Does anyone actually send their housing back to the manufacturer for servicing? If so is it expensive and worth the cost? Or is it something I should look into doing myself when the time comes?

If you take really meticulous care of a housing, it may take many years before you need service. However if it is bad ugly shape and controls are sticking, misaligned, or leaking you should send it in. 

 

DIY is an option but i bet you don't have a way to pressure test it. If we are talking about a $4-5k housing, spend the money and do it right. If its your uncles old D70 housing, give it a try!

Dave gave a good hint already. I'll add mine.

 

I can speak only for Nauticam.

Yes I sent them once all the housings I had and usually they do a great job. But the question is: does your housing need service?

 

I always sent them for specific reasons: problems or buying used and not trusting its condition. 

I dive all year round and I'm lame with equipment. I sent my NA-GH5 to Nauticam five years ago and spent around 300 euros. I did everything through the official Nauticam dealer. Seeing how much housing prices have risen, maybe the service prices have too.

 

If you are fussy about rinsing and cleaning and have the vacuum system, you can go decades ahead in my opinion.

 

Here you have further comments on this topic:

 

Service of Nauticam extension rings

 

As the guys say, my experience also has been that it's rare that servicing is needed. Good soaks after use, working the controls whilst rinsing to help flush out salt deposits, wiping over with a soft cloth and good storage between trips. I've had several housings (all Subals) for 5 years and they have had hundreds of dives on them without servicing or incident.

 

The only time I have needed a service (a minor leak), I was living in the Caribbean and didn't send it back to the manufacturer (Subal) but had the job done at Reef Photo in Florida - which was quick and worked well.

 

I think the "where" to send it depends to an extent also on where the manufacturer is located for ease of transport, the complexity of the housing build - and what is available more locally. The Subals are much simpler internally than Nauticam and are, I suspect, easier to service and for that reason I'd be happy to use a reputable service provider, like Reef Photo. Just taking the back off a Nauticam and looking at the internal parts makes me feel giddy and I think I'd be sending it back to them! That said, I'm sure someone like Reef or Backscatter or Onderwaterhuis could be relied upon.

This has been discussed before.  The Nauticams are great to use but very complex inside so you would need to be very sure of yourself and meticulous.  Other housings are much simpler with an array of straight buttons with minimal offsets so it is easier to disassemble and put back together.  You need to source a service kit for all of the o-rings and may need to replace corroded shafts and other parts.  You should use new springs and e-clips as well.

 

I have seen a number of reports that Nauticam service is expensive but your housing comes back looking like new.

 

As others have said does it need service?  My EM-1 MkII housing is still working fine and is 7 years and near 300 dives old.  I soak mine and exercise the buttons after every session and dry throughly - I don't let water evaporate on the surface - this avoids water marks.  Soaking an exercising buttons is needed to flush salt water out - it won't leave of it's own accord.  If salt water is left it will eventually evaporate and become very concentrated and corrosive.

Completely agree with everything said above.  I would absolutely advise against trying to service the housing oneself.  It would be like owning a Ferrari and doing your own engine services.  There are a lot of tiny parts due to the intricate internal design.
 

In addition to soaking and articulating buttons in fresh water, Reef Photo gave me the tip to blow out the excess water from under the buttons when drying to keep residue from building up underneath.  I use an electric blower normally used to clean out computers.  ($30-50 on Amazon)  I was shocked how much blows out!  Making sure the housing is dried with a soft cloth will keep it from leaving milky water spots on the finish. 
 

I log roughly 200+ dives per year with mine.  If you take the time to clean it you will rarely, if ever, need to send it in for service.  Enjoy! 

Edited January 18, 20241 yr by ChipBPhoto

9 minutes ago, ChipBPhoto said:

Completely agree with everything said above.  I would absolutely advise against trying to service the housing oneself.  It would be like owning a Ferrari and doing your own engine services.  There are a lot of tiny parts due to the intricate internal design.
 

In addition to soaking and articulating buttons in fresh water, Reef Photo gave me the tip to blow out the excess water from under the buttons when drying to keep residue from building up underneath.  I use an electric blower normally used to clean out computers.  ($30-50 on Amazon)  I was shocked how much blows out!  Making sure the housing is dried with a soft cloth will keep it from leaving milky water spots on the finish. 
 

I log roughly 200+ dives per year with mine.  If you take the time to clean it you will rarely, if ever, need to send it in for service.  Enjoy! 

A handheld rocket blower also works quite well for blowing off excess water:

 

https://www.camerapro.com.au/4980-giottos-large-rocket-air-blower.html

Good call on the Rocket Blower.  This is what I use:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RKYWBD2/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A2KE1MJRDTDO9P&th=1

On 1/17/2024 at 2:27 PM, Chris Ross said:

A handheld rocket blower also works quite well for blowing off excess water:

 

https://www.camerapro.com.au/4980-giottos-large-rocket-air-blower.html

 

This is what I use.  

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Power-Tools/Specialty-Tools/Compact-Blowers/0884-20