EBME Forums Forums Maintenance Technical Assistance Sabre Ease Entonox Demand Valves

Gents

Does anybody have a tried and tested method of stopping these damn things leaking? apart from not connecting to a gas supply.

Has anybody ever had a reasonable response from GCE indicating the underlying cause?

We are still constrained to buy them and in my personal opinion they are dreadful! occasionally leaking when brand new and even after replacement of all washers, o rings and diaphragms success at stopping the leak is rare. I recall that fitting the patient hose to the old style Ohmeda Entonox regulator used to cause a back pressure and close the DV but fitting the patient parts seems to make no difference with these.

Any suggestions (apart from buying different ones) will be appreciated.

Can we presume that your PMG pressures at the wall are correct?

Have you tried them off an Entonox cylinder?

If all else fails it sounds like they need to be left disconnected form the supply, and only connected when they are about to be needed!

Sometimes naff kit requires a naff reaction!

Pressures are fine and indeed the demand valves are problematic on either the cylinder or pipeline variants.

Gas disconnection is really not an option when a patient may require entonox over a lengthened period of time such as on maternity wards.

No ... but they could be left disconnected otherwise.

There is an inherent fault with these valves.
If you remove the back of the DV and remove the diaphragm you will see a leaf spring with a pin attached to it. At the base of the pin is the orafice for the gas coming into the valve.
If the pin does'nt fit just right you will get a leak.
Shame you can't by somthing else. We won't be buying any more or anything else from GCE. Tech back up is hopless.
Best of luck.