slow leak

[colsonn]

My BC has a slow leak, I filled it up til it was firm this morning and when I checked it just now, it had lost some air, (around 3/4 of a breath worth) I checked all the dump valves and all are on tight. I put it in water and found no bubbles comnig from it. The leak is definitely not large enough to cause any problems at this rate, but is it normal for a bc to lose air over time?
Thanks,
Nick.

 

[m3830431]

How little is some in what period of time. My guess that just like a tire on a car that some air loss is normal. If it not rock hard after being inflated over night I wouldn't worry about it especially if you cant fine a leak. If it is half inflated after a few hours that could be a problem.

 

[Charlie99]

I'd just inspect the BC really closely for any tears, wear spots, ripped seams, etc. I'd also unscrew the inflator hose and dump valve, and clean the sealing surfaces.

Then I'd ignore the ultra slow leak. A slow leak like that is only important if it is an early warning of some more catastrophic failure.

 

[victor]

Remember bicycle puctures

Fill the BC with air as firm as you can
Fill the bath with warm water
Hold as much of the BC as you can under the water
Wait until all of the surface bubbles have dispersed, brushing gently helps this process
Watch out for a slow, steady stream of bubbles
Look very carefully at all the fittings etc, as these are a likely source.

 

[TimAZ]

Did you check for leakage out the end of the inflator hose? A slow leak like that could indicate a bad o-ring at the power inflator and/or corrosion in the cylinder in which that mechanism rides. A problem there can indicate a potential for the power inflator becoming stuck in the "on" position during a dive. Definitely check that out.
(This is especially true for inflators with an integrated octo - i.e. SS1, AirSource, etc...)