Drysuit Pee Valve Leaking During Snorkeling?

[Dont_Hold_Your_Breath]

When snorkeling it seems like my pee valve (which is primed and in use) is leaking. My drysuit gets the air pushed out of it from the water as if I was diving even through I'm on at most only at 1-2ft depth. My understanding is that you need to be pushing air in your suit from a tank when you have a pee valve to stop the squeeze, otherwise it will leak. Is this true?

If that is true, is there anything else I can do without air to stop it from leaking short of patching it? It's super usefull when in the water for 6 hours but not usefull when I have no tank and the water is cold which is every day for the next week. Luckily the leak is very slow but still now fun at the end of the day. Any advice apprecaited.

 

[Boarderguy]

Which valve?
Where is it leaking?
Are you sure it isn't pee?
Have you taken the valve off the suit and cleaned the mounting/sealing surface?
Is your hose compromised?
Are you really sure it isn't pee?

It could be pee, ensure the connections are good.
Check the duckbill valve, it could have something in it causing a slow leak. Take the valve apart and clean it.

 

[Dont_Hold_Your_Breath]

Thanks for the reply:
-I will take the valve off and clean it, I did that maybe 6 day ago but have spent 20 hours in the water since then
-It's the Dive Rite low profile pee valve
-Originally there was glue around the valve but that no longer adheres or is working so adding more glue might be a good idea
-Am I sure it's not pee? Pretty sure but let me confirm after tomorrows dive. My suit will smell to high heaven and it smell clean.
-I inpsected my hose and looks fine but need to find a better way to pressure check it.

It's possible it's a leak elsewhere in my drysuit but for a baseline I am not sure if the shrink of the suit will cause the valve to fail without me adding gas to the suit. I'll reviewi you sugegstions and check everything tomorrow. Thank you!!

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

It could be your shoulder dump valve if completely open or neck seal. I think you move in a different way when snorkelling so my bet would be on the neck seal.

 

[lexvil]

You can create a vacuum by not adding air, and that will exacerbate any slight leak. Try leaving air in the suit by closing the exhaust valve and wearing some weight to compensate also don’t free dive in a drysuit because if you hold air in the suit the bubble moving around will make you crazy.

 

[Doc Harry]

Balanced or unbalanced pee valve? The balanced valves always seem to leak a bit.