How can I detect a leak in my wing?

[Soakedlontra]

How Can I detect a leak in my wing?

When inflated it seems to be holding the air, on its external surface I cannot see any obvious holes or tears. When I squeeze the wing after inflating it a sound comes out as if air is flowing through a tiny hole from the inside. I figure that if there weren't a hole somewhere the wing wouldn't be able to make that noise...

 

[Hank49]

Fill up your bathtub, submerge it inflated and see if there are any bubbles.

 

[dfx]

Or spray/sprinkle soap water all over it. A leak is going to make bubbles.

 

[KD8NPB]

Pull the urethane bladder out of the cover if you can.

Aquaseal saves the day for punctures. If it is a seam, I would simply replace the bladder.

 

[cool_hardware52]

How Can I detect a leak in my wing?

When inflated it seems to be holding the air, on its external surface I cannot see any obvious holes or tears. When I squeeze the wing after inflating it a sound comes out as if air is flowing through a tiny hole from the inside. I figure that if there weren't a hole somewhere the wing wouldn't be able to make that noise...

Inflate if fully and leave it over night. It should be nice an firm the next morning. A slightly softer wing is not a cause for concern as temperature alone can reduce the pressure slightly. Wings are low pressure devices, ~3 psi.

If your wing is deflated the next morning I'd suggest submerging it. Keep in mind that air can be trapped between the bladder and the shell, this normal and you will see bubbles at the seams or vents. Leave under for at least a few minutes to be sure any bubbles you see are really a leak and not trapped gas. Also check the OPV and inflator hose and inflator. Both can be fouled with debris.

Tobin

 

[Soakedlontra]

Fill up your bathtub, submerge it inflated and see if there are any bubbles.

I thought about inflating it and spray soapy water as I would do with my dry suit, but I don't think the problem is in the shell but further down in the bladder itself. Anyway I will do it just to make sure that's not the shell.

---------- Post added December 5th, 2013 at 12:44 PM ----------

Pull the urethane bladder out of the cover if you can.

Aquaseal saves the day for punctures. If it is a seam, I would simply replace the bladder.

Unfortunately I cannot do it without breaking the shell/cover.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

What wing do you have? Some do not use a urethane bladder. They use a ballistic nylon one. And some have no separate bladder.

 

[TSandM]

Are you sure the noise you are hearing isn't the overpressure valve releasing when you squeeze the wing? If it stays inflated, it doesn't have a significant leak.

 

[divad]

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[halocline]

Do what cool hardware said to do. That's the easiest way to really know. I've had pinholes in wings before and dove with them for a surprising amount of time before discovering that there was a leak.