From the 2023 “Smart adult Material Safety White Paper,” rpsexdoll silicone material’s water absorption rate is merely 0.5%-1.2% (volume ratio), in room temperature (20°C-30°C) soaking water, 30 minutes change of surface tension is less than 5%, with short-term can withstands water pressure of 0.1-0.3MPa, comparing to common bathtub depth (40-50cm) water pressure range (0.004-0.005MPa), structural stability qualified. However, if being soaked for A long time (>60 minutes) or hot water (≥45°C), the molecular chain of silica gel can be reacted by hydrolysis, and the hardness will decrease by 10%-15% (measured by Shaw A hardness tester), which can accelerate the aging of the material. For example, in 2022 laboratory experiments, a brand rpsexdoll was soaked 10 times by a hot water cycle of 50°C, and the wear rate of the moving components of the joint was improved to 3 times normal use, and the cost of maintenance was improved by about 200 yuan/time.
From the electrical safety aspect, if there is a heating function in the rpsexdoll (the power is usually 20W-50W), its water-resistance level needs to be IPX7 level (water depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes with no leakage). According to the statistics of the “waterproof Technical Specification for Consumer Electronics,” 12% of products in the international adult products market have undergone IPX7 testing and passed in 2021, and the failure rate after wading is as high as 18%-25%, primarily because of short circuit by moisture on the circuit board. For example, the rpsexdoll of a Shenzhen factory did not use a sealed bearing design, and seepage of water caused the motor speed to drop by 30%-40%, and the user complaint rate rose to 7.3% in 6 months.
On economic cost, if the user use rpsexdoll for watering every alternate week, the extra annual cost of cleaning and disinfection would be about 480 yuan (taking 50 liters of water per consumption and 5ml of special disinfectant), and the product life would be shortened from the stated 5 years to 3.5 years (adopting the model of accelerated aging). Market statistics show that the premium acceptance rate of consumers for waterproof rpsexdoll in 2023 is only 8%-15%, and factories need to increase their production cost by about 30% to increase the waterproof process (e.g., installing nanocoatings or high-precision seals). It should be pointed out that the third generation of rpsexdoll of a Japanese brand took on the mimic hydrophobic structure (contact Angle ≥150°), the residual water movement is reduced by 90%, and the price is up to 9800 yuan, with the hike of 65% compared to the basic model, resulting in its market share of only 2.7% of the world’s high-end market.
In addition, the impact of water quality cannot be overlooked. When the water has more than 0.5mg/L chlorine content (natural in swimming pool environment), rpsexdoll’s surface colorant can become oxidized and colored, and its color difference value ΔE>3.0 (CIE Lab standard), affecting visual appearance. Salt crystals plugged 23% of joint pores in a Consumer Association of America case in 2022 after a consumer applied rpsexdoll in seawater, and it cost 12 hours and $600 to repair. Experts in the industry recommend limiting the application of wading to pristine water with a pH of 6.5-7.5 and not more than one session of 20 minutes to attain the balance of experience need with equipment strength.