Maintaining the PT series housings

I have a PT-010 as a back-up/pool housing for my C3040. I normally house it in an Ikelite. My wife just got me a new C5050 which I would like to house, but I am concerned who will service all the non-user replaceable o-rings. I know Ike will service anything, no problem. Where would I turn for service on the PT-015?? If there is no way to service these housings in the US, why would I consider it as a primary housing?

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

Gerry

It's a good question, and I would also like to see the answers to this.

However, I don't live in the USA, and it would be even more difficult to have a PT-0XX serviced here.

Considering that these housing are relatively cheap, and servicing would be expensive, is the answer not to just replace the housing after a certain time.

In this case, when would start to regard these other O-rings as being unreliable???

I have a PT-010 as a back-up/pool housing for my C3040.  I normally house it in an Ikelite.  My wife just got me a new C5050 which I would like to house, but I am concerned who will service all the non-user replaceable o-rings.  I know Ike will service anything, no problem.  Where would I turn for service on the PT-015??  If there is no way to service these housings in the US, why would I consider it as a primary housing?

 

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Gerry

You can get the main O-rings from japan-direct.com or probably underwaterdigital.net. Chances are good that you'll upgrade before you'll need service on the other parts.

Look at it another way. The cost of the housing ~$300 is comparable to the cost service on most other housings.

The only time you would need to replace an O-ring for example, on a control button, would be if the housing was neglected. Leaving salt water to dry on the housing, then pushing the button, making a cut on the O-ring, or in the worst case, having the salt water corrode the button would make a repair/replacement necessary.

However, the reason why these O-rings are not user replaceable is due to the need for a pressure test.

Olympus does not supply these parts to their suppliers anymore, they only accept the housings back for work.

BTW, Herb, you forgot to mention me!

Who did you purchase it from? I always assure that I will assist in obtaining service if the case ever arises.

I would like to get some more information on how to maintain the PT015 housing after diving. I mean how to stock it when you won't dive for the next 10 weeks?

Do you have to close the housing? Or not ? Do you have to put some silicon grease on the O'rings before?

Thanks for your help

Karen

If you won't be diving for a long time (10 weeks for me is forever), remove the O-rings carefully with the pick. Put them in a ziploc bag and close the unit. Some recommend leaving the unit open.

The reason for taking the O-rings out is so that it won't develop a "set" i.e. become compressed in the position that the back is closed.

Before using the housing, lube and replace the O-rings and do a complete leak check, first without any camera inside the housing.

I will be adding this information to my Instructions page soon.

Tom at marinecamera.com sold me mine... and says he can service them.

Freddie

remove the O-rings carefully with the pick. Put them in a ziploc bag and close the unit

I would just like to add something to that:

remove the o-ring(s), clean them, lube them lightly and then store in a ziploc bag.

My housing has more than one o-ring (PT-015) and I like to put them in separate bags labelled 'body' and 'door'.

Oops, I didn't keep mine separate after the last trip. Are the two O-rings different? I didn't think about it...

-David

No, they're not different so you should have no problem if you've mixed them up. It's just a (pedantic ) habit of mine....

On a related subject, I just upgraded to a C5050 and PT-015, noticed that the front port ring does not have the slit the older PT housing have. The reason that's important, is that I have an older (type I) Inon lens and have to exchange that port ring with the Inon ring to make it work, and the Inon tool uses that slit to get that ring off. Has anybody taken the front ring off a PT-015? If so, what tool did you use?

If you won't be diving for a long time (10 weeks for me is forever), remove the O-rings carefully with the pick.  Put them in a ziploc bag and close the unit.  Some recommend leaving the unit open.

Thats an interesting one. Would this be a recommendation for all housings?

Any Oly Titan housing users out do this, assuming its not used for a while? I know Kasey uses the Titan, any others?

Mark

I would think that it would be standard recommendation for most other manufacturers so that the O-rings don't take a "set" i.e. become compressed.

Also, I didn't spell it out, but every time you take an O-ring out, you do preventive maintenance like clean dust/dirt/hair/salt crystals, etc. off of it and lube it. Thanks to ReyeR for the addition.

regarding the oly titan housing, I once asked an L&M rep about removing o-rings, and he said it wasn't as necessary with L&M housings as with others. I can imagine how that could be, you could use an o-ring material that doesn't take a set, and you can machine the metal so that the parts fit together well enough to never put too much pressure on an o-ring. But just the same, take them out. You need to take them out and clean/inspect them every once in a while. If you're too lazy to do that once in a while, this really isn't the hobby for you, unless you have *lot* of disposable money. I know people that take their o-rings out for a full cleaning and inspection with every roll of film. It really isn't too much to ask that you do it every dive trip.