Neoprene/nitrile?

mick

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I've just bought a bilge pump service kit in nitrile. I now find you can also get it in neoprene. Which is best?
 
I've just bought a bilge pump service kit in nitrile. I now find you can also get it in neoprene. Which is best?

If you check the chemical resistance chart here you will see that nitrile rates 1 against mineral oil, whereas neoprene (= polychloroprene) rates 2. Strangely, they rate the same in salt water, although the concentration is not given. In water they both score 1. However in diesel oil neoprene only gets 3, whereas nitrile is again 1.

In practical terms there is not a huge difference between the two but nitrile would be better in really oily bilges and especially if you are in the habit of pumping large volumes of diesel overboard..
 
The only time it'll make much practical difference to you is if it is a diagphram pump and is fitted in the open - Nitrile has very poor resistance to UV and Ozone whereas Neoprene is pretty good so daylight will reduce Nitrile to a hardened cracked mess in a season.
 
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