Why is my latex “melting”??

[Bowers]

I have had this happen before to an old drysuit i was storing in my basement and it worked its way up the latex like a disease over a couple weeks.
Now im seeing some deterioration just starting on my dry hood. This hood has been fine but i was switched out to a plain silicone neck seal recently and had the hood stored in my office sitting on the cabinet in the corner. Now today i go to put it back on my suit (sitech orust system) and notice the forehead part is turning to goop!!!
I use dawn soap and water to help getting out of the suit, i use talcum powder getting into the suit, and the isopropyl alcohol i use never touches my hood.
Both times this has happened to me has been with latex stored in my climate controlled house and not alongside chemicals.
Anybody know what causes this? How to prevent it? Or how to stop the reaction once it’s started??

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I use UV Tech religiously on my latex drysuit seals. It was recommended by a very experienced drysuit repair pro. It works incredibly well. I’d wash the seals as they must be clean first, rinse them, let them dry, then apply UV Tech spray. I’d do this after every trip. I use it on my wings as well. It keeps them pristine.

 

[johndiver999]

We use latex for spearguns bands. It is a natural product and decomposes with time. Latex has a finite lifespan, even if it remains relaxed and unstretched. Uv light, excessive heat, organic solvents are all accelerants I think. I normally store my band material in the fridge. I’m not entirely sure it actually helps.

 

[Outbound]

Are you storing it near a furnace or next to anything with an electric motor? Hydrocarbons and ozone can cause latex to deteriorate.

 

[TNEngineer]

Gas fired water heaters and furnaces have combustion byproducts that are rough on latex and other rubber-like products. The latex neck, wrist, and ankle seals for our whitewater kayaking suits came with explicit warnings to NOT store them anywhere near natgas appliances.

 

[Snusmumrik]

Anybody know what causes this? How to prevent it? Or how to stop the reaction once it’s started??

Latex seals deteriorate due to latex is natural thing.
UV protect and other chemicals only slightly lessens deterioration process.
Me simply threat that as unevitable and i learn and do replacement of any things of dry suit by myself.
Firstly, i replace wrist seals occasionally ripped, then deteriorating neck seal, then i replace zip,
and now i replace weared and teared boots.
There's not too much work about all this things.
User replaceable seals systems are nice things, but a lot expensive for me, so i keep glueing.

 

[Subcooled]

Now im seeing some deterioration just starting on my dry hood. This hood has been fine but i was switched out to a plain silicone neck seal recently and had the hood stored in my office sitting on the cabinet in the corner. Now today i go to put it back on my suit (sitech orust system) and notice the forehead part is turning to goop!!!
I use dawn soap and water to help getting out of the suit, i use talcum powder getting into the suit, and the isopropyl alcohol i use never touches my hood.
Both times this has happened to me has been with latex stored in my climate controlled house and not alongside chemicals.
Anybody know what causes this? How to prevent it? Or how to stop the reaction once it’s started??

Do you apply talcum powder to the suit after undressing? The seals, it seems, like to be powdered.

 

[Bowers]

Are you storing it near a furnace or next to anything with an electric motor? Hydrocarbons and ozone can cause latex to deteriorate.

No, my basement has a furnace in the other room that is properly exhausted, and my hood was in my office with no motors around. Can body oils cause increased deterioration? The hood is going bad on the portion that touches my sweaty brow.

 

[lexvil]

It’s the nature of latex, as soon as you feel it being sticky you change it, certain things can accelerate it but no matter what it will happen.

 

[CG43]

Can body oils cause increased deterioration? The hood is going bad on the portion that touches my sweaty brow.

Almost any type of oil or fat causes a rapid softening or dissolution of latex.
I have already softened several neck seals because while diving under a ship, I touched a propeller shaft that was greased. After that, I could find every finger I used to pull the seal over my head after a week as softened or dissolved spots on the neck seal.
The only fat or oil you are allowed to use is the one specified for use with latex condoms.
If you want to test an oil or fat for latex compatibility, use latex condoms.