DrySuitDave
Contributor
Colleagues,
I wanted to ask your opinions on a few things related to o-rings.
Allow me to preface my question with the following observations. I have run into some who state that o-rings must be religiously cleaned of all foreign debris. I watched one CCR user use q-tips to clean the o-rings of the hoses to the point of wetting the q-tips to hold down on the fine cotton fibers that can eject themselves, them observe some of the fibers attach to the o-rings and then remove those.
On another site, it is recommended that the scrubber cannister o-ring be re-lubricated ostensibly upon each scrubber repacking. On that note, I have seen a ccr with every o-ring heavily silicone lubricated to the point where there was excess silicone grease all over the inside of the scrubber bore. On that not, I have seen many refer to it as silicon, which is completely different from silicone.
Anyway, before I digress, the whole purpose of o-rings is to make up for surface imperfections and manufacturing dimensional differences. Lubricating an o-ring does not really make it a better sealer, it merely potentially prolongs its life by potentially keeping its surface supple longer. One can rapidly assess the condition of a substantial o-ring by running its surface between one's fingers, and o-rings.
Take an o-ring on a male DIN valve as in a 1st stage. In 30 years I have never had one faill to seal, and I have let these things go 5, 6 7 years. I have o-rings on my BC, some of my gear and drysuit that have not been replaced in 20 years. They still seal perfectly.
A drawback with silicone or florocarbon based greases are they hold debris. As to my habits, I do not lubricate o-rings ever and I would change them before they would start to harden.
Anyway, what are your thoughts and your o-ring checking/lubricating practices other then negative and positive loop pressure checks?
I wanted to ask your opinions on a few things related to o-rings.
Allow me to preface my question with the following observations. I have run into some who state that o-rings must be religiously cleaned of all foreign debris. I watched one CCR user use q-tips to clean the o-rings of the hoses to the point of wetting the q-tips to hold down on the fine cotton fibers that can eject themselves, them observe some of the fibers attach to the o-rings and then remove those.
On another site, it is recommended that the scrubber cannister o-ring be re-lubricated ostensibly upon each scrubber repacking. On that note, I have seen a ccr with every o-ring heavily silicone lubricated to the point where there was excess silicone grease all over the inside of the scrubber bore. On that not, I have seen many refer to it as silicon, which is completely different from silicone.
Anyway, before I digress, the whole purpose of o-rings is to make up for surface imperfections and manufacturing dimensional differences. Lubricating an o-ring does not really make it a better sealer, it merely potentially prolongs its life by potentially keeping its surface supple longer. One can rapidly assess the condition of a substantial o-ring by running its surface between one's fingers, and o-rings.
Take an o-ring on a male DIN valve as in a 1st stage. In 30 years I have never had one faill to seal, and I have let these things go 5, 6 7 years. I have o-rings on my BC, some of my gear and drysuit that have not been replaced in 20 years. They still seal perfectly.
A drawback with silicone or florocarbon based greases are they hold debris. As to my habits, I do not lubricate o-rings ever and I would change them before they would start to harden.
Anyway, what are your thoughts and your o-ring checking/lubricating practices other then negative and positive loop pressure checks?
