Valve Delaminating/Repair - 2009 Best HP Nemesis

[JakeFarley]

I have had several Best kites over the years and they all held up great except that over time the valves delaminated from the bladders. In the past I used a product called Pattex that worked great, but I could not find it here in the US when the valves on my 2009 Best HP Nemesis started to delaminate. So I bought a five pack of KiteAid's Valve Donuts. I prepared the surface of the bladder and valve roughing it up with 400 grit sandpaper and cleaned it with alcohol. I then put the valve donut on the valve and trimmed it and then stuck it to the bladder. I did all five struts.

After one session the two leading edge valves delaminated. They literally fell off when I removed the bladder from the leading edge and I had to fish them out of the LE. So I used 3M 5200 to glue them back on.

The next time I pumped up the kite a strut bladder leaked and it was KiteAid's valve donut. It did not adhere to the valve, nor the bladder. The kite was never left in a hot car or left on the beach to bake in the sun and it was always stored indoors in air conditioned space. Needless to say I was very upset with KiteAid. They could not offer me any explanation as to why the donut failed. So they sent me three tubes of Storm Sure adhesive. Prior to them sending me the Storm Sure, I glued the valve back to the bladder with 3M 5200. Then on my next outing, I pumped up the kite at the beach and more strut bladders leaked. Again it was the valve donut not sticking to the valve or the bladder. So I took the remaining bladders and peeled off the valves (they came off very easily) and used the Storm Sure to glue them back on. All five valve donuts failed. I do not know if I got a bad batch or what.

Has anyone else experience this problem? Or like I said I got a bad batch.

I did not try another product such as AirTime's and do not know if they are any better (last longer). Either way I will not use a peel and stick valve or valve donut (or whatever you want to call it). In the future I will re-glue valves using 3M 5200 or Storm Sure adhesive (I prefer the 3M 5200 as it is white and I can see that I put enough on in the right place). I don't know which is better.

[Bushflyr]

Search. Read. Valve always come off eventually. Use Aquaseal. They'll never come off again.*

*Assuming you follow step 2 above and repair them correctly.

[Windigo1]

I haven't used the doughnut but I also re-glued valves with aquaseal with 100% success and I used peel and stick valves also with no issues for years.

[foam-n-fibre]

Yup Aquaseal. Be sure to clean with alcohol. I did some tests and that was by far most important. Roughing it up a bit is not a bad idea, but alcohol is a must.

Peter

[sarc]

I ruined a kite using some off-brand stick-on valves and having them not stick but cover the area with goop that would not clean up. Not kiteaid or any branded thing, but I'm never taking the chance again. $&#*#^ bad batches or whatever excuse for ripping people off. Aquaseal and Tear-Aid type A never ever failed me, I'm sticking to that.

[Gigi;)]

Hi,

sometimes material is so bad that even Aquasure won't stick to it.

I am afraid but only new bladders are the solution in this case - if you are using this kite (and it is in good condition).

M2C

[JakeFarley]

The valve donuts left residual adhesive on both the valve and bladder. I was able to get it all off with Goo Gone. No problem, just took some time.

Was wondering if Aquaseal is better than Stormsure? Or 3M 5200. Sounds like most use Aquaseal. BTW I used Aquaseal a few years ago on a 2006 Waroo but sold it so I don't know how it held up.

[Bushflyr]

Dunno what Stormsure is. I've used both Aquaseal and 3M5200. The 3M5200 is much thicker and a royal PITA to work with compared to Aquaseal. But it does stick.

FWIW: I've got stupid dangerous kites from 1999 that I've repaired with Aquaseal and they still hold air. I occasionally think about flying them on the water.... But then I come to my senses.

[Flyboy]

Perhaps someone can advise me: I have a new kite (only used a couple of times). Had it out & seemed to get leak. Removing the bladder I identified the holes & patched them with tear aid. Replaced the bladder & found it was still leaking. Found that one of the strut valves is leaking a little bit of air, There is NO visible delamination at all - just a little leak at the edge of the valve patch. Would a blob of aquaseal in that area possibly seal the leak?

[edt]

Perhaps someone can advise me: I have a new kite (only used a couple of times). Had it out & seemed to get leak. Removing the bladder I identified the holes & patched them with tear aid. Replaced the bladder & found it was still leaking. Found that one of the strut valves is leaking a little bit of air, There is NO visible delamination at all - just a little leak at the edge of the valve patch. Would a blob of aquaseal in that area possibly seal the leak?

yes it will work for a little bit, but usually when a valve starts to fail it's because the whole valve is starting to come off. The problem with dropping a bit of glue over the valve is that when the rest of the valve fails, you have to cut out the entire valve and then lay down a patch of tear air type a and then cut a hole and then restick over your new hole.

Much easier to just heat up the valve in hot water, pull the entire thing off and then restick. But if you want a week or two of flying the kite sure drop some glue on where the air comes out. If you are on vacation I would do it, if you are at home, pull off the valve and do a proper restick.

Normally it takes about 2 or 3 years before the valves start to fail on a kite. If this is a new kite then most likely it was allowed to sit in a hot car (over 90F) for too long and that caused the glue on the valve to weaken.