Underwater Adhesive?

[Coops]

I have a D1 Spa and recently the plastic 'frame' that surrounds the underwater D1 logo came off. It obviously had been 'glued' there so i'm sure that it can be put back in place. Any recommendations about a glue/adhesive that works best in a Spa environment? I've read that some adhesives can actually be applied IN the water but i'll probably wait until i drain the spa and make the repair then.

[hot_water]

I have a D1 Spa and recently the plastic 'frame' that surrounds the underwater D1 logo came off. It obviously had been 'glued' there so i'm sure that it can be put back in place. Any recommendations about a glue/adhesive that works best in a Spa environment? I've read that some adhesives can actually be applied IN the water but i'll probably wait until i drain the spa and make the repair then.

I would avoid epoxy in this application. It is a mess to work with, and cleanup will be tough unless you use lacquer thinner on a rag... which is not the best for your shell, especially if it's an abs plastic shell.

Do not use krazy glue or other cyanoacrylate adhesives. Warm water is a slow solvent for these.

Also, do not use any adhesive containing any solvents that attack the shell. As mentioned your D1 may have an ABS plastic shell which is severely attacked by many chemical solvents, so be careful.

The easy solution, that will probably work fine, is to use a silicone adhesive/sealant - not a "caulk- or sealant- only product. Silicones stick well, are cheap, and the flexibility of the silicone holds up well to thermal expansion and contraction. With any adhesive, clean the bonding area on both parts well before gluing. Scuffing up the shell right under the frame, and the frame, with some 150 grit sandpaper will improve the adhesion quite a lot. Use new, clean sandpaper. Scrub the area well and wipe it clean with isopropyl alcohol afterwards, just before gluing, and let it dry thoroughly. You are best off to use a solid-colored material, not a clear silicone. The manufacturer has to put additional stuff in the silicone to make it clear and this degrades the properties. Avoid the products labelled for tub/shower/bathroom use. These contain a fungicide that you don't need (your water has sanitizer in it at all times) and may degrade the adhesive properties. VERY IMPORTANT - you want a silicone that smells like VINEGAR - most do. This means it contains acetic acid. If it doesn't smell like vinegar then it's an alcohol based product and WILL NOT stick nearly as well. Dont use it!!

Do NOT rig up clamps!! You don't want to squeeze out too much material. You need a decent thickness of silicone in there. I would just set the part and hold it with tape until dry. Give it at least a day to cure. Clean up any squeeze out with water and a rag or paper towel - no solvent.

Put the cover on the spa while it's curing. You don't want to an empty spa exposed to the sun, as it can damage the shell.

Good luck.

[Coops]

I have a D1 Spa and recently the plastic 'frame' that surrounds the underwater D1 logo came off. It obviously had been 'glued' there so i'm sure that it can be put back in place. Any recommendations about a glue/adhesive that works best in a Spa environment? I've read that some adhesives can actually be applied IN the water but i'll probably wait until i drain the spa and make the repair then.

I would avoid epoxy in this application. It is a mess to work with, and cleanup will be tough unless you use lacquer thinner on a rag... which is not the best for your shell, especially if it's an abs plastic shell.

Do not use krazy glue or other cyanoacrylate adhesives. Warm water is a slow solvent for these.

Also, do not use any adhesive containing any solvents that attack the shell. As mentioned your D1 may have an ABS plastic shell which is severely attacked by many chemical solvents, so be careful.

The easy solution, that will probably work fine, is to use a silicone adhesive/sealant - not a "caulk- or sealant- only product. Silicones stick well, are cheap, and the flexibility of the silicone holds up well to thermal expansion and contraction. With any adhesive, clean the bonding area on both parts well before gluing. Scuffing up the shell right under the frame, and the frame, with some 150 grit sandpaper will improve the adhesion quite a lot. Use new, clean sandpaper. Scrub the area well and wipe it clean with isopropyl alcohol afterwards, just before gluing, and let it dry thoroughly. You are best off to use a solid-colored material, not a clear silicone. The manufacturer has to put additional stuff in the silicone to make it clear and this degrades the properties. Avoid the products labelled for tub/shower/bathroom use. These contain a fungicide that you don't need (your water has sanitizer in it at all times) and may degrade the adhesive properties. VERY IMPORTANT - you want a silicone that smells like VINEGAR - most do. This means it contains acetic acid. If it doesn't smell like vinegar then it's an alcohol based product and WILL NOT stick nearly as well. Dont use it!!

Do NOT rig up clamps!! You don't want to squeeze out too much material. You need a decent thickness of silicone in there. I would just set the part and hold it with tape until dry. Give it at least a day to cure. Clean up any squeeze out with water and a rag or paper towel - no solvent.

Put the cover on the spa while it's curing. You don't want to an empty spa exposed to the sun, as it can damage the shell.

Good luck.

Thanks for the very detailed response. Just to clarify - I have the 'ultralife' shell. More importantly, I think, is that the 'frame' (narrow plastic oval) actually fits around the logo but the adhesive that was there before actually attaches directly to the plastic logo in the tub (not the spa shell). Not sure if this changes any of your recommendations - much appreciated!

[hot_water]

I have a D1 Spa and recently the plastic 'frame' that surrounds the underwater D1 logo came off. It obviously had been 'glued' there so i'm sure that it can be put back in place. Any recommendations about a glue/adhesive that works best in a Spa environment? I've read that some adhesives can actually be applied IN the water but i'll probably wait until i drain the spa and make the repair then.

I would avoid epoxy in this application. It is a mess to work with, and cleanup will be tough unless you use lacquer thinner on a rag... which is not the best for your shell, especially if it's an abs plastic shell.

Do not use krazy glue or other cyanoacrylate adhesives. Warm water is a slow solvent for these.

Also, do not use any adhesive containing any solvents that attack the shell. As mentioned your D1 may have an ABS plastic shell which is severely attacked by many chemical solvents, so be careful.

The easy solution, that will probably work fine, is to use a silicone adhesive/sealant - not a "caulk- or sealant- only product. Silicones stick well, are cheap, and the flexibility of the silicone holds up well to thermal expansion and contraction. With any adhesive, clean the bonding area on both parts well before gluing. Scuffing up the shell right under the frame, and the frame, with some 150 grit sandpaper will improve the adhesion quite a lot. Use new, clean sandpaper. Scrub the area well and wipe it clean with isopropyl alcohol afterwards, just before gluing, and let it dry thoroughly. You are best off to use a solid-colored material, not a clear silicone. The manufacturer has to put additional stuff in the silicone to make it clear and this degrades the properties. Avoid the products labelled for tub/shower/bathroom use. These contain a fungicide that you don't need (your water has sanitizer in it at all times) and may degrade the adhesive properties. VERY IMPORTANT - you want a silicone that smells like VINEGAR - most do. This means it contains acetic acid. If it doesn't smell like vinegar then it's an alcohol based product and WILL NOT stick nearly as well. Dont use it!!

Do NOT rig up clamps!! You don't want to squeeze out too much material. You need a decent thickness of silicone in there. I would just set the part and hold it with tape until dry. Give it at least a day to cure. Clean up any squeeze out with water and a rag or paper towel - no solvent.

Put the cover on the spa while it's curing. You don't want to an empty spa exposed to the sun, as it can damage the shell.

Good luck.

Thanks for the very detailed response. Just to clarify - I have the 'ultralife' shell. More importantly, I think, is that the 'frame' (narrow plastic oval) actually fits around the logo but the adhesive that was there before actually attaches directly to the plastic logo in the tub (not the spa shell). Not sure if this changes any of your recommendations - much appreciated!

I would still go with the silicone. The logo is most likely still abs plastic.

Or, you can call D1 and find out what they used originally.... but keep in mind that it failed!

If you do elect to try an epoxy product, rough up the plastic even more to help the adhesive grip. And under no circumstances use 5 minute epoxy, or even 1 hour epoxy. Most of these (all that I have experience with) turn into a rubbery goo when exposed to water for extended time. You need the traditional 24 hour curing material. The best waterproof epoxy is IMO West Systems epoxy (used in wooden boat building) but it is super expensive for a single repair.

[crower]

If you are looking for an adhesive to help fix your problem, I know that Dow Corning has many different silicone adhesives for various jobs and different materials. I suggest you check them out to see if anything they have would be of good use for you. I've never personally used one of their sealants before- does anyone have any experience with Dow Corning adhesives?

[Dnepr Dave]

+1 on the silicone adhesive. Also, Devcon makes and underwater epoxy, it is available at West Marine stores. it was designed for underwater repairs of a boat's hull. Another one is Polyurethane adhesive, also available at Marine supply stores, it too is very water resistant. Water actually is the catalyst that makes it set.

Dave

[hot_water]

Dow Corning makes excellent silicones, as does GE. Always select colored over clear silicone - black, white, gray, etc. The clear formulations are not as strong nor as durable. And get a silicone that is acetic acid curing (smells like vinegar). There are alternate formulations that are alcohol curing, but these do not stick near as well. The difference is dramatic. The none-acid formulations are used on materials where the acetic acid will cause corrosion. After curing is completed, the acetic acid is not a problem.

[jcreely]

there is a website called www.underwatercaulk.com that has a collection of underwater products of all brands shapes and sizes. if they do not have something that will work, i don't think anyone will. I struggled to find something to fix my intex pool before i finally found a product that actually glued, cured and sealed underwater