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If it is the zip there has to be an "actual" cause otherwise you'd expect all/some/most TiZips to leak and they don't seem to.
tizip leaks
- Thread starter Taliena
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I have the original valves on the suit. They really don't leak. I am not wet there. I am wet where the docking end is. There it starts first. Depth? most times it is at the start of the dive, so I feel it within 5 minutes. Depth 5-60m. 1 time it happened when I turned round in a building. Yesterday it was shallow after 4 minutes I felt it. After a 40 minute dive I was really wet.
I use the original tizip grease (it is normal silicon grease, but I have the original grease). I lubricate what is written on the docking end. If I forget to do it, then the suit leaks. If I do it, then sometimes dry, sometimes wet. I check extra if suit is closed.
Leak tests: I have tried all: in swimmingpool with a thin undersuit, normal swimming, air in the suit with soap. inside out with air in it and soap, a big tub of water, so I have tried everything and never found a leak. 1 time tested in a shop and no leak found (not the shop where I bought the suit, but the shop where I b ought it is 200km away, and fuel is not free).
I use the original tizip grease (it is normal silicon grease, but I have the original grease). I lubricate what is written on the docking end. If I forget to do it, then the suit leaks. If I do it, then sometimes dry, sometimes wet. I check extra if suit is closed.
Leak tests: I have tried all: in swimmingpool with a thin undersuit, normal swimming, air in the suit with soap. inside out with air in it and soap, a big tub of water, so I have tried everything and never found a leak. 1 time tested in a shop and no leak found (not the shop where I bought the suit, but the shop where I b ought it is 200km away, and fuel is not free).
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To be honest, and don't take this the wrong way....
If there is a leak, it doesn't come and go. It's there or it isn't. If it's not lubed properly, it can leak...we already know this.
Are we sure there isn't anything getting caught in the way? Are we sure it is being zipped all the way to the top? I only ask these simple questions to make sure. If it leaks as much as you say, it should easily be caught with a proper leak test. Turning around in a building, wouldn't cause the zipper to leak unless there is a tear or something that becomes unpinched when you turn...again, it should be found in a leak test. Have you inspected every tooth?
There is something being done different on the dives, causing it to leak sometimes only. I know it's not the answer you want to hear, but you need to do some more testing. Is one of the teeth loose?
How about this...if you can send it to us, I know you don't want to...but we will leak test it on dryland and in the water for free for you. I know you didn't buy it here, and I know you're in another country, but we would like to see if we can uncover the culprit for you. If it leaks that much, we should be able to find it on a surface leak test or at least within a few dives on the suit.
If there is a leak, it doesn't come and go. It's there or it isn't. If it's not lubed properly, it can leak...we already know this.
Are we sure there isn't anything getting caught in the way? Are we sure it is being zipped all the way to the top? I only ask these simple questions to make sure. If it leaks as much as you say, it should easily be caught with a proper leak test. Turning around in a building, wouldn't cause the zipper to leak unless there is a tear or something that becomes unpinched when you turn...again, it should be found in a leak test. Have you inspected every tooth?
There is something being done different on the dives, causing it to leak sometimes only. I know it's not the answer you want to hear, but you need to do some more testing. Is one of the teeth loose?
How about this...if you can send it to us, I know you don't want to...but we will leak test it on dryland and in the water for free for you. I know you didn't buy it here, and I know you're in another country, but we would like to see if we can uncover the culprit for you. If it leaks that much, we should be able to find it on a surface leak test or at least within a few dives on the suit.
Aqua-Andy
Contributor
Just out of curiosity where is the docking end of the zipper? If it is down near the hip that is the most common place any leak will show up. Water will seek the lowest point and if that is where the docking end of the zipper is you will naturally have water there if there is a leak. If the docking end is on the shoulder I would be willing to bet your neck seal is leaking.
kwinter
Contributor
You can't expect a better offer than that. I don't care what everyone says, Mike isn't that bad.
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The docking end is on the hip on the right side. And there it starts to leak. I know this from some swimmingtests.
And no, I don't sent a suit from europe to Illinois for just a leak test. It must be possible to find what it is. And I need my suit, I teach too. (yes, I have a spare suit, that is only now away for repair, that suit leaked all dives, the manufacturer had a problem with the glue and now I get all stitches new glueed under warranty, but that takes a 2 months to fix. A brand new suit )
There is no teeth broken, I checked them all again yesterday. I cleaned the docking end again, all old grease is gone now. If I have time, tomorrow I will grease it again and do a trydive again.
I know if there is too less grease, the zip leaks. But there are divers that never grease the zip and never problems and I get wet if I use too less.
It is for sure not the neckseal I know how to dive a drysuit, am not a beginner in diving. I ask a lot of my dive-equipment, but all is in good condition. I am carefull with my stuff, so with my drysuit. Almost never dive in salt water, so no salt residues on the zip or so.
Never had any problems with a zip on my old mares neoprene suit which hold over 500 dives on the first zip (and that zip is still in the suit and not leaking), but that suit is not suitable for the technical diving I do now. I don't dive with too much squeeze, if a zip can hold a 500-700mbar, then you should go as deep as 5-7m without any air in it. I don't do that, at 2.5m, I put some air in my suit. Tried this already too. But I don't trim on the suit, I use my wing for it (or the ccr-lungs). I use just that air in the suit to hold it comfortable.
I need to find out what the problem is, in a couple of weeks I go on holiday and want to do some deep dives in 4 degrees. You don't want to have this problem with 2 hours of deco.
And no, I don't sent a suit from europe to Illinois for just a leak test. It must be possible to find what it is. And I need my suit, I teach too. (yes, I have a spare suit, that is only now away for repair, that suit leaked all dives, the manufacturer had a problem with the glue and now I get all stitches new glueed under warranty, but that takes a 2 months to fix. A brand new suit
)There is no teeth broken, I checked them all again yesterday. I cleaned the docking end again, all old grease is gone now. If I have time, tomorrow I will grease it again and do a trydive again.
I know if there is too less grease, the zip leaks. But there are divers that never grease the zip and never problems and I get wet if I use too less.
It is for sure not the neckseal
I know how to dive a drysuit, am not a beginner in diving. I ask a lot of my dive-equipment, but all is in good condition. I am carefull with my stuff, so with my drysuit. Almost never dive in salt water, so no salt residues on the zip or so.Never had any problems with a zip on my old mares neoprene suit which hold over 500 dives on the first zip (and that zip is still in the suit and not leaking), but that suit is not suitable for the technical diving I do now. I don't dive with too much squeeze, if a zip can hold a 500-700mbar, then you should go as deep as 5-7m without any air in it. I don't do that, at 2.5m, I put some air in my suit. Tried this already too. But I don't trim on the suit, I use my wing for it (or the ccr-lungs). I use just that air in the suit to hold it comfortable.
I need to find out what the problem is, in a couple of weeks I go on holiday and want to do some deep dives in 4 degrees. You don't want to have this problem with 2 hours of deco.
Make sure that the zipper is properly closed when you put on the suit. Do this by feel, and then get a buddy to visually check it. Then make sure that the zipper handle is pointing upwards when you close the outer zip. I know of a few people who have managed to catch the handle on their waist band and slightly open the zipper during a dive. It might be that you are over lubricating and making the zipper too easy to open.
I don't have an outer zip on my suit, but I know what you mean. I always check if the zip is closed.
I have been thinking same, when putting on the harnass and weightbelt, and maybe open it, but I didn't find that I have done this. Last Sunday, I checked it after the dive when I was wet again, but the zip looked closed (and suit was in a squeeze, but that is possible with a small leak). But I know that if it is almost closed, then it leaks
I have been thinking same, when putting on the harnass and weightbelt, and maybe open it, but I didn't find that I have done this. Last Sunday, I checked it after the dive when I was wet again, but the zip looked closed (and suit was in a squeeze, but that is possible with a small leak). But I know that if it is almost closed, then it leaks
- Messages
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Take Mike up on his offer, I know it will cost you shipping but right now you have a wet drysuit that no one seems to be able to locate the source of or fix. Sounds like Mikes bravely taken on the challenge. At least this way it will actually get fixed. That's what I'd do anyway.
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