Latex seals breaking down

[Hawkwood]

The neck on my old Nexus went "soft and tacky" shortly after I had laid the suit out on a picnic table. I noticed I had put it down on what I could only describe as BBQ grease. I cleaned it off, but thought nothing more of it. Took the suit out of the bag a day or so later and noticed the neck seal sticking together. There was an area on the neck seal that was soft, tacky, and "discoloured" (no longer shiney). The guru at the shop figured it was likely from whatever was on the picnic table. Suggestion was to repeatedly wash with liquid dish shop followed with sealsaver. I did that religously over a few evenings. The softness and tackiness went away and I have had no issues since. The suit is currently stored in a rubbermaid box and every once and while I do take it out to check it.

 

[akirawut]

I gave the seals a few washes in warm soapy water last week, and this weekend used the suit in the ocean. The problem didn't seem to get any worse. Very strange.

Definitely seems like something got on it and was eating away at it, but no idea what.

 

[Crush]

I don't use it a lot either, but I do use it at times. I just put some on a square of latex--we'll see.

I found a peer-reviewed article on the decay of rubber by microbial attack: Effect of Soil Microorganisms on Rubber Insulation - Industrial & Engineering Chemistry (ACS Publications) . I am not sure that I trust it entirely, but it indicates that natural rubbers (such as latex) are degraded by bacteria faster than synthetic rubbers and rubbers containing lead. There is also an article on the bacterial decomposition of the rubber in Hevea Latex: Bacterial Decomposition of the Rubber in Hevea Latex - Industrial & Engineering Chemistry (ACS Publications) . Perhaps try to transfer potential bugs: (1) prepare an area by stretching or lightly abrading it; (2) transfer bugs by rubbing the goo against the prepared surface in the presence of water (fresh or salt); and (3) [optional] leave in the sun for 30 minutes or so.

Edit: would a bactericide halt the spread of the goo? Perhaps a mix of water, rubbing alcohol, and some soap?

 

[airsix]

One variable that I don't think has been mentioned is suit material. tri-lam suits are usually nylon sandwiching a butyl rubber membrane. But some suits utilize something different. I know some of the Mobby's are PVC coated and the Whites Fusion is Urethane coated. Since this goo problem seems to have a high correlation to Whites suites I'm wondering if contact with the urethane suit may be related. My goo issue was isolated to areas of the seal that would have easily come in contact with the suit material and I often folded the seals backward into the sleeve to 'protect them'. At least in my case contact with the suit material was likely frequent/prolonged.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

One variable that I don't think has been mentioned is suit material. tri-lam suits are usually nylon sandwiching a butyl rubber membrane. But some suits utilize something different. I know some of the Mobby's are PVC coated and the Whites Fusion is Urethane coated. Since this goo problem seems to have a high correlation to Whites suites I'm wondering if contact with the urethane suit may be related. My goo issue was isolated to areas of the seal that would have easily come in contact with the suit material and I often folded the seals backward into the sleeve to 'protect them'. At least in my case contact with the suit material was likely frequent/prolonged.

There is not a high correlation with Whites suits. Look on here, there are only one or two people with Whites Fusions that had this problem. There are many other suit styles that also had this problem, in this thread.

We have sold hundreds of Fusions since they came out, and I have one of the originals and a fleet of demo suits.....None have had this issue. And if there was an "epidemic", I am sure I would have a long list of phones calls about it and warranties on seals. I have not gotten one. The issue is some foreign something either on skin, picnic table, water, ground, house floor that is contacting and causing this. You can't speculate it is a Whites issue, when there are many other suit manufacturers with the same issue.

I would be curious what everyone with this issue uses on their seals? Seal Saver, Talc, silicon, suit juice, etc. Are you using anything? Where do most of you with this issue live? Is there a concentration of Ocean divers, Midwest divers, or all over?

 

[carrielsal]

I was very busy after that, so I did not take the suit out to replace the seal for nearly a month. At that time, I saw that the gooey spot has spread considerably and gone clean through the seal. It was like my seal was being attacked by a flesh-eating bacterium. It continued to spread after that.

The same thing happened to another diver I know. I think his DS is a bare. We were standing under a tree when he noticed it. There were a couple of spots on his wrist seals that seemed to be slowly melting and spreading. At first he thought it was sap from the tree we were standing under, but I think he later figured out it was possibly from greasing dripping from his hamburger (the LDS was grilling burgers that day.)

I have a Fusion made last year. I don't put anything on my seals and have not had any issues. Most of my dives are fresh water, but I have worn my DS salt water diving several times this year.

 

[boulderjohn]

I would be curious what everyone with this issue uses on their seals? Seal Saver, Talc, silicon, suit juice, etc. Are you using anything? Where do most of you with this issue live? Is there a concentration of Ocean divers, Midwest divers, or all over?

OK, I will contribute to this knowledge base.

Whites recommends a generous use of Seal Saver, and I use it very frequently, nearly every time I use the suit.

I am in Colorado. Because we have a real problem with ozone at this altitude, I keep my suit in a sealed tub when not using it.

 

[TSandM]

I don't use anything routinely on my wrist seals; if I use anything at all, it is Seal Saver. I store my suit hanging up in our downstairs rec room -- it is not near any kind of appliance, heater, or fan. The breakdown I had was on the edges of the seals, and as I observed earlier, I dive dry gloves over 90% of the time, so the seals are rarely exposed to the water. Both wrist seals went at the same time, turning into goo at the edges. The edges would rarely, if ever, have contacted the urethane of the suit, as I do not turn my seals inside out unless I turn the entire suit inside out -- which I will admit I do occasionally, if I've gotten wet inside.

 

[boulderjohn]

+ It occurs to me that one potential source of contamination that divers could run into, but infrequently, would be silicon oil for o-rings (I do my servicing between dives, so the odds of me transferring it to the suit are small). Do you have enough latex left to spot on some silicon grease?

Tried it--no results.

... Perhaps try to transfer potential bugs: (1) prepare an area by stretching or lightly abrading it; (2) transfer bugs by rubbing the goo against the prepared surface in the presence of water (fresh or salt); and (3) [optional] leave in the sun for 30 minutes or so.

Did it yesterday. Nothing so far. Of course, that could mean that the cooties left on their own already.

 

[airsix]

Hi Mike, I didn't mean my comments as an attack or anything, I'm just trying to explore all the variables and possibilities. I love my Fusion and think urethane is an excellent suit material. And I can't wait to get home today because there's a package waiting for me... from YOU.

ps - Thanks for the guidance with the permanent ring install. They turned out fantastic. I'm very happy with the end result.