do I need to remove strobe O-rings and arm O-rings for flights?

[M DeM]

Obviously I'm removing the rings on my housing and lens ports (and extension rings), but do I need to remove *every* *single* *o-ring*?

The back of my Sea & Sea strobes. Remove?

 

[northernone]

Obviously I'm removing the rings on my housing and lens ports (and extension rings), but do I need to remove *every* *single* *o-ring*?

The back of my Sea & Sea strobes. Remove?

I remove anything that makes a pressure container. One oring per flash battery compartment, one for my housing (port and body only need one 'leak' to equalize).

Arms no, second oring on the same housing, also no.

 

[diversteve]

I don't remove any o-rimgs but just put a piece of tissue (or a sock) between the housing door b4 I pack it. Leave the back of the strobes unlocked also.

Although I'm quite sure my buddy flies with his sealed with batteries in place and has never had a problem. Once I thought I heard a little hiss when he opened it at sea level - we're higher. He either has S&S or Ikelite strobes.

No need to remove arm o-rings, they're for clamp friction not pressure.

 

[kelemvor]

Never occurred to me to do anything like that. I just travel with my camera stuff put together and sealed up. I do remove the batteries from the strobes, but then I close the strobes back up. So far it's worked out fine.

 

[kmarks]

I never remove o-rings or batteries. I keep my camera in the housing and batteries in compartments, that way there is less space taken up by compressible/expandable air. I always keep my gear in the cabin with me, not checked, so it sees a minimal pressure difference, and I don't open or close anything during the flight.

 

[ReadyDiverOne]

Yep me too. I’ve never removed the o rings from my housing, YS-D2 strobes or anything else. Never had any issues.

 

[ReadyDiverOne]

And yes, I too always carry my equipment on board, never check.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I remove the back housing O-ring, but that's all. I leave the strobe cables attached. The strobe arms are in a mesh bag. The camera and lens are in the housing and flat port is attached. The entire case is checked as it weighs more than forty pounds and is too large to carry on. It takes me about five minutes to reassemble everything when I get to my location.

 

[Akimbo]

It depends a lot on the design of the O-ring gland/groove, the mechanical closure, and surface areas involved. These images from the O-rings for Divers thread might help you decide. The general concept is you don't want the housing to be between hard and impossible to open if the inside pressure bleeds out in flight and sea level pressure seals it with so much force that you can't pry it open.

A large surface area and flat-faced O-ring seal like this with spring loaded closures would be a problem if you couldn't unscrew a small fitting to equalize the pressure.

A small piston-seal with a threaded closure like this has enough mechanical advantage to overcome differential pressure, if it leaked at altitude -- which it probably wouldn't.​

I can't think of any case where allowing a housing to equalize during a flight is a bad idea and plenty where not keeping it equalized can get really ugly.

 

[Laurie S.]

I always remove the o-ring from my housing, which Nauticam recommends to do. I also remove them from my Inon strobes and then screw the cap back in place lightly. I hand carry the batteries, and the housing and strobes go in my checked luggage due to the weight.