Is slow leakage normal with the DTR air?

[snowman]

I'm just starting to use the DTR air setup, and it is way too soon to tell if it really works, but it does seem to be a comfortable way to get a fair amount of tension. I have used it both with and without the wrap that Chuck supplies. Don't know if it makes a difference...

I do notice that if I inflate with high lung pressure, over the next 20-30 minutes some of the pressure seems to dissipate, leaving me with a lesser, though still reasonable level of inflation. Is this to be expected? I don't see any obvious leaks, but it doesn't take much with the small volume we are talking about here.

I have been restoring for something like 6 years, more off than on. I think I probably started as CI-2+, and now I seem to be a sort of generous CI-3, unable to get over the hump to CI-4. I've been working more diligently since late Fall, and I hope to see something by Spring. I have given myself a very informal deadline of June to see something concrete. That may change if I sense that something is starting to change.

I'm 61 now, and I suspect change is much slower now than if I were younger, but what the hell, I'm retired, so why not this?

[admin]

Originally Posted by snowman

I'm just starting to use the DTR air setup, and it is way too soon to tell if it really works, but it does seem to be a comfortable way to get a fair amount of tension. I have used it both with and without the wrap that Chuck supplies. Don't know if it makes a difference...

I do notice that if I inflate with high lung pressure, over the next 20-30 minutes some of the pressure seems to dissipate, leaving me with a lesser, though still reasonable level of inflation. Is this to be expected? I don't see any obvious leaks, but it doesn't take much with the small volume we are talking about here.

I have been restoring for something like 6 years, more off than on. I think I probably started as CI-2+, and now I seem to be a sort of generous CI-3, unable to get over the hump to CI-4. I've been working more diligently since late Fall, and I hope to see something by Spring. I have given myself a very informal deadline of June to see something concrete. That may change if I sense that something is starting to change.

I'm 61 now, and I suspect change is much slower now than if I were younger, but what the hell, I'm retired, so why not this?

The TLC Air devices also seem to lose most of the pressure within say an hour. I hope it's not going up the urethra.

[snowman]

Don't think so. I'm careful to tape over the meatus, so it doesn't go there. Putting an elastic from vegetable packaging over the outer cone seems to help quite a bit. Saw that tip somewhere else on the forum here.

[freddys]

In my case, when the pressure seems to drop within 20 minutes, it is through a small fold of the skin caught between the two gripper: should I increase the pressure at that point, almost every time, the skin disengages and the pressure is lost, which requires removing the DTR. But often, the pressure has held for as long as 90 minutes, without noticeable loss.

[snowman]

Thanks. I'll keep my eyes peeled for this.

[syrinx12]

I basically quit using the DTR air for the reasons listed below. The only thing that I've found that really keeps air in, is wrapping the gripper tightly, but if you do that you also cut off circulation to that bit of skin. It's a good method, but only if you can get it to work correctly.

[snowman]

So what do folks suggest as an alternative that works better? I like the idea; the execution seems to be the problem.

[snuffy]

I had the same problem. I ended up using two grippers. One stays on the bell, the other goes over the skin. I than took a pretty thick o-ring and placed it in the groove between the plastic washer and the dtr. This allows the washer to provide more pressure on both grippers allowing for almost a perfect seal. The inner and outer gripper will allow you to get plenty of pressure without loosing your gripper off of the skin.

Hope that helps.

[snowman]

Interesting.

So, the sequence of things, from top of DTR, is:
- washer
- o-ring
- silicone cone on top of foreskin
- foreskin
- silicone cone on DTR
- DTR

Do you know what size o-ring you used? Where did you find it?

[snuffy]

My set up from top to bottom is as follows:

O-ring
Plastic Washer
Holeless Gripper
Foreskin
Holed gripper

I have since went back to using my DTR in its original configuration with the pusher plate. I left the double gripper and O-ring on it with now problems. So I can switch back and forth working seconds.

I'm an ex diesel mechanic, so spare O-rings laying around is a common occurance. The one I used is Black, .015 inch thick and about .60 inch in diameter. It needs to be thick to get that good seal. I had to use my fingernail to get it down in the groove.

You can find o-ring sets at your auto parts stores. If you have a Harbor Freight in town I would try there.

Let me know if I can help you further.