how often do you guys lube your washers with silicone grease?

[cneal]

Catherine,

Ikelite cntrols use multiple o-rings and are not designed for user maintenance. These are one of the items taken care of during the yearly service when the housing goes back to Ikelite.

Carl

 

[henryfd]

Catherine,

Ikelite cntrols use multiple o-rings and are not designed for user maintenance. These are one of the items taken care of during the yearly service when the housing goes back to Ikelite.

Carl

Hallo, I am new to ikelite housing; is it really necessary to send back the housing for a yearly service? How many dives I should count before sending it back? Notice that I live in Italy , so it will take some time and money to send it back.
Thanks for answering
Henryfd

 

[Kim]

is there special silicone grease? my pack came with a small tube. if that runs out can i use the silicone grease i use for my dive gear?

Be careful with this one. I don't know your case but with the Olys you have to use their grease - not just normal grease. I can't remember exactly what the difference is - there was a thread about this a while back which you should be able to find with a little searching. I also remember some stories of camera floods as a result of using the wrong one - maybe from justleesa?

edit: here you go - http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=61479&highlight=silicon+grease

 

[swisstrav]

wherever you go - pertrojelly will do. there is no need to use special grease on your o-rings. the reason for greasing them is only to make them move more easely in the grove and thus making sealing more reliable. of corse you can use the grease recommended by the manufacturer but basically there is no need for it.

generally speaking i make the experience, that people tend to remove seals way to many times. in technical applications one never uses an o-ring twice. so my advise, before closing the hausing check the o-ring seal (surface) with your fingertip. can you not feel any debrise and still feel some grease just close the lid. is the surface clean but not greasy anymore - just add some very little grease with your fingertip and distribute evenly.

if the o-ring gets to messy, remove it, clean it, grease it and install it (clean also the grove as well. a q-tip and alcohol on metall-housings will do an excellent job) do not forget to clean the mating surface as well.

seals on knobs and levers and so on don't need much maintenance. this shows how forgiving these seals actally are. if possible after a few years of usage remove them, if available put new seals in or just remove the shaft, inspect it grease it and put it together again. (for a first trial after your overhaul, go for a dive without camera in the housing)

for exact procedures consult your manual. i was briefly on ikelite-homepage but could not find any information. therefore i would asume that no shorttime maintenance is required to the fix installed seals

sorry for my spelling

 

[Charlie99]

wherever you go - pertrojelly will do. there is no need to use special grease on your o-rings.

The manuals for some housings state that the o-rings are not the normal rubber/viton and certain greases will cause them to swell, perhaps causing the housing to flood.

I haven't personally verified that using something like "pertrojelly" will cause problems, but after comparing the cost of a dab of grease vs. the cost of replacing a camera I decided to be cautious and follow the manufacturer's recommendation.

 

[VaughnBuck]

Be careful with this one. I don't know your case but with the Olys you have to use their grease - not just normal grease. I can't remember exactly what the difference is - there was a thread about this a while back which you should be able to find with a little searching. I also remember some stories of camera floods as a result of using the wrong one - maybe from justleesa?

edit: here you go - http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=61479&highlight=silicon+grease

With my new HP they indicate their grease OR a 100% pure silicon grease. I guess their must be silicon greases that add other substances. Those substances could harm the O Ring. Better to use manufacturers grease if you can get it, better safe than sorry.

 

[ssra30]

I usually just use generic silicone grease I bought from my local divestore. I clean it well at the beginning of the trip then only after every few days or if I notice any dirt/sand on the o-ring. I less I tamper with the housing, the better