I am trying to swim with a snorkel. I think that the purge valve is leaking by. I can get in a good 25, do a flip turn. I have no problem purging the snorkel clear. By the time I’ve just about gotten to the other wall, the snorkel has water in it again and is very hard to breath. The problem is that the amount of water isn’t enough to purge out again before the next flip turn, is just enough to really make breathing difficult. This also happens with open turns, so its not the flip turn. Does anyone have any help to offer? I’m already fearing the reply of HTFU.
Tape up the joints?
Sounds like you are getting a bit of water in while swimming. Is the snorkel back a bit too far?
If it’s truly the purge valve, it may be dirty, damaged or have a particle of something keeping it from sealing. Test it by holding just the puge valve under water to see if the drain area of the snorkel collects water. If it does, disassemble and clean the purge valve. If the problem persists, a replacement can probably be purchased from Finis or a scuba shop online. If the problem isn’t the puge valve, check the mouthpiece seal and the swivel connection to the barrel. If the problem is either of those, disassemble and clean. If the problem purists, replace the snorkel.
Most of my swimmers that have problems with the snorkel filling is related to head position. Although it is a check valve that needs to periodically be cleaned, it isn’t a strong valve. If your head is too high, or too low, they often will fill through the purge. Just try making minor adjustments to get your head neutral to see if it helps to keep it clear. Every week or so, pop the purge out, and blow through it from both directions (one will be blocked), then rinse out and reinstall.