Sci Tech Neck tite fail

[azgetaway]

Hello SC,

I just had to replace my latex seal in my 3.5 yr old BARE XCS2. This is the third seal in my suit, the last latex one didn't fail I had lost some weight, this one just got loose.

I opted for a siliconseal and when I tried it on out the box it feels perfect. The new seal installed easily, too easily was my thought when I was doing the install. And on my first dive I had a leak. The leak was clearly at the neck and when I returned to my truck I found the yellow retainer ring had pulled away from it's seat. The ring goes easily back into it's retainer but I don't have any confidence it's going to stay inplace? Has any one had to replace their Sci Tech seal because the retainer was stretched and couldn't hold the yellow ring any longer? Is there two ways to install that yellow ring or if you flip it will it still seal?

Thanks in advance,

Scott

 

[KevinNM]

Never had that happen. It doesn't look like you have the recommended overlap, IIRC it should be at least a half inch. I always found it hard to get the ring to fully seat that last bit.

 

[azgetaway]

Thanks Kevin,

I did pull about 3/4" over the ring before I was finished, I took my suit to the dive shop today and we tried to install there, the tech said it just pulls out too easily. We tried a latex seal and same thing it goes in too easy and pulls right out, I think the retainer ring is degraded and loose.

Anybody have a similar experience?

 

[Tbar]

Have you looked at this manual? Is the ring up the right way?
http://www.sitech.se/media/73591/manual_quick-neck_2014.pdf

I have the Quick Neck and find that if I over flex the neck the ring can be exposed and I expect could come out. No issues donning or diving. I have only used the silicon seal.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba 2]

That's something that I have not personally seen before. Of course, Mike has been working with this system for years. I'll have to ask him when I jump off here.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Do you have the flat side facing DOWN? It looks like it's facing UP.....

 

[azgetaway]

hey Mike flat side is down, it seems like the little groove fits the tool perfect so yes I put the flat side down, the seal popped into the slot/retainer almost too easily, this is the third seal I've had in there.

thanks for your feedback

 

[azgetaway]

So I sent the suit off to DUI to install a zip seal, really disappointed with this purchase. I paid extra to install the replaceable neck seal to save money and not have to send my suit out for repair every time a seal needed repair. The Neck Tite Sci Tech seal system gets a big F from me.

Also Tbar that PDF is for the newer "Quick Neck" Sci Tec neck seal system. It looks like a better design than the old Neck Tite design.

 

[stuartv]

So I sent the suit off to DUI to install a zip seal, really disappointed with this purchase. I paid extra to install the replaceable neck seal to save money and not have to send my suit out for repair every time a seal needed repair. The Neck Tite Sci Tech seal system gets a big F from me.

Also Tbar that PDF is for the newer "Quick Neck" Sci Tec neck seal system. It looks like a better design than the old Neck Tite design.

Have you looked at the price of replacement Zip neck seals versus regular silicone ones?

Replacement Si Tech silicone seals are around $20:

SITech Quick Neck System and Silicon Seals - Seaskin Custom Diving Suits

I would be getting the Quick Neck system installed, personally.

 

[stuartv]

Ever since I first read this thread, I've been wondering how that could happen. Is it possible that the silicone neck seal you're using is thinner than what the Si Tech system is intended to work with?

As a total hack, I wonder if you could cut a ring of latex seal to sandwich in there, to make the ring fit tighter.