ToyMan
08-04-2010, 01:41 PM
On my trip to the Grand Canyon, the Versa valve controlling my bay 1 passenger side refrigerator/freezer started leaking through the dump port. I suspected a bad spooler in the valve so I ordered a new one.
When the valve arrived, I promptly installed it and it worked. After a couple of weeks, the valve seemed to be stuck and acted as the old one did by continuously dumping air. I called Gulf Controls whom I ordered the valve from and they said to send it back in. Since they were in Tampa, I took the valve to them for examination.
They hooked it up to a bimba in their test shop. The valve only worked on one side. The bimba would go out but not back in. The shop manager invited me to their test area for further analysis.
The valve assembly is in two major pieces, the solenoid activated spool and the base plate that all the air lines hook to. On the side that the air comes into the base plate there are two screws that provide adjustments for the operation of the valve. The screws mainly control the speed in which the bimba moves in and out. If they are screwed in too tight, the valve will not work on the side of the mis-adjusted screw. Of course, if both are too tight, nothing works. If they are too loose, the object being moved can go too fast.
My stairwell platform goes real fast and could break a bone if you are not out of the way. Now I know how to adjust the valve to slow it down.
The shop manager told me that a lot of different conditions can cause the screws to be mis-aligned, including the weather and vibrations. I don't suspect vibrations as my coach has no vibrations that I can feel.
Gulf Controls in Tampa can get the valves and repair kits for Versa valves. Their number is 1-800-282-9125. They told me that all the repair kit contains is o-rings. These valves do have a part that contains ball bearings so if that is the problem the kit would not help. The valves can only be bought through a distributor. Mine were drop shipped from the factory.
Below is a picture of the entire valve assembly showing the two adjustment screws.
When the valve arrived, I promptly installed it and it worked. After a couple of weeks, the valve seemed to be stuck and acted as the old one did by continuously dumping air. I called Gulf Controls whom I ordered the valve from and they said to send it back in. Since they were in Tampa, I took the valve to them for examination.
They hooked it up to a bimba in their test shop. The valve only worked on one side. The bimba would go out but not back in. The shop manager invited me to their test area for further analysis.
The valve assembly is in two major pieces, the solenoid activated spool and the base plate that all the air lines hook to. On the side that the air comes into the base plate there are two screws that provide adjustments for the operation of the valve. The screws mainly control the speed in which the bimba moves in and out. If they are screwed in too tight, the valve will not work on the side of the mis-adjusted screw. Of course, if both are too tight, nothing works. If they are too loose, the object being moved can go too fast.
My stairwell platform goes real fast and could break a bone if you are not out of the way. Now I know how to adjust the valve to slow it down.
The shop manager told me that a lot of different conditions can cause the screws to be mis-aligned, including the weather and vibrations. I don't suspect vibrations as my coach has no vibrations that I can feel.
Gulf Controls in Tampa can get the valves and repair kits for Versa valves. Their number is 1-800-282-9125. They told me that all the repair kit contains is o-rings. These valves do have a part that contains ball bearings so if that is the problem the kit would not help. The valves can only be bought through a distributor. Mine were drop shipped from the factory.
Below is a picture of the entire valve assembly showing the two adjustment screws.