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Appreciation post: The soapy water trick for finding drysuit leaks
I was always confused about how to spot tiny leaks in my drysuit without missing any. My dive buddy showed me this method using dish soap and water. You mix it up, spray on the seams, and use a flashlight in a dark area. The bubbles show exactly where air is escaping. I tried it last week and found three leaks I never noticed before. Now I use it regularly to keep my gear in good shape. What do you guys think about this trick?
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emmawest2mo ago
Oh yeah, that's the classic method! I read about it in an old gear maintenance guide from a scuba forum, they said to use a really soapy mix and a spray bottle for the best coverage. It works because the soap reduces the water's surface tension so the air makes bubbles right at the leak spot. Super simple but way better than just dunking the whole suit and guessing.
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taraw162mo ago
My dive guide in Key Largo last year used that same soapy spray trick, @emmawest. He found a tiny leak in my buddy's suit that would've been a real pain to spot otherwise!
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johnthompson2mo ago
That trick saved my neck on a cold lake dive in Michigan last year. I like to add a tiny bit of glycerin to the soap mix, it makes the bubbles last longer so you can really see the leak path. Good call from your guide, @taraw16, because a slow leak in cold water just ruins the whole dive. Have you guys ever tried it on other gear like inflator hoses?
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