Drysuit slowly filling with air?

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Bigeclipse

Contributor
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Location
USA - New York
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Last two dives my drysuut has been slowly inflating with air. I took apart my inflator valve and cleaned it and it happened again. The weird thing is it only seems to be happening when I'm in cold and deep 80ft or so of water. Thoughts?
 
What type of inflator is it? If its the SiTech, like mine, then the cause is usually either the orings have dried up inside or there is some water borne residue inside the valve. As you noted, I do notice that this stickiness is more often in deeper dives at the 45*F temp range and lower.

There are a few how-to's on servicing the Sitech inflators around. Some recommend squirting silicone lube inside the valve LP connector and then working the valve to distribute the lubricant. I haven't had much long term luck with that option and have, instead, disassembled mine and lightly lubed the o-rings with silicone grease.

I've noticed its a service I've had to do every year here in cold water country.
 
1) Become adept at unplugging your suit inflator hose.
2) Try squirting a little silicone spray into the inflator fitting and a small amount around the button.
 
Take it out, hook it up to pressure, and put it in water. It should not leak. If it does replace the O-rings and check for scoring on the bore walls.
 
IP Creep???
 
1) Become adept at unplugging your suit inflator hose.
2) Try squirting a little silicone spray into the inflator fitting and a small amount around the button.
Oh believe me...I am now a pro at hooking and unhook in it up under water lol. I did take it apart that day and cleaned it up but did not put lube on it. After I cleaned ot...we went back in and dropped down to about 70 ft in 50f water. At the bottom I hovered all seemed ok. We got to our first nav point about 5 min later. I hovered again. Soon began to be floaty. I let some air out. Hovered neutral but then I could feel the suit slightly beginning to fill so I unplugged the inflator. Re-plugged it and all was right again. I think it really needs a good cleaning and lubing.

Only question I have remaining is how far to screw the screws down. To far and the button does not work...not far enough and it sticks way out
 
but did not put lube on it.
Probably not the best practice.

Only question I have remaining is how far to screw the screws down. To far and the button does not work...not far enough and it sticks way out

??? Screws in a drysuit inflator? I think we need minimum a brand name here, better yet a picture. Never seen a suit inflator with screws in it, and I've seen a bunch. Well, under the button in the SiTech there is a small screw, actually more of a bolt with a hex head. It's part of the way it's assembled. But tightening that (reasonably) does not affect the function.

Note - when you unplug the hose, then plug it back in and inflate you are likely sending new saltwater into the valve. Not hooking up, fixing this on descent, and doing this is a common source of contamination.
 
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Probably not the best practice.



??? Screws in a drysuit inflator? I think we need minimum a brand name here, better yet a picture. Never seen a suit inflator with screws in it, and I've seen a bunch. Well, under the button in the SiTech there is a small screw, actually more of a bolt with a hex head. It's part of the way it's assembled. But tightening that (reasonably) does not affect the function.

Note - when you unplug the hose, then plug it back in and inflate you are likely sending new saltwater into the valve. Not hooking up, fixing this on descent, and doing this is a common source of contamination.
I am diving only freshwater. It is a sitech valve and I was talking about the hex bolt. If you tighten it all the way down then the bottom will not move at all. So how far down does one tighten this?
 
You fully tighten it. The system is simply a bolt and a nut, hex bolt on top, some kind of nut on the bottom (they keep changing the nut). In between is the shaft, 2 O-rings, and spring.
Lube it with silicone (no petroleum product) and make sure you put it back together correctly. It should move freely.
SiTech drysuit exhaust valve disassembly
 

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