Finding leak.

[dtdiver]

go to dark room
put head inside the suit
shine flashlight on the outside
apply generous dollops of seal cement to pin holes

done

dave

 

[fppf]

go to dark room
put head inside the suit
shine flashlight on the outside
apply generous dollops of seal cement to pin holes

done

dave

Yeah, I don't think that will work for tiny pin holes in a trilam suit.
And putting little "dollops" of any cement will just flake off at some point. You need to glue on a proper patch or use some seam tape depending on the size of the hole.

 

[dtdiver]

you are correct for proper adhesion rough it up with sandpaper

but as for the "??" i have a dui trilam and it will adhere, having done this many times. and it is a great field repair.

remember the waterproof membrane is the inner one, and all the seams are sealed with the stuff at the factory. take a look at one.

obviously, if the leak is caused by a continual abrading (like from pee valve hose fittings) the suit will need a neoprene patch glued on.

dave

 

[Skookumchuck]

fppf's advice of turning the suit inside out and filling it with water worked best. I found a small hole nowhere near a seam and applied Plumbers Goop. Two compleatly dry dives yesterday, so it appears to have worked.

 

[BabyDuck]

great!

for anyone else reading this thread, there was a really good thread about leak-detecting techniques on divematrix a while back...so that's a place to try for ideas, too.

 

[evil_xander]

Ok, probably a dumb one, but how do you turn inside out a suit with rubber boots attached?

I already fixed one leak on the seam, it was easy to track. Now, I'm constantly paranoid am I damp or wet, and what is it, sweat or sea...

 

[fppf]

Ok, probably a dumb one, but how do you turn inside out a suit with rubber boots attached?

I already fixed one leak on the seam, it was easy to track. Now, I'm constantly paranoid am I damp or wet, and what is it, sweat or sea...

You can stuff the boot inside the leg and turn it inside out up to the point close to the boot. Its tough but can be done. You wont be able to turn it fully inside out, but you will get close depending on your shoe size.

Most times filling the suit with air and hosing it down with soapy water is good enough. But sometimes the pin hole is so small the outer fabric defuses the gas leaking so it wont really bubble up the soap.