TM 10-8400-203-23
9 -9. REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF INSULATED BOOTS- Continued
(b) Missing reinforcement pieces, such as foxing, toecaps, heel pieces, missing eyelets, tom eyelet stays,
missing valves.
(c) Rips, tears, and cuts in the rubber or in the surface of the boot.
(d) A weight increase in excess of 1 ounce (28 grams) of the weight imprinted on the heel of the boot.
(3) Specific Inspection.
(a) Immerse boots which show severe cracking (but are within 1-ounce weight increase) in water for 1
hour to a height above the areas of cracking. Use a suitable weight or other means to insure that no
water gets into the inside of the boot; wipe, dry, and reweigh the boot. If the weight increase does not
exceed 1 ounce over the weight imprinted on the heel, the boot will be considered serviceable.
(b) Subject the boots on which the valve appears defective to the air leak test as detailed in paragraph
e.(2) below. Replace an unsatisfactory valve.
e.
Testing. After the boot has been inspected and found free of defects, test the boot for leaks and excess moisture
in the insulation, using the following methods:
(1) Insulation Valve Test. Use the test set, insulated boot, AN/GSM-83 (NSN 6685-00-868-8326) to determine
whether excess moisture is in the sealed insulation area. Operating and maintenance instructions are af-
fixed to the tester. A boot rejected by the leak tester will be discarded. A boot accepted by the leak tester
will be air-leak tested. (Figure 9-11.)
(2) Air-Leak Test. A boot that has been accepted by the test set, insulated boot, AN/GSM-83 will be tested on
the insulated boot Ieak tester (NSN 3520-00-752-8472) for leaks within the insulation area as follows (Fig-
ure 9-12):
(a) Remove laces and air release valve from boot.
(b) Fill tank with water to a height about 4inches (10.2 cm) below the top surface of the boot. (Water should
be added to the tank at intervals to maintain this level.) Allow sufficient time for small scattered bubbles
rising from the boot interior to dissipate. These bubbles are usually caused by trapped surface air es-
caping and do not necessarily indicate a leak
(c) Start air compressor motor.
(d) Close all six petcock valves.
9-18 Change 6
