Hotsuits Battery Heating Kidney Belt

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I was looking at the Australia site: www hotsuits
com au
/ heaterinfo.htm

Can't post full URLs yet, so I have to play with the address, sorry.

It is still listed there for sale: BATTERY KIDNEY BELT $169USD Total with postage:$188.95USD

Not cheap, but smaller and cheaper than a Henderson AquaSilk 5mm. Of course, the 5mm never has to be recharged :)
 
The electric ones look perfect for comfy Monterey diving. I am always cold... Anyone test one out yet?
 
For the average person, wearing the chemical heating pad over the kidneys or over the abdomen is not going to make a significant difference. The instructions for the Hotsuit wetsuit heater instruct you to wear the pad over the kidneys but I have not found a difference in wearing the unit turned around over the abdomen. And, the activation button is much more readily available when positioned this way. I've had too many times when the dive master told you to suit up and then you had to sit on the dive boat and wait for an extended time before you could enter the water. That way I can begin the dive and if I feel chilly, I can then activate the heater. Plus, the heater stays warmer longer while you are in the water.
 
Here are some questions to and answers from the people that make the Hotsuite electric wetsuit heater.

Can it be used down to the maximum depth for PADI certified Open Water Divers (130 feet, 40m)? yes we have tested it to 70M

For the more technically minded, what is the max recommended operating depth? 70m

Can it be turned on and off during the dive? No once the connectors are plugged in the heat is on.
If not, please consider making an option for this. Too expensive to do

What is the maximum temperature reached by the electric heater? 60C surface (ambient temp)

What is the normal operating temperature of the electric heater? 60C

If you have a table of expected temperature over time, it would be informative to see. It pretty much runs at full temp capacity for the duration of 2 hrs, unlike the chemical heater which heat is at its max at the beginning and tapers off gradually.

Can you order the component pieces separately (spare battery)?
If yes, how so? Yes spare batteries are $75USD ordered through manual paypal transaction

What is the warranty? For example, the stitching on a belt came out on the second dive. Would this be covered and how would the owner go about getting it repaired/replaced? Warranty is 60 days, with proof of receipt.

Do you have dealers people in the USA can purchase from or send items to for repair? Scuba.com sell our chemical version but not the battery version you will have to buy from hotsuits online

They also recommended, for the chemical pack, that it "is very important to massage the pack several times to prolong the heat time". A follow-up email went into more detail: At least 1min on activation to soften the gel and every 15 mins for 1 min after that helps

Hard to say if I'm average or not. I felt like I was more comfortable while the heater pack was in its first 20-30 minutes of activation. I could certainly tell when cold water came in the zipper during that time. I'm leaning towards ordering an electric model with my fingers crossed. I'll give my wife a chance to talk me out of it first :bash:
 
Last edited:
Suzzy,
I finally have your answer for you. I ordered one of the battery operated Hotsuit wetsuit heaters and I was not satisfied. Let's begin with refering to my previous posts. I am a big fan of the chemical Hotsuit heaters, because my experience with them has been wonderful and satisfying. I had previously told of my first use of them last year in 64 degree water but I mistakenly said that I was wearing a 5 mil two piece when it was actually a 3 mil two piece. (I don't have a 5 mil two piece). Everyone else in our group was wearing 5 mil suits and they reported getting cold, but after I activated the chemical pack I finished the dive warm and happy. Allow me get back on track.
I volunteer at a local zoo and Aquarium once a week. I am usually in a 100,000 gal. saltwater reef tank in which the maximum depth is 11 ft (to go lower you'd need a jack hammer). I decided to test the battery operated Hotsuit heater on a dive in the reef tank. Now bear in mind that the rated depth the company told me was 150'. The instructions tell you to hand tighten the connection and dry it off before opening it back up. I read the manual fully and followed all instructions. On three dives in this reef tank, saltwater got into the connection all three times. Now I am known for my hand strength and having a very firm grip, so I think that we can eliminate that I didn't tighten the connection well enough. I notified the company and inquired about this occurance. They graciously offered a refund or a replacement. When I inquired about how frequently this had occured, they did not answer my question but suggested a refund. Now I am a big fan of the chemical Hotsuit wetsuit heater, however when you travel away from home you can rarely find facilities to boil the packs. I have used a Hot Pot with success but in a day and age when airlines now charge for carry on luggage this is not practical when you fly to your destination or go abroad. The chemical pack are easily activated by mistake. If you drop them even from a height as low a 12'' they will activate. So I carry spare heat packs and keep them in a foam lined case. I was really hoping that the battery opperated Hotsuit heaters would solve this problem.
I certainly don't want to trash Hotsuits. I don't know that this was just an isolated occurance. I hope that they can solve this problem because they have a great idea and there is a need for this product.
 
We have been using soidium acetate belts that warp around the back and kidneys for about 4 years to extend the range of wetsuit season and they really do make a difference. A buddy recently took a shot at using a few well place packs from the pharmacy and in early April Maine water said he's never been so comfy. The ones we uses were sold as therapy items. Ours have a burn time of over an hour so they support a 1 hour dive nicely.

It's a bag of nontoxic liquid so there is no need for "scuba grade" anything here. If you fabricate your own set-up from pharmacy pacs just be sure to have a barrier between the bags and your skin. Something with the nap of a towel works well. You need to have a little insulation to protect you especially before getting in the water. They convert at a steady 130F. Targeting the kidneys area lets your bloodstream distribute the heat energy.

A Google search on "sodium acetate" explains the magic.

Pete
 
I bought a few of the chemical ones to try here in Southern California. The biggest problem is activating it under a 7mm wetsuit. I can safely say it's impossible in the water unless you're Houdini.

You could activate prior to donning but then you lose 10-20 minutes of heat and it's uncomfortable and can overheat when suiting up.

So my current solution is to tape a metal token behind the button hoping it will make it easier to find the activate button in the water and easier to press. Have not tried it yet.

So far I can summarize that it's a good idea but needs to be implemented right.

Adam

I found another chemical pad:
https://www.storesonline.com/site/1399402/product/HPRECT

and will by trying it, hoping this one is easier to activate. It's also much cheaper.
 
Last edited:
Suzzy,
I finally have your answer for you. I ordered one of the battery operated Hotsuit wetsuit heaters and I was not satisfied. Let's begin with refering to my previous posts. I am a big fan of the chemical Hotsuit heaters, because my experience with them has been wonderful and satisfying. I had previously told of my first use of them last year in 64 degree water but I mistakenly said that I was wearing a 5 mil two piece when it was actually a 3 mil two piece. (I don't have a 5 mil two piece). Everyone else in our group was wearing 5 mil suits and they reported getting cold, but after I activated the chemical pack I finished the dive warm and happy. Allow me get back on track.
I volunteer at a local zoo and Aquarium once a week. I am usually in a 100,000 gal. saltwater reef tank in which the maximum depth is 11 ft (to go lower you'd need a jack hammer). I decided to test the battery operated Hotsuit heater on a dive in the reef tank. Now bear in mind that the rated depth the company told me was 150'. The instructions tell you to hand tighten the connection and dry it off before opening it back up. I read the manual fully and followed all instructions. On three dives in this reef tank, saltwater got into the connection all three times. Now I am known for my hand strength and having a very firm grip, so I think that we can eliminate that I didn't tighten the connection well enough. I notified the company and inquired about this occurance. They graciously offered a refund or a replacement. When I inquired about how frequently this had occured, they did not answer my question but suggested a refund. Now I am a big fan of the chemical Hotsuit wetsuit heater, however when you travel away from home you can rarely find facilities to boil the packs. I have used a Hot Pot with success but in a day and age when airlines now charge for carry on luggage this is not practical when you fly to your destination or go abroad. The chemical pack are easily activated by mistake. If you drop them even from a height as low a 12'' they will activate. So I carry spare heat packs and keep them in a foam lined case. I was really hoping that the battery opperated Hotsuit heaters would solve this problem.
I certainly don't want to trash Hotsuits. I don't know that this was just an isolated occurance. I hope that they can solve this problem because they have a great idea and there is a need for this product.

I'd like to see you activate the chemical heater under a 7mm wetsuit in the water. We'll put the video on Youtube as the dance of the diver.

Adam
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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