Greasy question
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maractwin
Contributor
F3, I was trying to quote relative parts of the Parker catalog. I find that their wording is not entirely clear on a lot of this. However, one part you got completely backwards. Parker Super O Lube is liquid silicone. You said so yourself, that it is "Polysiloxane polymer, silicone based polymer". Silicone is a class of chemicals, and they just named the specific one that they use.
My take after reading all of their materials on this is that Parker Super O Lube is not ideal for silicone, but is the best thing that they sell. I stand by my comment that there are non silicone-based lubes which are much better to use on these. Will it directly cause a leak? No. But it will, over time, cause the silicone O-ring to swell and stretch. That makes it harder to put the O-ring in the proper place, and more likely that it will pop out as you are closing your housing.
-Mark
My take after reading all of their materials on this is that Parker Super O Lube is not ideal for silicone, but is the best thing that they sell. I stand by my comment that there are non silicone-based lubes which are much better to use on these. Will it directly cause a leak? No. But it will, over time, cause the silicone O-ring to swell and stretch. That makes it harder to put the O-ring in the proper place, and more likely that it will pop out as you are closing your housing.
-Mark
discrepancy
Contributor
ScubaJorgen:
Well, ScubaJorgen, didn't you start one hell of a bunfight?! It appears that, like in the famous ad, 'Oils ain't oils, Sol!' Hope you have the answer you need, and BZ to you.
Greasing instructions for Oly red o-ring - DON"T. Its a silicone base o-ring. Grease will degrade it over time so why use any. Water makes an adequate lubricant for silicone o-rings. Several housing manufactuers that use silicone seals say DON"T GREASE in their manuals. O-rings are not rocket science. Alot of folks seem to over think their care & maintenance. Grease the black ones, don't grease the red ones. If I get a new toy with other colors (like the blue See & See rings) I change them to buna-N (the black ones). It just happens that I get these new o-rings from the S&S Service Center. Interesting?
Tortuga Roja
Guest
jcclink:
Now there is something I can totally agree with!!
Buna? Red? Blue? Black? Silicone? Helium? Acetone? Parker? Semiconductors? Find the exact size from another company to replace those that came with it?
or..... just use the included o-rings/grease and do what the manufacturer suggests. What can be simpler than that?
ChillyWaters
Contributor
jcclink:
Yup, but it wasn't suggested to use the Parker grease on these such o-rings. I believe it was argued that the grease could be used on any o-ring that requires greasing, no?
- ChillyWaters
No. Parker warns about using too much of their own grease on silicone o-rings because it will be regrade the base material over time. Super Lub is not a cure all. Typically there is not a good engineering reason to use any designer colored o-ring except black for u/w photo stuff. A couple of years ago the S&S Service Center told me that S&S ships items to the US with blue o-rings but ships with black rings elsewhere. This tells me there is no reason to use the blue ones. Silicone o-rings (red) are only used for ease of maintenance, meaning NO grease required - just keep it clean. They do not provide any better seal. I prefer to keep this stuff simple - all black o-rings & good quality generic silicone grease. My one & only red o-ring (Gates video housing) gets spit. Works great.
OP
ScubaJorgen
Contributor
I underestimated the impact of my question :gulp18:
It may be a case of 'one idiot can ask more than 10 wise guys can answer' ;-)
Anyway, thanks for the information. I appreciate that!
And ..uhm.. don't get overheated to much...
It may be a case of 'one idiot can ask more than 10 wise guys can answer' ;-)
Anyway, thanks for the information. I appreciate that!
And ..uhm.. don't get overheated to much...
f3nikon
Guest
From the Parker O-ring manual:
http://www.parker.com/o-ring/Literature/ORD5700.pdf
Page 3-5
3.1.5.2 Parker Super-O-Lube is an all-purpose O-ring lubricant. It is not a grease, but rather a high-viscosity silicone oil. It is especially useful as a seal lubricant. The temperature range is -54°C to 204°C (-65°F to 400°F).
Parker Super-O-Lube can be used as an assembly lubricant on ALL rubber polymers, including silicones.
(Note: Silicones require special consideration.)
Notes: 2. Use only a thin film of Super-O-Lube on silicone rubber if the temperature will exceed 149°C (300°F).
In addition, Parker Super-O-Lube has some unique advantages. It clings tenaciously to rubber or metal surface helping to prevent it from being flushed away by action of the system fluid. It has one of the widest temperature ranges of any seal lubricant available. It can be used for high pressure systems or in hard vacuum environments.
Super-O-Lube’s inert nature lends itself to a wide variety of fluid systems. Since there are no organic fillers, there can be no clogging of microfilters.
In addition to its outstanding performance in internal service, Parker Super-O-Lube gives protection to rubber polymers that are normally age sensitive.
Parker O-Ring Lubricants
3.1.5 Lubrication
Lubrication of O-ring seals is extremely important for installation and operation of dynamic seals as well as proper seating of static seals. The general rule for use of lubrication is: The greatest benefit in using a lubricant is obtained during the initial installation of the O-ring.
Lubricants are commonly used on O-rings and other elastomeric seals. Using a suitable grease or oil during assembly helps protect the O-ring from damage by abrasion, pinching, or cutting. It also helps to seat the O-ring properly, speeds up assembly operations, and makes automated assembly line procedures possible. An additional benefit is the protection that the lubricant provides as a surface film. Proper lubrication also helps protect some polymers from degradation by atmospheric elements such as ozone and its presence helps extend the service life of any O-ring.
End
I am not sure where you got this from?:
"No. Parker warns about using too much of their own grease on silicone o-rings because it will be regrade the base material over time."
"Greasing instructions for Oly red o-ring - DON"T. Its a silicone base o-ring. Grease will degrade it over time so why use any."
degrade the base material, where did this come from?
Also no grease on o-rings, well what about dynamic seals??? Moving rotating seals! USE no lube on these o-ring seals and the shaft will STRIP the o-ring material right off the O-RING!!!
Parker SUPER O LUBE... protect some polymers from degradation by atmospheric elements such as ozone and its presence helps extend the service life of any O-ring.
Or maybe you know more about o-rings than Parker themselves?
http://www.parker.com/o-ring/Literature/ORD5700.pdf
Page 3-5
3.1.5.2 Parker Super-O-Lube is an all-purpose O-ring lubricant. It is not a grease, but rather a high-viscosity silicone oil. It is especially useful as a seal lubricant. The temperature range is -54°C to 204°C (-65°F to 400°F).
Parker Super-O-Lube can be used as an assembly lubricant on ALL rubber polymers, including silicones.
(Note: Silicones require special consideration.)
Notes: 2. Use only a thin film of Super-O-Lube on silicone rubber if the temperature will exceed 149°C (300°F).
In addition, Parker Super-O-Lube has some unique advantages. It clings tenaciously to rubber or metal surface helping to prevent it from being flushed away by action of the system fluid. It has one of the widest temperature ranges of any seal lubricant available. It can be used for high pressure systems or in hard vacuum environments.
Super-O-Lube’s inert nature lends itself to a wide variety of fluid systems. Since there are no organic fillers, there can be no clogging of microfilters.
In addition to its outstanding performance in internal service, Parker Super-O-Lube gives protection to rubber polymers that are normally age sensitive.
Parker O-Ring Lubricants
3.1.5 Lubrication
Lubrication of O-ring seals is extremely important for installation and operation of dynamic seals as well as proper seating of static seals. The general rule for use of lubrication is: The greatest benefit in using a lubricant is obtained during the initial installation of the O-ring.
Lubricants are commonly used on O-rings and other elastomeric seals. Using a suitable grease or oil during assembly helps protect the O-ring from damage by abrasion, pinching, or cutting. It also helps to seat the O-ring properly, speeds up assembly operations, and makes automated assembly line procedures possible. An additional benefit is the protection that the lubricant provides as a surface film. Proper lubrication also helps protect some polymers from degradation by atmospheric elements such as ozone and its presence helps extend the service life of any O-ring.
End
I am not sure where you got this from?:
"No. Parker warns about using too much of their own grease on silicone o-rings because it will be regrade the base material over time."
"Greasing instructions for Oly red o-ring - DON"T. Its a silicone base o-ring. Grease will degrade it over time so why use any."
degrade the base material, where did this come from?
Also no grease on o-rings, well what about dynamic seals??? Moving rotating seals! USE no lube on these o-ring seals and the shaft will STRIP the o-ring material right off the O-RING!!!
Parker SUPER O LUBE... protect some polymers from degradation by atmospheric elements such as ozone and its presence helps extend the service life of any O-ring.
Or maybe you know more about o-rings than Parker themselves?
f3nikon
Guest
From the Parker Manual:
3.1.5.2 Parker Super-O-Lube is an all-purpose O-ring lubricant. It is not a grease, but rather a high-viscosity silicone oil.
Parker Super-O-Lube can be used as an assembly lubricant on all rubber polymers, including SILICONES.
Then we have this statment:
“The Parker Super O Lube is fine for buna (small hard black) O-rings, but don't use it on silicone O-rings like the main seal on your camera.”
“Even the Parker site on the page you linked says "Only a thin film of Super-O-Lube should be used with silicone rubber to prevent seal damage."
“That's because silicone lubricant will dissolve silicone rubber over time.”
"That's way the camera housing manufacturers specify a special lube for those O-rings. It's not make of silicone, it's lubricant *for* silicone."
Where did this come from or did you make this one up as well? Parker should rewrite their manual and you seem to know more about o-rings than Parker themselves!
3.1.5.2 Parker Super-O-Lube is an all-purpose O-ring lubricant. It is not a grease, but rather a high-viscosity silicone oil.
Parker Super-O-Lube can be used as an assembly lubricant on all rubber polymers, including SILICONES.
Then we have this statment:
“The Parker Super O Lube is fine for buna (small hard black) O-rings, but don't use it on silicone O-rings like the main seal on your camera.”
“Even the Parker site on the page you linked says "Only a thin film of Super-O-Lube should be used with silicone rubber to prevent seal damage."
“That's because silicone lubricant will dissolve silicone rubber over time.”
"That's way the camera housing manufacturers specify a special lube for those O-rings. It's not make of silicone, it's lubricant *for* silicone."
Where did this come from or did you make this one up as well? Parker should rewrite their manual and you seem to know more about o-rings than Parker themselves!
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