What is an E/O Suit Heater?

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!

It's an electric heater inside the drysuit. It uses a E/O connector that is outside the suit to provide power. The idea is that if there is a problem with the heater, you can unplug the E/O connector outside the suit and not get overheated or shocked. If I recall the UTD guys are working on something similar. The new UTD light canisters have this type of connectors on the cord. I'm told it was available for a while on older canister lights, but fell out of favor due to reliability issues with high current draw from light heads.

Edit: I guess UTD is offering this: UTD Online Store - +1 206 321-0870 - sales@utdequipment.com

But I don't know how similar it is to the one on the suit you mention.
 
...and it's likely that the suit only comes with the gland - which is E/O on one side ("earth/ocean"), and terminated in either an SAE trailer plug, coax, molex, or Anderson connector inside, depending on what was used. It would be highly unusual to have the jacket go with it.

The suit-side sockets are very expensive ($100-$200, depending) even as an OEM. They're installed much like a p-valve would be, only usually on the torso or chest.

It is imperative that if you choose to dive with a drysuit heater, you have a way to shut it off underwater. (Yes, there are some idiots diving with battery operated vests inside the suit with no power control, but they completely deserve whatever burns they will eventually get...)

On the outside, you use a normal canister light pack, with the wire/light head replaced with an E/O cord. Any standard can light canister can be retrofitted for about $50 to supply power appropriate to using with a heated vest. Most manufacturers will also sell you cans/battery/cord sets so that you don't have to cannibalize an old light, or you can fairly easily make your own on a lathe, or with plumbing parts if you don't care about things that look sketchy ugly.

Suit heaters are great when you need them, but are no substitute for appropriate and proper drysuit underwear. I have one I built, and use, but I use it for long deco hangs, or long (2 hour or more) scooter dives, both places where I'm just not expending a lot of effort. FWIW, I did Antarctica last year (28 degree water) without one, and didn't need it...but I was swimming around a lot :)
 
I use one, I would not be able to do cold water diving without it

Some of us do get so cold due to our own lack of insulation and this is the only solution
 

Back
Top Bottom