Sudden Flooding of Ultima Dry Glove

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Don Wallar

Registered
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
Messages
13
Reaction score
3
Location
Ontario, Canada
# of dives
200 - 499
Hi All,

I was doing a Tec dive to 130 ft recently and wearing my usual Ultima Dry Gloves on my Fusion Bullet dry suit. At approximately 120 ft on descent, my right glove suddenly flooded (with 6 deg C water). Not rapidly but I knew it was happening. Of course, with equalization tubes in place, the water gradually soaked my entire right arm thermals. I was wearing SI Tech wool inner gloves which were completely soaked.

I noticed after the flooding that I could very easily rotate the glove on the suit ring whereas my left glove was normally resistant to turning. Not sure if that's a clue or not...

I normally raise my hands a bit on descent to make sure that my suit gas finds its way into the gloves. It is possible that I had not done this enough as I passed through 100 ft or so and thus set up a squeeze with my gloves. I find that even with equalization tubes equalization is not automatic unless you raise your hands a bit on descent.

I am normally carefully to ensure no dirt or grit gets into my suit rings or the glove o-ring. I normally lubricate the glove o-ring liberally with silicone grease.

Any idea why it would suddenly flood? Should I be using lots of silicone to fill the space where the o-ring sits in the glove or just a little bit of silicone to ease doff and donning? Could too much silicone attract fibres and such like?

Is it possible that a small wool thread from my inner gloves got stuck between the o-ring and the suit ring seat and just finally let go and caused such a dramatic flood?

Of course I checked my gloves carefully post-dive and there are no holes anywhere. Also, I know that the leak occurred at the glove-suit juncture and not behind the wrist seal because my hand was completely soaked and my arm less so.

Appreciate any help.

Thanks,

Don
 
Pull the o-ring off and inspect it, after that put the glove on the suit and tell us how it feels. Since these don’t actually lock it’s possible, since you are so generous with silicone grease, that the glove (meaning the glove ring not the glove itself) popped off partially when you lifted it, just guessing since I wasn’t there.
 
Are you sure it's not a hole in the glove? These often happen as a pinprick close to the wrist.

Go to a quiet place, put glove over face, blow to inflate it and listen for hisses.

Don't put too much grease on the O-rings.

Could have been a hair caught in the seal; a cracked O-ring (as in old and perished); a piece of grit; too much grease... Had all of these happen.
 
O-rings appear good. I did notice that they "snap" on with a much more definite "snap" when they are "dry" ie not lubricated. I will check for pinholes. How long should the o-rings last before you replace them from a maintenance perspective?
 
Did a plunge test. Pushed the glove down into the bottom of a bucket of water. No bubbles.
 
Did a plunge test. Pushed the glove down into the bottom of a bucket of water. No bubbles.

Take your glove and a flashlight into a totally dark place. A closet is good. Shine flashlight into glove. See if there are any holes.
 
As long as the are “round” they should be ok but if you have a “flat” area it’s likely time to replace. Try Marie’s in the dark light check for pin holes but I suspect excess lube is at the root of this issue.
 
Ultima Rings will leak if they are not cleaned consistently. You don't need more than a tiny sheen of silicone on the orings, but you need to grease them every dive day.

Here is my suggested routine:
  • After diving rinse the outer part of the glove.
  • Don't remove the o-ring (it's best to not over handle orings as that is when they get damaged)
  • Wipe down the glove ring and o-ring with a damp microfiber towel
  • Gently lube the ring

  • If you experience any leaking on a dive remove the o-ring carefully
  • Clean the glove ring groove with a toothbrush, also clean the fixed ring on the suit
  • Note: I've cracked a suit ring so inspect both suit and glove for damage.
  • Rinse and wipe off the o-ring
  • Gently and lightly re-lube the o-ring and re-insert
If the glove does not snap when you put it on but sort of mushes on, then you need to clean and lube again. I think that the rings if dry or dirty tend to twist in the groove and this results in leaking.
 
Ultima Rings will leak if they are not cleaned consistently. You don't need more than a tiny sheen of silicone on the orings, but you need to grease them every dive day.

Here is my suggested routine:
  • After diving rinse the outer part of the glove.
  • Don't remove the o-ring (it's best to not over handle orings as that is when they get damaged)
  • Wipe down the glove ring and o-ring with a damp microfiber towel
  • Gently lube the ring

  • If you experience any leaking on a dive remove the o-ring carefully
  • Clean the glove ring groove with a toothbrush, also clean the fixed ring on the suit
  • Note: I've cracked a suit ring so inspect both suit and glove for damage.
  • Rinse and wipe off the o-ring
  • Gently and lightly re-lube the o-ring and re-insert
If the glove does not snap when you put it on but sort of mushes on, then you need to clean and lube again. I think that the rings if dry or dirty tend to twist in the groove and this results in leaking.

Thanks for this detailed list! I use Kubi rings and my left glove has been leaking badly. I’ve not bothered to troubleshoot it yet.
 
Ultima Rings will leak if they are not cleaned consistently. You don't need more than a tiny sheen of silicone on the orings, but you need to grease them every dive day.

Here is my suggested routine:
  • After diving rinse the outer part of the glove.
  • Don't remove the o-ring (it's best to not over handle orings as that is when they get damaged)
  • Wipe down the glove ring and o-ring with a damp microfiber towel
  • Gently lube the ring

  • If you experience any leaking on a dive remove the o-ring carefully
  • Clean the glove ring groove with a toothbrush, also clean the fixed ring on the suit
  • Note: I've cracked a suit ring so inspect both suit and glove for damage.
  • Rinse and wipe off the o-ring
  • Gently and lightly re-lube the o-ring and re-insert
If the glove does not snap when you put it on but sort of mushes on, then you need to clean and lube again. I think that the rings if dry or dirty tend to twist in the groove and this results in leaking.
I've had my Ultima rings for a bit over 200 dives now.
I've lubricated the o rings TWICE in that time, once when they were brand new and once again some 50 dives ago.
I have never "cleaned" them either, apart from when I lubricated them.

The only leak I've had in that time was from a punctured thumb in my glove.

I have never heard of a need to grease them every dive day from any of my buddies who use them either.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom