Question Drysuit leaking when surface swimming, any idea?

[rob.mwpropane]

I believe the whole undergarment felt quite wet, but of different levels. The upper body was humid wet, the feet were soaking wet.

Sounds about right for drysuit diving

In all seriousness, were both feet the same "level" of wet?

Whenever I dive, especially if extended and depending what time of year, water temp etc my sweat can have me thinking there's a leak.

You won't know until you dive again.

 

[dlao]

Sounds about right for drysuit diving

In all seriousness, were both feet the same "level" of wet?

Whenever I dive, especially if extended and depending what time of year, water temp etc my sweat can have me thinking there's a leak.

You won't know until you dive again.

Yeah, both feet. This sounds quite interesting. Never thought about how much I sweat underwater.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Yeah, both feet. This sounds quite interesting. Never thought about how much I sweat underwater.

Yes Sir, that moisture can't go anywhere. My socks don't usually feel all that wet, but sometimes my chest has me thinking there's a leak. It also depends on how much you sweat... I'm not usually a "sweater" but I can still feel wet.

Pretty sure the 2 hr dive I did in my brand new suit that had my chest feeling wet 2 weekends ago was sweat (at least I hope, lol).

 

[Boarderguy]

Have you eliminated the possibility of a nasty shart? Maybe see something scary and whoops?

I second plugging the wrists and neck for a pressurized leak check. Use a spray bottle and spritz the seams to look for bubbles. Check the feet for pin holes especially if you have integrated boots.

 

[ontdiver]

I believe the whole undergarment felt quite wet, but of different levels. The upper body was humid wet, the feet were soaking wet.

I've had a similar experience in the past and after having pressure test done - and no leaks - came to the conclusion that perspiration was the cause of my damp undergarment...and socks.

 

[dlao]

Have you eliminated the possibility of a nasty shart? Maybe see something scary and whoops?

I second plugging the wrists and neck for a pressurized leak check. Use a spray bottle and spritz the seams to look for bubbles. Check the feet for pin holes especially if you have integrated boots.

I don't think there was anything scary enough to make me urinate in my suit, only some lovely harbor seals. Oh yes, will definitely do a leak test. Do you suggest doing a leak test inside-out?

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I don't think there was anything scary enough to make me urinate in my suit, only some lovely harbor seals. Oh yes, will definitely do a leak test. Do you suggest doing a leak test inside-out?

Yes, inside out is how most people say to do it... harder with attached boots, but with a neo suit I don't think you can go wrong.

I have only tested my neo suit with boots and didn't bother flipping inside out.. I was able to find my leak.

 

[Jeff_O]

I've had a similar experience in the past and after having pressure test done - and no leaks - came to the conclusion that perspiration was the cause of my damp undergarment...and socks.

I think perspiration adds some, true, but not enought usually to amount to soaking wet feet. If a leak at rist or neck seal happens, I could wonder if water not absorbed completely into fabric above feet, could propagate downward to the feet. I had and issue using the warm neck collar and water leaking in the neck seal. I found that getting the neoprene hood flat evenly smooth into the warm neck collar was key. Also rapid movement can have leaks in the seals. DUI has for neck seal an additional cilindrical neoprene part you put around your neck before putting head through latex neck seal. I thought I would need it, but did not. Of course this is for my current replacement suit less than a year old. The prior more than 20 year old drysuit CF200 had shown leaks right through compressed neoprene fabric, even when not at any seam. The fabric all of a sudden showed so many bubbles in the soapy solution with blocking off seals and puffing up with dump valve closed. It was no longer useful to fix anything, just replace. I found using a shop vac output blows up the suit better than using breath or the detrimental effect of fast depressorisation of a cylinder.

 

[rick00001967]

as someone already said, there is only one way to know for sure......a leak test.

i am still trying to figure out why anyone would do a half hr surface swim. lol

could be any number of things:
a seam (sad if it is a new suit)
neck seal (especially if you were moving your head a lot during that long swim)
wrist seals (were you using your hands to swim at all?)
zipper (again, sad if it is new - was it zipper all the way closed and docked properly?)
loose exhaust valve (could easily happen on a new suit)

 

[Jcp2]

i am still trying to figure out why anyone would do a half hr surface swim. lol

I’ve done this when one of the team runs low on gas in the middle of the quarry.