Leaking TiZip
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 12:59 pm
I had a new Masterseal10 TiZip zipper installed on my older TS350 suit last September, and was hopeful that it would turn it from a semi-dry suit back into a dry suit.
It didn't. It was better, but water still was getting in.
Pressure tested it again, inflating it with air, and sprayed with soapy water. Found some bubbles near the edge of the dump valve. I ended up re-bedding both the inflation and exhaust valves,...and was hopeful that it would turn it from a semi-dry suit back into a dry suit.
It didn't. :angry:
Left sleeve still wet, along with a bit on the chest (figured it was just pooling at lowest point).
Turned the suit inside out, plugged the seals and filled it with water...
...and finally found the leak:
With the color overlay the suit has, I had just assumed the bubbles were coming from the exhaust valve. Sure enough, pin hole 1/2 inch from the edge of of the valve.
Unfortunately - the pinhole was not the only leak:
Water is actually coming in between the teeth of the zipper. It's not gushing, but consistently seeping. Not sure what I'm going to do at this point. I dove the suit last night, and now that the pinhole is sealed the water intrusion is much less - but it's still coming in...right along the zipper (and here's my endorsement for Weezle - I was bone dry, but the drysuit liner and the Weezle's outer fabric were not).
The Masterseal10 zipper is rated at 500mbar, which (if I found the right conversion) is just over 7psi. The Tizip Superseal zipper is rated at 700mbar (10psi). I didn't do this math beforehand, and trusted that Tizip's claims that it was designed for drysuit use. Now I wonder if this rating is sufficient for diving(?). Filling the suit with water did enhance the pressure, but I'm not sure this wouldn't be replicated at depth.
Anyone else using a Tizip experiencing seepage?
It didn't. It was better, but water still was getting in.
Pressure tested it again, inflating it with air, and sprayed with soapy water. Found some bubbles near the edge of the dump valve. I ended up re-bedding both the inflation and exhaust valves,...and was hopeful that it would turn it from a semi-dry suit back into a dry suit.
It didn't. :angry:
Left sleeve still wet, along with a bit on the chest (figured it was just pooling at lowest point).
Turned the suit inside out, plugged the seals and filled it with water...
...and finally found the leak:
With the color overlay the suit has, I had just assumed the bubbles were coming from the exhaust valve. Sure enough, pin hole 1/2 inch from the edge of of the valve.
Unfortunately - the pinhole was not the only leak:
Water is actually coming in between the teeth of the zipper. It's not gushing, but consistently seeping. Not sure what I'm going to do at this point. I dove the suit last night, and now that the pinhole is sealed the water intrusion is much less - but it's still coming in...right along the zipper (and here's my endorsement for Weezle - I was bone dry, but the drysuit liner and the Weezle's outer fabric were not).
The Masterseal10 zipper is rated at 500mbar, which (if I found the right conversion) is just over 7psi. The Tizip Superseal zipper is rated at 700mbar (10psi). I didn't do this math beforehand, and trusted that Tizip's claims that it was designed for drysuit use. Now I wonder if this rating is sufficient for diving(?). Filling the suit with water did enhance the pressure, but I'm not sure this wouldn't be replicated at depth.
Anyone else using a Tizip experiencing seepage?