I recently was given a used drysuit from a friend who has moved on from diving.
The first test dive I took it on seemed to go well, I didn't notice any leaks. Second time I dove it, I had a noticeable leak on my right side. Same thing on the 3rd dive. I paid close attention to make sure the zipper was fully zipped. Seals and seams are all in very good shape.
I blocked off the neck & wrist, pumped it up and with a little soapy water found a leak that's coming from the top of the zipper, right where the zipper seats at the end.
Sooo, broke out the reading glasses and took a look at the zipper. There was a small amount of "goo" near the seat, which I assumed was old zipper wax & cleaned out as best I could.
I also found a small spur or nub of what appeared to me to be some rubber cement which had been pulled out by the teeth of the zipper. Not the best photo, but this is it:
The location of that lines up very closely with where the leak was. Thinking that might've been protruding and keeping the zipper from getting a good seal, I trimmed it off as best I could.
Pumped the suit back up but got the same leak again.
Here's what I'm wondering. Could running a small layer of Aquaseal on the inside of that zipper in the area where the spur/nub was help seal that leak? Or would the metal of the zipper just cut through it?
Has anybody else here run into a similar situation that you were able to repair without replacing the whole zipper?
The first test dive I took it on seemed to go well, I didn't notice any leaks. Second time I dove it, I had a noticeable leak on my right side. Same thing on the 3rd dive. I paid close attention to make sure the zipper was fully zipped. Seals and seams are all in very good shape.
I blocked off the neck & wrist, pumped it up and with a little soapy water found a leak that's coming from the top of the zipper, right where the zipper seats at the end.
Sooo, broke out the reading glasses and took a look at the zipper. There was a small amount of "goo" near the seat, which I assumed was old zipper wax & cleaned out as best I could.
I also found a small spur or nub of what appeared to me to be some rubber cement which had been pulled out by the teeth of the zipper. Not the best photo, but this is it:
The location of that lines up very closely with where the leak was. Thinking that might've been protruding and keeping the zipper from getting a good seal, I trimmed it off as best I could.
Pumped the suit back up but got the same leak again.
Here's what I'm wondering. Could running a small layer of Aquaseal on the inside of that zipper in the area where the spur/nub was help seal that leak? Or would the metal of the zipper just cut through it?
Has anybody else here run into a similar situation that you were able to repair without replacing the whole zipper?
