means it will automatically release the excess Helium gas which has built up inside the watch during a very deep saturation dive.

Some OMEGAs have a manual release He valve located at 10 o'clock. This one has to be manually unscrewed to release the gas.

JJ

[morgman]

I've never understood the need for the valve. If someone goes that deep, aren't they already dry in a diving bell so they could just unscrew the crown? LOL

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by morgman

I've never understood the need for the valve. If someone goes that deep, aren't they already dry in a diving bell so they could just unscrew the crown? LOL

I don't think the unscrewing of the crown will do the trick. The air the diver breathes at that depth has a high percentage of inert Helium. Helium, being so microscopic by nature, manages to penetrate the watch and would explode the crystal with the ensuing internal built-up pressure.

The He valve then automatically releases this excess gas.

JJ

[Goodwatch]

When commercial deep-sea divers operate on great depth, they work from a diving bell. A diving bell is a cable suspended watertight chamber used for underwater work. It has a lid in the floor and is supplied with compressed air. Using the diving bell a small number of divers can be lowered into the water. Once they have reached their work site they use the diving bell as a base. While working at the depth they can return to the diving bell to eat and rest.
When the diving bell is lowered into the water and pressure in the bell increases, helium is added to the breathing mix. This is done to remove nitrogen and reduce the percentage of oxygen to below that of air, and thereby allow the mix to be breathed safely at greater depth. It is not safe to breathe atmospheric air (which contains 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen) at great depth, because the nitrogen becomes narcotic and the relatively high percentage of oxygen becomes toxic as pressure from depth increases.

The divers continue to breathe the helium/oxygen mix while working at the depth. At their returning to the surface, the pressure in the bell is maintained. The diving bell is locked onto a decompression chamber when reaching the surface. The pressure in the decompression chamber is then equalised to the pressure in the bell and the divers move from the bell to the chamber. They then go through a decompression routine that can take several days.

Prior to this decompression routine the divers have been in the highly helium saturated atmosphere for an extended period. Because helium is such a small molecule, it will seep through the watch’s seals under the high pressure in the bell. If the watch stays in the helium-saturated atmosphere for extended period, then helium will continue to seep into the watch until the air pressure inside the watch, equalise to the air pressure in the environment.

While the helium seeped into the watch over an extended period, it cannot seep out any faster. The pressure in the decompression chamber decreases faster than the helium can escape the watch and this can make the crystal on the watch pop out during the return to atmospheric air pressure. To avoid the crystal from popping out the professional diver’s watches have a helium escape valve. The idea is that the helium can escape through the valve as the pressure in the decompression chamber decreases.

Source: watchlife.com

[padi56]

Originally Posted by naptown airking

Hello again,
Wondering.........Has any had a chance to use the gas value feature on their Rolex Sea-Dweller? I know that it would be crazy for someone to go 4000ft, but......maybe someone dives that one in awhile.

Hope this does not sound like a stupid question.
Just wondered.

Darrick

Check out these two links of discussion in forum.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...t=Helium+valve

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...t=Helium+valve

[naptown airking]

Thanks again guys,
That was very informative. Everyday I am on this site, I learn an enormous amount of info about ROLEX. Thanks for making me feel welcome here. So, when do I get my ROLEX MASTER DEGREE?

P.S.--Sorry for posting something already talked about on the site. It is kind of hard for me to search for the old news.

Thanks for understanding,
Darrick

YOU GUYS ROCK!!!!!!!

[haakon59]

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

When commercial deep-sea divers operate on great depth, they work from a diving bell. A diving bell is a cable suspended watertight chamber used for underwater work. It has a lid in the floor and is supplied with compressed air. Using the diving bell a small number of divers can be lowered into the water. Once they have reached their work site they use the diving bell as a base. While working at the depth they can return to the diving bell to eat and rest.
When the diving bell is lowered into the water and pressure in the bell increases, helium is added to the breathing mix. This is done to remove nitrogen and reduce the percentage of oxygen to below that of air, and thereby allow the mix to be breathed safely at greater depth. It is not safe to breathe atmospheric air (which contains 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen) at great depth, because the nitrogen becomes narcotic and the relatively high percentage of oxygen becomes toxic as pressure from depth increases.

The divers continue to breathe the helium/oxygen mix while working at the depth. At their returning to the surface, the pressure in the bell is maintained. The diving bell is locked onto a decompression chamber when reaching the surface. The pressure in the decompression chamber is then equalised to the pressure in the bell and the divers move from the bell to the chamber. They then go through a decompression routine that can take several days.

Prior to this decompression routine the divers have been in the highly helium saturated atmosphere for an extended period. Because helium is such a small molecule, it will seep through the watch’s seals under the high pressure in the bell. If the watch stays in the helium-saturated atmosphere for extended period, then helium will continue to seep into the watch until the air pressure inside the watch, equalise to the air pressure in the environment.

While the helium seeped into the watch over an extended period, it cannot seep out any faster. The pressure in the decompression chamber decreases faster than the helium can escape the watch and this can make the crystal on the watch pop out during the return to atmospheric air pressure. To avoid the crystal from popping out the professional diver’s watches have a helium escape valve. The idea is that the helium can escape through the valve as the pressure in the decompression chamber decreases.

Source: watchlife.com

Very informative--thanks for the information.

[Gedanken]

Well, I don't know of anyone who's used it in its intended manner, but JJ's been known to suck on the valve and then sneak up on sheep disguised as a chipmunk.

[TNRonin]

Originally Posted by Gedanken

Well, I don't know of anyone who's used it in its intended manner, but JJ's been known to suck on the valve and then sneak up on sheep disguised as a chipmunk.

OMFG that one is funny.

[Gedanken]

Originally Posted by TNRonin

OMFG that one is funny.

But I swear it's true!

[Uncle-AJ]

I've used my own built in gas release valve several times. Sometimes, when in bed, I push the wife's head under the blankets when I've used it.

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by Uncle-AJ

I've used my own built in gas release valve several times. Sometimes, when in bed, I push the wife's head under the blankets when I've used it.

AJ the 'gentleman', yeah, sure (They are the worst....).

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Uncle-AJ

I've used my own built in gas release valve several times. Sometimes, when in bed, I push the wife's head under the blankets when I've used it.

[Mr. K]

Originally Posted by morgman

I've never understood the need for the valve. If someone goes that deep, aren't they already dry in a diving bell so they could just unscrew the crown? LOL

I am sure this would work, but would think it would ruin the seals in the stem.

But given the choice I would rather have to replace some seals then have the crystal pop out.