When to use grease on dive housing or gaskets of action cams?

[fuzzybabybunny]

I've heard of a lot of people who take their waterproof action cams diving ending up with water ingress, despite diving well within the depth limits stated by the camera and some users reporting that they check to make sure the gaskets are clean of lint or grit before diving.

These action cams use flat gaskets instead of o-rings and they generally don't latch closed very strongly like a dive case does.

Are there inherent design problems with the way waterproof action cams are water sealed? Should the gaskets be lightly greased? What are best practices for sealing waterproof action cams for shallow swimming / snorkeling (other than using a dive case)?

 

[Bigbella]

I've heard of a lot of people who take their waterproof action cams diving ending up with water ingress, despite diving well within the depth limits stated by the camera and some users reporting that they check to make sure the gaskets are clean of lint or grit before diving.

These action cams use flat gaskets instead of o-rings and they generally don't latch closed very strongly like a dive case does.

Are there inherent design problems with the way waterproof action cams are water sealed? Should the gaskets be lightly greased? What are best practices for sealing waterproof action cams for shallow swimming / snorkeling (other than using a dive case)?

Most of those issues with "action cameras" such as GoPro, often stem from a broader unfamiliarity with UW camera equipment maintenance (which was once a far more costly affair, for the entry-level video / still cameras, and now available to a great many) -- and that all-too important requirement to keep the o-ring / gasket(s) absolutely clean, more than just providing a cursory examination. When in doubt, I'll take a loupe to both the seal and sealing surfaces and clean it out with a swab. Even an errant eyelash or the tiniest grit can cause a leak in a housing, especially in the shallows, where the seal is at its weakest, and far more vulnerable.

Knock on wood, I have never had any issue with GoPro housings, which don't recommend any lubrication on their O-ring / gasket, if I recall correctly. Depending upon the elastomer, an addition of grease could actually cause the rubber to swell and even disrupt a seal . . .

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Most of those issues with "action cameras" such as GoPro, often stem from a broader unfamiliarity with UW camera equipment maintenance (which was once a far more costly affair, for the entry-level video / still cameras, and now available to a great many) -- and that all-too important requirement to keep the o-ring / gasket(s) absolutely clean, more than just providing a cursory examination. When in doubt, I'll take a loupe to both the seal and sealing surfaces and clean it out with a swab. Even an errant eyelash or the tiniest grit can cause a leak in a housing, especially in the shallows, where the seal is at its weakest, and far more vulnerable.

Knock on wood, I have never had any issue with GoPro housings, which don't recommend any lubrication on their O-ring / gasket, if I recall correctly. Depending upon the elastomer, an addition of grease could actually cause the rubber to swell and even disrupt a seal . . .

Ok, so it seems like there is no hard and fast rule about when to use grease and when not to since it depends on the material compatibility of the gasket / o-ring?

One of the big issues I have with action cameras is eventual degradation of the gasket material. Through use in rugged environments unrelated to diving they may develop imperfections that a normal dive case may not accumulate as readily, plus these action cam seals don't seem to be easily replaceable, while o-rings are.

So this is why I'm wondering if something like grease (or something else) can kind of hedge against these additional risks.

 

[Jeff_O]

I have a lesser GoPro, SJ Cam 2000 WiFi. The waterproof housing is very similar. I use a lighted magnifier to see while clean an inspection. It comes with 2 sealing doors. One not to keep water out as it has 2 slits that allow better sound recordings. This may help that the waterproof door can be kept out of the sun while the other door used for motorcycle cam is on the helmet. Silicone paste grease in a tube is better purchased that way than in the tub. The tube keeps air out fully and it lasts better. Tacky tub paste you can have problems to the point it should be thrown out. I just want a very thin coating, so a lint free micro fiber cloth wipes most all off. I only just recently used the cam to scuba dive and it did not leak at depth of about 40ft. For wind surfing I had used it, and if I had fallen in at say 20mph maybe that already told me that it could keep water out. This being the speed in which entered the water equates to more than the depth actual. If you slowly dunk in, that is more like the JIS7 rating method 3ft 30min. One other thing I will remove both doors of the case and remove cam to store when not in use. The crushing effect to the seal is reduced over the life of it. The case and cam checked all over again before using again.