Repairing the bladder on your BC

[cobaltbabe]

Just wanted to know if there is an adhesive out there that can be used safely and effectively to repair the bladder of a BC. Thank you in advance.


Marie

[DA Aquamaster]

With proper surface prep Auqseal works well on pinholes or small leaks. Larger leaks, seam leaks or a generally swiss cheesy bladder are all better repaired by getting a new bladder.

[pasley]

cobaltbabe once bubbled...
Just wanted to know if there is an adhesive out there that can be used safely and effectively to repair the bladder of a BC. Thank you in advance. Marie

Good question. Another qood question is why not send it in to the factory and let the experts either fix it or replace it as appropriate under warranty. I sent in my 2 year old BC because of a very very small leak at a thread hole, and they sent me a new, and I might add improved BC.

[ElectricZombie]

I have used AquaSeal on small holes and it has held up great.

[cobaltbabe]

pasley once bubbled...


Good question. Another qood question is why not send it in to the factory and let the experts either fix it or replace it as appropriate under warranty. I sent in my 2 year old BC because of a very very small leak at a thread hole, and they sent me a new, and I might add improved BC.

Or how old the thing is. I bought is second hand. I should check out their website but in the mean time I want to dive.

[Tegg]

Well, I had the same delimina about a year ago on a bladder in my trusty diverite classic wing.

I pondered replacing it but then thought about the way to fix it first. I would not use the wing if I did not think the 'fix' would hold.

The aquaseal would work for pinholes but I had a small tear about 1/8th of an inch long. I needed something better.

I went to the local bike shop and picked up a innertube repair kit. I then cleaned the area from the INSIDE. The hole was on the 'front' of one of the sides of the wing so I merely folded the wing in a way as to put the inside of the wing where the hole was to the area where the inflator hose attaches.

I then did as the instructons stated, applied the waterproof glue and let it set. Applied the patch to the INSIDE of the wing over the tear. Put pressure on it and let it sit for 24 hours to cure.

I have made over 50 cave dives with no issues and plan many more. I checked it lastnight actually and it looked as if i just repaired it.

Obviously the repair was made on the inside since that is where the pressure comes from... ;)

not bad for $2... :D

[Boogie711]

Have you dove a BP/Wing yet?

Find me a place to crash somewhere out your way, and I'll lend you my backplate and wing. Heck - for you, I'd even re-adjust all the webbing and "stuff."

[PilotFrog]

An old scuba instructor once repaired one of my BCs with a patch like those used to repair air matresses or kids inflatable swimming pools. Much thinner than the bicycle patch. Like the bicycle patch this should be put inside the BC accessed by removing one of the exhaust or inflation ports.

[Bob3]

Water bed and swimming pool liner repair kits will work.
There are also some tapes that will also work, like the nuclear grade duct tape that runs $20/roll: http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/gearreviews.php?s=154

[ew1usnr]

Around 1985 my Tabata jacket style BC suffered a 1" split at a bladder seam. I laid a piece of toothpick across the split and covered it with a glob of AquaSeal. Eighteen years and hundreds of dives later the patch is still holding. AquaSeal is good stuff.