What to do about a leaky suit?

[decidedlyodd]

I'd been diving locally in cold water (Pacific Northwest) for about a decade when I gradually stopped in 2018. It was a combination of being spoiled with dive travel to warmer destinations, a backlog of gear maintenance, and worst of all a leaky drysuit. It had been leaky for a year or two. I'd sent it in twice for repair. New zipper, some patching, but it still leaked, albeit less than before. The dealer said they couldn't find the leak but they would keep working on it. I gave up because I wanted to dive and was tired of the back and forth.

I finally got back in the water earlier this month. Everything I absolutely love about diving came back. It was so good to be back. However, I got absolutely drenched. Like feel all the water pour down your legs when standing up at the end of the dive, turn the suit upside down and pour several quarts of water out soaked. Worse than it has ever been before.

The suit is a custom Santi eMotion. I often get compliments from others on how great the suit looks, but I've never really loved it (except maybe the pockets). When I first bought it, it was too tight to don and doff. The distributor gave me a stock loaner suit while it was sent back to the factory for alterations. The stock suit fit great! I regret not offering to buy the loaner suit from the distributor. Even after the alterations, my suit is a pain to get in and out of but it's ok.

I'm at an impasse. I want to get back into diving, but as soon as my tanks are back from hydro this is going to be the next biggest obstacle.

Should I keep trying to get it repaired? Should I cut my losses and go buy something else? I don't think I will ever do custom again after all the hassles with this suit.

 

[loosenit2]

have you been able to isolate where the leak is coming from? if it has been tested for leaks and is fine are you sure that the neck seal and wrist seals are not cut too lose and are therefore leaking?

 

[lexvil]

Easiest way to start is if you have a pool available, put on light gray sweat suit, carry enough weight to sink and walk into the pool, as soon as you feel water leaking in get out, do a quick wipe down on the outside and take the suit off. You will have visible dark spots where water intruded, note the locations. Now with a strong light in a darkened room shine the light around from the inside, when you see the light coat with aqua seal.

it’s easier done than said.

 

[decidedlyodd]

have you been able to isolate where the leak is coming from? if it has been tested for leaks and is fine are you sure that the neck seal and wrist seals are not cut too lose and are therefore leaking?

It's in the right leg somewhere or possibly waist area, so unlikely to be a seal issue. Zipper has been replaced and I assume the shop's test would have found that.

I don't really have access to a pool but I suppose I could go down to the swimming beach on the lake and walk in

 

[loosenit2]

P-valve?

 

[BlueTrin]

Did the shop that did a repair do a pressure test?

 

[happy-diver]

 

[decidedlyodd]

P-valve?

I do have a p-valve on the suit but I never use it. I can take it off the suit but is there an easy way to patch the hole that's not permanent?

Did the shop that did a repair do a pressure test?

They did. The only leak they found was the zipper which they replaced, then retested.

 

[loosenit2]

I asked about the p-valve because last year my p-valve leaked some of the time in the leg with the p-valve; ruined a few dives. I replaced the gasket ( Dive Rite Relief Valve-to-Drysuit Inside/Outside Gasket ) and it never leaked again. Was a simple change, unscrew p-valve from suit, holding p-valve on inside and unscrewing nut on outside, slip in new flanges, and then screw p-valve back together.

 

[admikar]

OP said water would go down his legs, so I don't think it's P-valve.
Pressure test might give false result, if hole is of certain shape/origin. That video from happy-diver's post might show no leaks, but water would still get in. You want to do pressure test from outside-in. Some holes can act as a flap and hold pressure from inside the suit, but when you get in the water, they would open and let water in..
Best advice is gray undersuit and quick dunk to try and find area where it leaks.