Hagmann - water in valve body - solutions?

[Horatio]

Hi all, wondering if anyone else with Hagmann valves has water build up inside the valve? I find that I need to pop the valve caps off my Rath R9 after most playing sessions. I'm new to this style of valve so it was a bit of a surprise the first time I noticed that.

I'm not necessarily calling it an issue as there will be condensation somewhere in anything other than a straight horn; just a matter of popping valve caps or pulling tuning slides to be able to dump it. A couple of concerns with removing the caps is that it's not usually as "controlled" a release as pouring it out the tuning slides (more of a "splat") and I'm not sure that it's not wearing the rubber gasket down prematurely.

Any trick to get it to drain down the main bore or out the tuning slides?

Maybe more importantly, is this a sign I need to have the valves checked?

Thanks!

[vetsurginc]

Noted same thing with my 2009 R9 (old style Hagmanns) when I first got it.

I realized after a few weeks that this wasn't a source of any problems/gurgling. Since then the valves get opened an lubed weekly. Amount of fluid is always minimal.

[Blabberbucket]

Par for the course with this valve design. If you hold the valves open when you put it down on the stand some of that water should drain down into the slide - that'll help a bit during performance and long practice sessions.

[PhilG]

Not a problem - just what these valves do. Rath recommended I pop the caps off after playing to let the water drain out.

[etbone]

Par for the course with this valve design. If you hold the valves open when you put it down on the stand some of that water should drain down into the slide - that'll help a bit during performance and long practice sessions.

What he said.

This will happen on other horns (rotors) on those occasions, if you're playing with the horn tipping downward. Bring the horn horizontal, hit the trigger. Water will drain, quickly to the slide. This method also works, on two valve horns.

[LeTromboniste]

Yes, lots of surface for condensation to form, and the valve gets much warmer than a solid core valve. I just dumped the water when oiling the valve. Those O rings will eventually wear out, but it takes a while, especially if you always put a drop of oil on them. They're no problem to replace

[BestUserNameOnTromboneChat]

Sometimes I'll pop the cap off and blow to get water out... Aim the exposed core away from yourself and others though!