Lubricating "Buttons" on Housing

[Peter Guy]

My couple year old Canon housing's button are getting a little sticky. I've soaked it in vinegar/water and poked them all which seems to work somewhat, BUT, should I put a little (end of toothpick) O-ring grease on them from the inside (or outside?) and push/turn them to spread it out?

If not, what other suggestions for slightly sticky buttons?

Oh, I called someone (can't remember which outfit, but in the Bay Area?) who told me they won't work on/overhaul these housings.

 

[Underwater Ogre]

I had a few issues with corroded buttons on my Sealife housing. I used O ring silicone also, worked great.

 

[Larry C]

I've had good luck just dripping a little liquid silicone off a toothpick into each slot.

 

[Gilligan]

Ditto Larry C

 

[Peter Guy]

OK, what is "liquid silicone" or, more to the point, where do I get it?

 

[Larry C]

At the dive shop in a trigger squirt bottle. Works great on all sorts of sticky dive gear. If you can't find it locally, you can get it online from any of the guys whose ads are flashing overhead.

 

[Peter Guy]

I'll try again to ask and hope for a more informative answer.

For those of you who are using "liquid silicone" would you please be so kind as to provide me with the name/brand of the product?

"Mr. Google" provided me with numerous responses to "liquid silicone" some of which are apparently used to "lubricate your member" but most of which are to be used in injection molding (or injecting into various body parts). IF either of those are the right type, then thank you for the information. IF, on the other hand, there is another type that is more appropriate for the purpose of lubricating my housing buttons, I'd really appreciate your help.

 

[Larry C]

Here is one of the many popular brands found at dive shops.

Online Scuba Gear - 500 PSI Silicone Spray Pump Style

 

[aquanex]

All the above are good suggestions. I don't know what your post-dive housing rinse/cleaning regimen is but what has worked very well for me (3 housings with hundreds of dives -- no leaks) is to soak the housing overnight submerged in fresh water in your bathtub. Soaking really helps to minimize any salt crystal buildup on the o-rings.

 

[Charlie99]

Google for "silicone spray" or "food grade silicone spray" and you'll find more relevant hits.

I also use a few drops of this, delivered via toothpick to keep the buttons nice and smoothly operating. This is an annual maintenance sort of thing -- not something I routinely do.

The stuff I'm using is a watery liquid, about the consistensy and color as milk. My guess is that the dive industry buys food grade silicone spray lube by the gallon and repackages it at 1,000% mark up for the dive market.

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Aquanex also has a good recommendation. When I return home I routinely throw the camera back into the same tall lemonade pitcher I used to test it for leaks before heading out to the divesite. Only after cleaning up the other gear, showering, etc. do I come back and fish out the camera. This seems to have eliminated the problem of salt crystals forming around the tiny button o-rings.