Hot water suits for scuba?

[Eric Sedletzky]

I’ve heard of hot water suits for commercial divers that are on umbilical lines. But what about a hot water suit for scuba diving? It would have to be an independently/internally heated system with some sort if heating element and pump.
I wonder if it’s doable?
No more suit squeeze and one less air space to have to worry about, or neoprene smashing out at depth.

 

[ChrisMBC]

If you're talking about flooding the entire suit with water (thus eliminating suit squeeze), that would make all your undergarments ineffective (unless they're made of neoprene themselves).

Functionally, what I think you're really looking at there is a semi-dry wetsuit with a heating element? I think those have been tried before, or you can DIY one with a Thermalution vest under a semi-dry suit.

 

[OTF]

Thin wetsuits (like 3mms) with hot water pumped in form the surface are relatively common for light commercial work. I've never used one but heard rave reviews - maximum warmth and mobility.

 

[Wibble]

What’s the rate of flow of "warm" water required to maintain warmth throughout the suit? Assume the water exits out or wrists and ankles. Many litres/gallons a minute? How much energy to heat the water from cold to warm?

And the pipe to the surface.

Commie divers skulk around in one place with backup divers and a dive supervisor looking after topsides. Training and management standards keep things safe.


Stuff that, pass me my heated drysuit!

 

[lexvil]

A small nuke device, like in the movie the Martian, to make the water hot and a small circ pump, the cancer blisters will provide further insulation.

 

[Wibble]

What, you mean Mr Fusion which generates 1.21 jigawatts….

 

[Lorenzoid]

I have myself a hot water suit for a minute or so on most dives.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If you're talking about flooding the entire suit with water (thus eliminating suit squeeze), that would make all your undergarments ineffective (unless they're made of neoprene themselves).

Functionally, what I think you're really looking at there is a semi-dry wetsuit with a heating element? I think those have been tried before, or you can DIY one with a Thermalution vest under a semi-dry suit.

I don’t think you’d need undergarments, just a swim suit. Your body would be surrounded with warm water so flooded undergarments would serve no purpose.
What about donning a crushed neoprene drysuit then filling it with body temp water 98.6 degrees and building a water pump with a battery operated heating element with a thermostat that would circulate the water and keep it at a constant temp for the duration of the dive. There would be no need for a weightbelt and the ballast wing would be used minimally just to compensate for the gas used in the tank.
I suppose it would be murder to try and deal with a suit full of water topside so flooding would have to take place as the diver enters the water. Water could be filled into the suit via the neck seal until the suit is full. Air would be displaced as water enters the suit. Getting out of the water would be another challenge, but just think how luxurious it would be to dive in bathtub warm water in a 48 degree ocean.

 

[Underwater Tourist]

And the battery can be powered by electricity generated from this thread: Making electricity with scuba regulator, has it been done?

 

[MidOH]

Eat a bowl of my chili.