Finding a leak in a Drysuit

roughwater · Feb 7, 2007

Howdie.

I've got a leak in my drysuit. Wets my left leg about 1/2 way between my ankle and my knee down to my foot. I get a good soaking on that part of my leg and my foot. Rest of me stays dry.

It's a trilaminate DUI drysuit. I was wondering if anyone could suggest some different ways I should attempt to try and find the leak?

Thanks

Adam.

tstormdiver · Feb 7, 2007

There are a few ways, 1. while in the water (preferabley a pool or shallow water) inflate the suit some & invert (since the leak is rather low on the suit). Have a buddy locate where air escapes & mark (if possible). The buddy can also help you to right yourself after the leak location is done. Or 2. On land, close off all seals With a rubber band or such & hook up the inflator hose & inflate the suit. You can then feel for air leaking past or you can even use a weak soap solution to make bubble as air escapes. Then mark the spot. Or 3. you can go into a very dark room & put a bright flaslight inside the suit & look for a light leak in the suit & mark the spot. Any of the 3 ways can work. There may be other ways to do this that others may know, but that's what I had been taught in my dry suit class.

scott&sara · Feb 7, 2007

I have a TLS350 and last year I got a leak in about the same location. I sent it back to DUI and they fixed the leak and leak tested it at no charge. I believe the leak was in the suit where the cf200 sock was joined to the trilaminate material.

If you want to fix it yourself I would turn the leg inside out; fill the tub with water; get the leg as filled with air as possible; seal the leg off (twist the material and hold tight); then submerge and look for the leak.

Good luck with your semi-dry... all dry suits become semi-dries sooner or later.

Scott

scott&sara · Feb 7, 2007

BTW... I forgot to mention DUI has a good drysuit repair manual located on thier website. This is the procedure they teach in thier drysuit repair class.

http://www.dui-online.com/pdf/drysuit_repair_outline.pdf

crharnett · Feb 7, 2007

Something like Option 2 worked well for me a few years ago.
Instead of tieing off the seals, plastic bottles for the wrist seal and a large peanut butter plastic jar worked well. Soaked the outside of the suit with soapy water and inflate the suit. The pinhole was so small, I would not have found it otherwise.
The suit was sent to the manufacturer for repair and they found a second hole that was hidden in the pocket. Punctures must have occurred when the suit was folded.

Skookumchuck · Feb 7, 2007

Make sure the suit is totally dry and fill the leg with water.

james croft · Feb 7, 2007

crharnett:
Something like Option 2 worked well for me a few years ago.
Instead of tieing off the seals, plastic bottles for the wrist seal and a large peanut butter plastic jar worked well. Soaked the outside of the suit with soapy water and inflate the suit. The pinhole was so small, I would not have found it otherwise.
The suit was sent to the manufacturer for repair and they found a second hole that was hidden in the pocket. Punctures must have occurred when the suit was folded.

This is the method I use. I secure 16 oz plastic soda bottles in the cuffs and secure them with rubber bands. I use a gallon plastic jug for the neck. Inflate and seal soak with soap & water. You might find more holes than you imagine. The nice pinholes bubble pretty good, but you may also find a little small leaks where the bubbles just fizz a little bit. Mark the holes. A laundry marker may work for this, but the wet and soapy surface of the drysuit may be hard to write on. Often I just push a thumbtack through the area I want to patch as a marker. Make sure your suit has dried off well then patch in accordance with manufacturers direction.

roughwater · Feb 7, 2007

Hi All,

Thanks for your prompt replies! Thanks for the link to the DUI repair manual! I think I'll go with Option two first - with the soda bottles and soapy water as suggested and see how I go.

With fingers crossed...

Adam.

Finding a leak in a Drysuit

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