Blacktip Travel DPV with Vacuum Bulkhead... Leak issues.

[divedisciple]

Hello!

Thank you for clicking through and reading my post - I'm looking for some DPV advice ...

I moved from the UK a year ago to Grenada, and because of all the great diving I can enjoy here, decided to buy a BlackTip DPV Travel edition and spent the extra to have the security of the vacuum bulkhead. I've dived with it somewhere in the region of 100 dives now over the past 6 months and it's been pretty much excellent.

This morning though, just before diving, I'm removing air from the tube with the vacuum pump, and it's clearly failing somewhere. The needle keeps dropping.

At least I found this out before getting in the water

So back home this evening, I've taken it apart, replaced all the o-rings, and also the vacuum pump rubber part, but its still leaking somewhere and won't hold the vacuum.

Does anyone have experience with BlackTip or advice on what I can try next?

Thank you!

 

[Curious_George]

Zero experience with blacktip; so take this for what it’s worth. When my Makos don’t hold a vacuum, I pressurize slightly and spray with soapy water to see where it bubbles.

 

[divedisciple]

Why didn't I think of this lol. I was a bit worried about messing up the o-rings.... but I think this is best way forward, thank you

 

[Whitrzac]

Shaft seal

 

[lermontov]

have you tried dipping it in a bath and see where the bubble come out

 

[Wibble]

The shaft seal is the "normal" suspect. That needs to be replaced by DiveX.

My Blacktip had a leak around the screen. The repair will be tested in the water this weekend weather permitting. The vacuum test would show the vacuum drop slowly over 30-ish minutes. It had been leaking a small amount, say a couple of spoons of water regardless of depth; shallow or deep (max 70m/230ft) made no difference.

 

[divedisciple]

I ** THINK ** I've fixed it ...

The propeller had in the past become very sticky.. to the point it froze and just would not rotate. An engineer friend told me it might be the balance of the motor... So by reducing the torque on some of the screws that hold the motor in place, we found that this released the propeller and it would easily spin again.

I've just retightened one of these and now the vacuum pressure is holding.

All a bit Heath Robinson. Not really that impressed with the BlackTip durability... maybe it's the price point?

Very pleased I have the vacuum bulk head though - the whole DPV and batteries would have fried without this safety net!

Thanks for all your replies!

 

[divedisciple]

have you tried dipping it in a bath and see where the bubble come out

does this work with a vacuum though? I've not positively pressurizing it.

 

[lermontov]

does this work with a vacuum though? I've not positively pressurizing it.just assembled

just assembled and dipped underwater -like i do before every dive

 

[MrChen]

I didn't check mine before diving and it leaked. My unit is dead. I just tested the vacuum and it hit's zero pretty fast.