HVE or SE Vacuum Valve?
When deciding which vacuum valve you need, knowing the purpose of the valve comes first. Saliva ejectors (SE valve) have a smaller opening for use in a patient's mouth versus a high volume valve for evacuating larger amounts of liquid and saliva that a SE valve can't get.
High Volume Vacuum Valve
The high volume evacuation valve (HVE valve) is the larger sized suction on the unit and has a standardized 7/16” opening at the end. This is an industry standard and almost no units have HVE’s of any other size. Likewise, any attachments for an HVE will be 7/16” in diameter.
Also standardized in size is the tubing to which a HVE will attach. HVE’s fit on ½” inside diameter tubing. The tubing can be corrugated (ridged inside and out), or come in a variety of asepsis (easy-to-clean) designs. Some of the newer smooth HVE tubing is closer to 7/16” inside diameter as it is softer and more flexible and needs to be smaller to stay securely attached to your valve.
Shown Below is HVE Valve #03-10:
Saliva Ejector Valve
The saliva ejector valve (SE valve) is the smaller suction. It often has a rubber tip. SE’s attach to standard 7/32” inside diameter tubing. This tubing is generally very soft and flexible.
Shown Below is SE Valve #03-232:
NOTE: The difference between a HVE and a SE is the diameter of both the tip and the connector (coupler), not the length. HVE’s can be short or long.
Installation
All vacuum valves have a barbed fitting at the base, which easily inserts into your tubing. Unlike the barbs on your air and water supply lines, no sleeves or similar components are required to secure the tubing to the barb. The pliant nature of vacuum tubing and greater size of vacuum valve barbs allows for a secure fit without using sleeve clamps.
To install a new vacuum valve, simply cut the old valve off of your tubing and insert the barb from the new valve into your tubing. It may be necessary to dip the tubing in hot water (about the same temperature as a cup of coffee) to soften the tubing which will make it easier to insert the barb.
Troubleshooting
A common complaint with vacuum valves is an inability to turn them off or on.
Most valves will either have a lever to push or a knob to turn, for turning the vacuum on or off. The lever or knob rotates a cylinder inside the valve, which opens and closes. The cylinder will normally have o-rings to seal it.
These o-rings can dry and wear from contact with the various fluids (including vacuum line cleaner) and should be lubricated (see #03-40) at least once a week.
- To expose the o-rings on a lever style valve, gently pry the lever apart and pull it off the valve.
- The cylinder can then be pushed out from one side to expose the o-rings. On a valve with a knob (rotary style), the cylinder can be pushed straight out from the bottom (side opposite the knob) to expose the o-rings.
- Clean the cylinder with a mild detergent and soft brush.
- Then lubricate the o-rings with a silicone based lubricant.
- If the o-rings show signs of excessive wear (nicks, cuts, or distortion) they should be replaced.
A handy trick to snapping the lever back onto your valve, is to push the lever on from the end using the contours of the valve itself to spread the lever out until it is seated onto the cylinder.
Some valves have a plastic cylinder without o-rings. These are more commonly used on valves, which are not designed to withstand autoclaving, but will be soaked in disinfectant. It is quite common for these valves to swell from absorbing the disinfectant, which leads to a cylinder and now too big for the valve. Allowing the valve to dry out for a day helps to return it to proper size and function. If you soak your valves, you may need to rotate valves in and out of use to allow for an adequate drying time. You can also try lubricating the plastic cylinder with silicone lubricant.
LEAVE A REPLY