Important information regarding valves on rebreathers

Important information:

We have received information about a possible safety issue. There is a thesis from an English laboratory that components made from PC/PBT plastic compound/material may deteriorate when exposed to sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide and make the material craze, brittle and crack.

Sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide exposure can occur when a rebreather is flooded with water according to the information given to us. Our valves are made of a PC/PBT plastic compound/material.

As soon as we received an indication of the above we initiated our own testing and research.

We are still having ongoing tests and research in the matter and do not have an answer on their thesis.

Our recommendation is that, if a rebreather and its valve/valves are exposed to a flooding and thereby exposure to a mixture of water and sodalime (sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide), the valve/valves should be exchanged.

Please contact us at info@sitech.se or +46 523 150 10 if you have questions about this.