Drysuit seal test in pool....how will depth change results?

Hello all!

I just picked up a used drysuit at a bargain price. I was a bit concerned about the neck seal. It didn't feel as tight as I would have liked so I took it for a pool test to check it out. The seal worked perfectly and I was bone dry....now my question!

I had virtually no air in the suit since there was very little squeeze and I don't mind it that much. ( I was, obviously, also not very deep)

I am wondering how my seal would perform at greater depths with additional air in the suit to relieve squeeze. My theory is that the seal should perform better (i.e. be more snug) at depth than in shallower waters due to the additional pressure. Although I am not positive and thought I'd get some opinions from the good people here!

I imagine I will have to just dive it once and see what happens....I have no issues replacing the seal if necessay....it was still a bargain! (Bare Nex-Gen with Bare thinsulate undergarment and boots...$600 canadian)

Thanks for any input everyone!

GregA

My experience is that nothing will ever go wrong in the pool. I don't think it has anything to do with depth, it has more to do with Murphy's law.

In theory, and who knows maybe in practice, your suit and the outside water should be at pretty close to the same preasure. If not you get the squeze as the water tries to get into your air spaces. The seals keep the water from leaking in, there really isn't much in the way of preasure on them except from the squeze. The seals at the wrist and neck need to be just tight enough to keep the water from seeping in.

When you go deeper, you put more air in your suit to equalize the preasure again, and hence reduce the squeze. The difference in preasure at the seals doesn't effectively change much, unless of course you choose not to put air in your suit which isn't very comfortable.

You don't state but I'll assume that they are latex seals.

Neoprene seals will crush with depth and loosen.

You said you didn't mind the squeeze, trust me, at some depth you will and that's nice since you will be adding pressure to the suit and that will work in favor of keeping water out. A little air will also make that garment work effectively.

In perms of pressure helping the suit seal I think the elastic properties of the seals do the work. The pressure is applied all over and the suit is not a pressure vessel.

Pete

spectrum:

You don't state but I'll assume that they are latex seals.

Neoprene seals will crush with depth and loosen.

You said you didn't mind the squeeze, trust me, at some depth you will and that's nice since you will be adding pressure to the suit and that will work in favor of keeping water out. A little air will also make that garment work effectively.

In perms of pressure helping the suit seal I think the elastic properties of the seals do the work. The pressure is applied all over and the suit is not a pressure vessel.

Pete

Click to expand...

They are latex seals. When I said that I don't mind the squeeze, I meant at shallow depths....clearly at greater depth I will need to add air. Don't want to end up black and blue!

Thanks for the input....keep it coming!

If they sealed in the pool you should be ok. I find that latex seals leak most when I look up or try to look behind me not so much depth related. Even if it does leak it's not a big deal to replace it.


Good luck and welcome to the dry side. There is no going back.

When I bought my Nex-Gen, someone had already trimmed the neck seal and it did not leak at first, but later on it did, so my opionion is that it may stretch and begin to leak after you have dived it for a while. When you (eventually) get a new seal, don't trim it. If it is a bit too tight, stretch it over a tank for a day or so. This is what I did and I've been happy with it since.