Maybe stupid question but do you fly with your o-rings in place or not?

 

i usually fly with my o-rings in place. And do notice there is a bit of vacuum in some of my plastic cases when we land due to the pressure change. Not sure if there is potential for fatigue or damage.

If you fly there is a good chance that the pressure differential can cause problems when back on the ground getting, for example, the port off the housing. You do need to be careful.

 

I do fly with o-rings in place but because I have a vacuum sensor, it is easy to "bleed" the system if there is a problem with the valve allowing pressures to be equalised. 

 

I do remember having a problem some years back - pre-vacuum valve - where I had the devil's own job getting a port off a housing when I had flown with the port in place on the housing.

On 3/18/2024 at 5:58 AM, Pomacentridae said:

Maybe stupid question but do you fly with your o-rings in place or not?

 

i usually fly with my o-rings in place. And do notice there is a bit of vacuum in some of my plastic cases when we land due to the pressure change. Not sure if there is potential for fatigue or damage.

It’s actually a very good question.  I have had great success putting all the relevant clean o-rings in a ziplock baggie and putting that in the travel case with my housing.  This includes o-rings for the housing, extensions, and strobes.  (Extra o-rings are also included)  If I do not fly with my body mounted in the housing, I put the baggie inside the housing.  I carry the appropriate grease in a separate baggie, also packed with the housing.  
 

This eliminates any vacuum potential and keeps all needed parts together.  Greasing and installing the o-rings takes just 1-2 minutes once at my destination. 

 

Edited March 19, 20241 yr by ChipBPhoto

It is quite possible to "vacuum" a housing together, most housings you would need to open it in flight and close it up again.  Housing clamps only need to be tight enough to pull down the housing to make an initial seal and the clamps may or may not be able to resist a small movement in the back of the housing due to internal pressure.  UW they rely on water pressure to keep them closed tight.

 

To explain a clamshell style housing if you fly with it closed with the clamps in place the air inside tries to push it open at altitude but the clamp stops it opening, it might move a bit but, not enough to unseat the o-ring.

 

But a housing with a flat back and a surface o-ring like an ikelite even if clamped only needs to lift the back a tiny amount to lose o-ring contact and lose the air inside, but when the plane lands external air pressure starts to push the back closed and you are left with a vacuum inside.

 

But if you have a vacuum valve you can release the vacuum and there is no problem.

 

It's also of course only a potential problem if you fly with a port mounted to the housing.  For packing I often have the plastic cover on front rather than a port and I can do what I like as the housing won't hold a vacuum - o-ring or no o-ring.

1 hour ago, Chris Ross said:

t's also of course only a potential problem if you fly with a port mounted to the housing.  For packing I often have the plastic cover on front rather than a port and I can do what I like as the housing won't hold a vacuum - o-ring or no o-ring.

 

Totally agree with Chris on this

4 hours ago, ChipBPhoto said:

It’s actually a very good question.  I have had great success putting all the relevant clean o-rings in a ziplock baggie and putting that in the travel case with my housing.  This includes o-rings for the housing, extensions, and strobes.  (Extra o-rings are also included)  If I do not fly with my body mounted in the housing, I put the baggie inside the housing.  I carry the appropriate grease in a separate baggie, also packed with the housing.  
 

This eliminates any vacuum potential and keeps all needed parts together.  Greasing and installing the o-rings takes just 1-2 minutes once at my destination. 

 

 

I'm just going to come out and say this is a bad idea. Just don't put a port on the housing when you pack it. Is that so hard? It's actually easier to pack this way. Many housing come with a non-sealed flat plastic cap to fit over the open port to keep it safe and clean. 

 

Removing orings and putting them in a bag risks loosing an oring you are going to need and contributes to overhandling and stretching. This leads to leaks. Many people also over lubricate them which again stretches them. The back oring does not need lubrication at all as it's static. Some manuals suggest lubing this, but it's not needed and makes it pick up more grit.

Less is more 😉

 

.

Edited March 19, 20241 yr by ChipBPhoto

3 hours ago, Dave_Hicks said:

 

I'm just going to come out and say this is a bad idea. Just don't put a port on the housing when you pack it. Is that so hard? It's actually easier to pack this way. Many housing come with a non-sealed flat plastic cap to fit over the open port to keep it safe and clean. 

 

This seems like a stretch to say it's a bad idea. If you have a vacuum system, it's easy to release. 

Not to mention I prefer to maximize my packing by using the empty space inside my housing and dome port by filling it with my camera and fisheye lens.

 

3 hours ago, Dave_Hicks said:

The back oring does not need lubrication at all as it's static. Some manuals suggest lubing this, but it's not needed and makes it pick up more grit.

 

My Nauticam housing slides over the main o-ring when closing. It's not a straight static seal like ikelite is. 

11 minutes ago, Lewis88 said:

 

This seems like a stretch to say it's a bad idea. If you have a vacuum system, it's easy to release. 

Not to mention I prefer to maximize my packing by using the empty space inside my housing and dome port by filling it with my camera and fisheye lens.

 

 

My Nauticam housing slides over the main o-ring when closing. It's not a straight static seal like ikelite is. 

 

Packing your camera inside your housing is a bad idea and can result in damage or alignment issues. I don't know about you, but I've seen a number of suitcases dropped from overhead bins, thunked off of curbs, and flung by baggage handlers. These impacts create a lot or stress and torsion on the camera mount and controls. You are much better off with the camera in a padded bag or backpack. I've done it in the past too, but learned to do better.

 

Most Nauticam housings I've owned or seen have the back o-ring in a captured grove, so entirely static. If yours is different, adjust accordingly. 

17 hours ago, Dave_Hicks said:

 

Packing your camera inside your housing is a bad idea and can result in damage or alignment issues. I don't know about you, but I've seen a number of suitcases dropped from overhead bins, thunked off of curbs, and flung by baggage handlers. These impacts create a lot or stress and torsion on the camera mount and controls. You are much better off with the camera in a padded bag or backpack. I've done it in the past too, but learned to do better.

 

Most Nauticam housings I've owned or seen have the back o-ring in a captured grove, so entirely static. If yours is different, adjust accordingly. 

 

My housing, camera, and other gear is packed in a pelican style carry on case, and only handled by me.

 

Yes the back o-ring is in a captured grove, but on clamshell housings, the back of the housing slides over the captured o-ring as it's seated by the housing close mechanism.

I remove the o rings.  I use to store in plastic baggies and put them in the housing (along with spare o rings).  I picked up a CD case/CD wallet and now use that to hold the o rings.  Makes it easier for me than the plastic baggies.  I label each sleeve and it is a easy check to make sure I did not forget to bring any with me.