Question Seaskin Ultra Drysuit Leak

[clownfishsydney]

I have a Seaskin Ultra neoprene drysuit that I purchased over three years ago. Unfortunately, I have developed a very slight leak which I cannot discover the source. The leak is near the Apeks Power Inflator as my undergarments are wet from there. No matter how I try, I cannot figure out if it is coming through the inflator or the neoprene near it. I have pulled the inflator apart numerous times, I have cleaned it and more.

I have squirted water on this area and nothing comes in when looking at it. I put it on and had a friend squirt water from my hose at this area and nothing came in and then suddenly it did. Why? Who knows? I have filled with air and found nothing. I have filled with water and found nothing. I have turned inside out and filled with water and found a slight leak, but putting glue on this area solved nothing (it could have been leaking from the inflator).

Has anyone with a Seaskin Ultra or an Apeks inflator had a similar issue and how did you solve it?

Thanks.

 

[Jcp2]

Are you able to swap out that inflator for another to remove the inflator as a source? What does the edge of the port in the suit look like when the inflator is removed? Maybe there is a small tear that runs diagonally through the thickness of the neoprene that you can seal with cement or aquaseal.

 

[lexvil]

Other than the above, take a close look at your neck seal.

 

[Bald Wookie]

I always test drysuits inside-out. I run a blower through one of the wrist seals, plug the neck, and put a pipe or similar (often the other end of the blower/shop vac, you know the narrow kind meant for cleaning baseboards and the like? they work well) on the other wrist. Tape/put a bungee around the seals to hold them on the pipe.

Wet the whole suit down, then spray with dish soap (something inert, like dawn), then scrub with a sponge to sud everything up (bonus: cleans the inside of your suit).

Note that your suit should be pretty well inflated - pushing on it with one finger shouldn't feel tight like a basketball, but shouldn't be soft enough to push down 6 inches also. About an inch or two of rebound is what you're after.

If you fail to find anything, swap out the inflator and test dive it. Maybe theres a small crack in it you're not noticing. The other thing that might be worth checking is the o-ring and shrader valve inside the BC inflator hose. Most likely the o-ring, as maybe its not sealing against the nipple and allowing some water into the suit through the valve. Worth changing both at the same time as they are really cheap parts. Good luck with the o-ring though, it can be a pain to get back in if you haven't done too many like that before.