PLBs Can Save Your Life

[outofofficebrb]

Brb, replacing the o-ring ever year or so is a good idea, and I hope that someone comes up with a good US source. I bought a couple from Hdvseatvek, shipped from Australia, for $12. More important is regreasing the o-ring. Mine leaked a little the first day on my last trip, no harm but not something you’d want to happen every day. I added a little silicone grease which fixed that for the rest of the week. I do open and check daily, good idea for any canister.

JD, I think you just want it snug as well as greased with silicone grease. Check daily as to ease of opening and leaked.

O-rings themselves are super inexpensive (pennies!) so once we have the size, material, and durometer. I'm hoping he will share the info but if not I suppose $12 for a few isn't bad if you only have to replace it yearly... I did notice that it came with A LOT of grease on the o-ring already, more so than anything I would ever put on anything else I have (lights, strobes, camera). I will report back on the functionality after diving with it compressed and tight...I have 83 dives scheduled on a trip that I am leaving on next week so it will be plenty of time to test it, use it, and provide some real feedback short of activating the PLB itself.

I think opening it to check it every day is probably a good idea. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[DandyDon]

I'm hoping he will share the info but if not I suppose $12 for a few isn't bad if you only have to replace it yearly

I agree. We do need to get the info on the o-rings and just buy them here.

I will report back on the functionality after diving with it compressed and tight

I would not tighten it more than snug.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
I think opening it to check it every day is probably a good idea. Thanks for the suggestion.

I have a different canister, the no-longer-produced McMurdo, but my thinking has been the opposite: do not open it often because each time the friction (though presumably lessened by silicone lube) stresses the o-rings and provides an opportunity for contaminants (e.g., dust, a hair, a grain of sand) to stick to the silicone lube.

 

[DandyDon]

no-longer-produced McMurdo

I rented one of those once years ago. Heavy! I was glad to find my nylon canister.

do not open it often because each time the friction (though presumably lessened by silicone lube) stresses the o-rings and provides an opportunity for contaminants (e.g., dust, a hair, a grain of sand) to stick to the silicone lube.

There's truth there, but how often do you open your camera housing? Caution & care indicated.

 

[outofofficebrb]

but my thinking has been the opposite: do not open it often because each time the friction (though presumably lessened by silicone lube) stresses the o-rings and provides an opportunity for contaminants (e.g., dust, a hair, a grain of sand) to stick to the silicone lube.

There's truth there, but how often do you open your camera housing? Caution & care indicated.

I can see the logic for both. Hmm.....

 

[Dan]

I think opening it to check it every day is probably a good idea. Thanks for the suggestion.

I believe of “don’t fix if it ain’t broke”. That’s why I have a clear case & some of the UW camera cases too. All I need to do is to pull it out of my BCD pocket and see if water/ moisture gets into it. I do clean the seal surfaces and silicon grease the o-ring before putting the PLB1 in it.

 

[Fastmarc]

... and if you don't open, how would you pick up that it might be leaking? Shake?

Tricky...

Edit: The clear case as above would solve this.

 

[-JD-]

I believe of “don’t fix if it ain’t broke”. That’s why I have a clear case & some of the UW camera cases too. All I need to do is to pull it out of my BCD pocket and see if water/ moisture gets into it. I do clean the seal surfaces and silicon grease the o-ring before putting the PLB1 in it.

That is one of the nice things about the UK lights, they have a clear acrylic dome top. Just invert and look.

 

[-JD-]

I found it impossible to open after compression.

Vertical or circumferential compression seal if you remember?

 

[outofofficebrb]

Vertical or circumferential compression seal if you remember?

If I am interpreting and understanding your question correctly, I believe it is circumferential. I can take a video of how the whole thing opens/closes, I suppose. Is that of interest?