first dry suit dive

[fmerkel]

Your helper didn't help you. You potentially had a gross neck leak.
Since it's a brand new suit the probability is higher that you did something wrong than the suit had an issue. Make sure the inflate/deflate valves are tight. They are simply 2 halves screwed together.

If you really want to test your suit 'properly' just do a search on [how to test a drysuit for leaks]. There dozens of videos. Basically, crank down (even better...reverse) the exhaust valve. Plug the holes. Zip it up. Inflate well. spray with soapy water and watch for bubbles.

Garment makes no difference unless the collar of cuff were sticking though the seal and compromising it. You can wear a cotton T-shirt that shows wetness over the undergarment to better assess where the water is getting in. That won't help a lot if you are getting soaked. Often you can localize the leak if you pay attention from the beginning of the dive.

 

[stuartv]

Dive it in some really cold water and you will know immediately where it is leaking. Trust me...

 

[Tyler labelle]

Dive it in some really cold water and you will know immediately where it is leaking. Trust me...

Well it was 50 at bottom. I was froze when we finished. Thinking these dry suits aren't very warm. Until I took it off and saw the extent of the wetness.

 

[Storker]

Dive it in some really cold water and you will know immediately where it is leaking. Trust me...

Yup. If my neck seal isn't properly tucked, a careless turn of the head is immediately recognised. I don't need much 5-6 degree water running down my back to notice it. The same thing for a leaking dryglove or poorly seated glove ring.

Well it was 50 at bottom. I was froze when we finished. Thinking these dry suits aren't very warm.

Technically, you're right, you know. Shell suits aren't warm at all. It's the undergarments that keep you cozy warm. With the right undergarments, a good hood and a set of drygloves with good liners, the only issues with cold water are the slight brain freeze you get when your head goes under, and cold water on the small part of your face that isn't covered by the hood or the mask.

 

[Patoux01]

You determined there was no leaks, how exactly? Fill it with water? Poor way to test and a good way to ruin the suit. A suit full of water would be VERY heavy, potentially seam destructively heavy.

If you really want to test your suit 'properly' just do a search on [how to test a drysuit for leaks]. There dozens of videos. Basically, crank down (even better...reverse) the exhaust valve. Plug the holes. Zip it up. Inflate well. spray with soapy water and watch for bubbles.

While it surely wastes a large amount of water, it's a way to find a leak yes.

 

[KathyIGH]

Hi. This is Kathy Long with DUI. Saw your post. It does sound like a seal or perhaps zipper leak (meaning the end of the zipper was not completely closed).

Another issue with latex or silicone seals. The seal surface is very small. Depending on the shape of your neck... you can get a leak when you turn your head. Take a moment to look at yourself in a mirror and slowly turn your head from side to side. You'll see your neck changes shape. See if you can notice a better spot to place your neck seal. Same goes for the wrists. Turning your wrist can cause channels to open up on the seal.

Always double check that the zipper is completely closed.

I am sure you will get it dialed in very shortly.

Have fun.

Kathy

 

[stuartv]

Well it was 50 at bottom. I was froze when we finished. Thinking these dry suits aren't very warm. Until I took it off and saw the extent of the wetness.

I got a D9X last summer. First couple of dives were dry. Then I went to NC and dived out of Morehead City. First dive was dry. Second dive I got out very wet. I thought maybe my neck seal had rolled over and it was leaking there. I got out wet after both dives the next day. I still wasn't sure whether the suit was leaking or if I was just not getting it on right.

A week or two later, I went to my local quarry where the water is in the 50s at the surface and gets down to 38 or so at the bottom. I had on my thick undergarments. As soon as I got in, it felt like somebody stuck an ice pick in my thigh. I got out and once I knew where to look it only took me a couple of minutes to find where I'd gotten a cut in the front of my thigh. It was less than 1/4" long and was a very neat, clean cut. I couldn't even really see it from the outside of the suit, with the suit being black and the inside of the suit being dark. It was a black hole on a black suit. When I turned the leg inside out and looked around was when I finally saw it.

 

[Tyler labelle]

Hi. This is Kathy Long with DUI. Saw your post. It does sound like a seal or perhaps zipper leak (meaning the end of the zipper was not completely closed).

Another issue with latex or silicone seals. The seal surface is very small. Depending on the shape of your neck... you can get a leak when you turn your head. Take a moment to look at yourself in a mirror and slowly turn your head from side to side. You'll see your neck changes shape. See if you can notice a better spot to place your neck seal. Same goes for the wrists. Turning your wrist can cause channels to open up on the seal.

Always double check that the zipper is completely closed.

I am sure you will get it dialed in very shortly.

Have fun.

Kathy

Thanks for the tips. The guy that helped me for sure rolled the neck seal down 1/4 inch. But I'm sure I was turning my head to much as well not realizing how easily that breaks the seal. Now I know and will try again wed. Night.

 

[Doby45]

Does your suit have a pee valve installed?

Never mind, I see from your other pic that it does not.

It also appears from that pic that you have a latex neckseal, do NOT roll that seal down. If you do it will make a thick rubber donut on your neck that will NOT seal well as it will be thick and will not conform well to your neck. Ask me how I know.

 

[Storker]

It also appears from that pic that you have a latex neckseal, do NOT roll that seal down.

Why not? Over here, everybody I've dived with tucks their seal, whether it's neoprene, latex or silicone.

When I had a neo suit with neo seals, I tucked the neck seal. If I didn't tuck it quite right, I got a cold shower down my back if I turned my head too much. Now I have silicone seals, I still tuck my neckseal. No more issues than with a neo seal, except it's a little easier to get a fold in the seal where water can seep in. My son has latex seals, he tucks his neck seal and it works great for him. Just make sure there's no vertical fold, and everything is A-OK. And make sure there's one tuck, no rolling, and that the seal is tucked about halfway up.

One advantage with tucking the neck seal is that if there's less risk of the seal "burping" air since air pressure against a tucked seal will go into the tuck and increase the sealing against your skin, while a flush seal will burp if you get a bit of air pressure against it. Underwater, a neck seal burp will probably give you a cold shower down the back, and on the surface the suit holds less air if you're not quite horizontal in the water.

I've done north of a hundred drysuit dives, in water down to 3-4 degrees C (37-40F). Most of them below 10 degrees C (50F). And some of those who I dive with probably have north of a thousand drysuit dives in our waters. They tuck, too.