This is my first posting to DigiDeep.

How often does everyone get their housings serviced, and does it depend on the brand of housing you are using?

I have been shooting with a Nikonos for years and am about to make the leap into digital.  I was informed that most housings use single O-rings on their buttons and the housings should be serviced yearly.  However, the Subal is different and can be serviced every 3 years.  I was told my Nikonos was supposed to be serviced yearly and I have never had it serviced in 15 years.  I don’t live anywhere close where I could have it seviced, which means having to ship it away for maintanence.

I just clean all the main body/port O rings after a days diving, remove them from the housing and store them in a plastic zip-lock bag (this lets them retain their original shape - stops them getting flat spots). Replace them every two years if they start looking sad :-(
All of the control buttons (and there are lots on digital housings) I lubricate with one drop of Food Grade Silicon every 10 dives or when storing without use for longer than a month. I use an eye dropper to put a drop on each control button and dial shaft . A product is available from your local dive store named “Silicon Pump”, or visit McNett http://www.mcnett.com/.
This will keep the ‘O’ rings on the control buttons/shafts lubricated and stop them from becoming tight to operate.
DO NOT get any of this silicon lube onto the front lens port or inside the housing. Wipe off any excess drips from the housing and operate the buttons and control dials a few times after lubricating.
If a control button is sticky after doing this lubrication process, send it to the manufacturer for O ring replacement, or do it yourself if your handy with tools!

Jeff, with all the warnings about using the “right” silicon grease from the manufacturer, and how the “wrong” grease can degrade the O-Ring, why is it that food grade silicon grease can be used for all types of O-rings?

David Scubadiver - 28 April 2008 06:52 PM

Jeff, with all the warnings about using the “right” silicon grease from the manufacturer, and how the “wrong” grease can degrade the O-Ring, why is it that food grade silicon grease can be used for all types of O-rings?

Hi David
The Silicon Pump is for use on push buttons and any moving controls, it isn’t actually a grease, it is a liquid lubricant. It is safe to use on all moving controls, as these only have rubber (buna) ‘O’ rings, which can be lubricated with many types of rubber grease or lubricant. Silicon ‘O’ Rings are not used on moving controls as the silicon material is too soft and pliable for this application. The Silicon Pump will not harm silicon ‘O’ rings, but it won’t stick to their surface, it will just run-off and not lubricate at-all.
All silicon ‘O’ rings used in camera housings should be lubricated with the manufacturer’s recommended silicon grease. These silicon ‘O’ rings are only used in non-moving situations (Main body ‘O’ ring, Port ‘O’ rings, port extensions etc.) and are coloured in yellow, blue, purple, green, red (ie. not black).
I hope this clarifies?