O-RINGS:
Maintenance of O rings is very important to keep your system from experiencing the “F” word, and by the “F” word we mean flood. There is no hard and fast rule on how often they need to be maintained. If you are diving in areas with lots of sand like most shore diving areas then you will need to maintain them pretty much every time you open the housing. On boats like live boards then once a day should suffice. O rings are the barrier that keeps the water away from you camera so their care is extremely important.
REMOVAL:
Use an O-ring removal tool or the corner of a credit card to ease the O-ring out of its groove. Never, ever use a knife, a pick or any sharp object to remove the O-ring. Using sharp implements can cause damage to the housings groove. You can use two hands by placing a finger on one side of the groove and a second finger about two inches away, then press down and push towards each other which should pop a section out of the groove. Then just use your fingers to pull it out.
CLEANING: You should try and clean your O-rings in an area that is free of possible contaminants like sand, hair, lint etc. Work in a well-lit area. Your fingertips are very sensitive and can detect crud on the O-rings fairly well. Gently pull the O-ring through your fingers which should remove most of the gunk. If you need more cleaning then a dab of dish soap on your fingertips should help clean them. Be careful as they can stretch so don’t pull them too hard.
LUBRICATION:
Your O-ring only needs a light sheen to it. A big problem is that people use too much grease. The grease is a lubricant not a sealant. Grease attracts gunk and hair so use the minimal amount. When you are done make sure nothing has attached itself to the clean O-ring such as hair or fibers. Use the grease your manufacturer recommends.
Sea & Sea Silicone Grease Blue |
Sea & Sea O-ring removal tool |
Backscatter AirLock Vacuum System with Manual Valve |
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