Drysuit exhaust valve leaking

[tstormdiver]

Last week I changed out the neck seal on the older of my (3yrs old) 2 drysuits. I took it to the water the other day to test it out,..... it leaked. I pressure tested it this morning & the neck seal was fine. Instead the exhaust valve was leaking. I could really hear it leaking by when the valve was set to "auto dump", which is where I usually keep it. The suit half way deflated in about 1/2 an hour If I closed the valve it still leaked, but very, very slowly (just a little deflation over several hours). Any one know what is, or if that is acceptable. I can work the valve, if I have to, just an inconvenience. I dive a lot cold waters & hate the cold. I am planning to take the suit to the Galapagos next month. Any ideas of what the problem is or I might be able to do about it?

 

[TSandM]

Were you inflating the suit inside out?

What kind of valve is it? The SiTech valves are pretty easy to take apart and clean.

 

[tstormdiver]

No, I inflated the suit right side out. The valve is one of DUI's,... may be a Sitech, but I'm not sure. If I remember correctly, I've had this problem before & we destroyed a few of the support fins (doesn't affect the work- ability of the valve) trying to get the valve off last time. It was a a real PITA to get off.

 

[TSandM]

Well, I'm confused. If you inflate the suit right side out, the exhaust valve SHOULD let air out, right?

 

[tstormdiver]

Even if closed all the way down? Opened up, I can understand. Are they also a type of overpressure valve when twisted closed?

 

[knowone]

If you damaged the nut last time what type of force was exerted on the valve and seal. .
You did it.
Does the nut damage your thermals.
How is anyone supposed to answer your question, you're looking at it.
Some folks just shouldn't touch stuff.
My dump dumps closed but I cant be bothered typing in the name .
Get a schematic on the internet.
Are you serious.

 

[tstormdiver]

The only part that was damaged was the support fins on the inside. The nut itself was fine. The last time there was a problem (about 2yrs ago) was when those fins were damaged. The valve did not leak again until now. I seriously do not think that a couple broken support fins would be the issue, if it was, I should have seen this problem a long time before I did. I do kind of wonder if the one way seal may be warped or degraded a bit since the suit doesn't get as much use as it used to.

and yes,.... I'm quite serious.

 

[karstdvr]

The valve is one of DUI's,... may be a Sitech, but I'm not sure..

DUI used Apex valves too,and they have a high failure rate. If you really depend on thermal protection,and failure is not an option,then dump the valve for a new Si-Tech.

 

[kenns]

Can I tag on to this question? I have a SI Tech exhaust valve and I am having troubles with leaking. I have taken it apart and cleaned it, I have run a bead of silicone on the suit itself, I have had the suit leak tested (inside and out) with no signs of leaking from the valve or seams, yet every dive my arm is wet near the exhaust valve. I use my drysuit for buoyancy, so as soon as I descend, I start putting air in my suit and then crank it down about half way or more and manually let out air as I need to. It was suggested that negative pressure might be causing the leak. So the problem is that I can't tell if it's my technique (maybe a bad habit that I developed that is causing this) or if my valve needs replacing. I have about 120 dives on this suit (crushing neoprene Bare) and the last 30 or so I've been wet. Not soaked.

Any thoughts before I go out and get another valve?

 

[divad]

every dive my arm is wet near the exhaust valve. I use my drysuit for buoyancy, so as soon as I descend, I start putting air in my suit and then crank it down about half way or more and manually let out air as I need to.

I thought all dry suit exhaust valves, except for a certain Viking one (Hazmat?) leaked when manually purged.