Does anyone know whether the Nikonos RS O rings are made from:
Silicone - which requires that Floro-slicone grease (e.g. blue capped silicone from Sea & Sea or Molykote FS1292); OR
Non silicone or Black Nitrile (NBR) - which requires regular silicone grease like Molykote 111 OR petroluem gel
My thinking is that it is probably Silicone O rings (as it is Orange in colour as the old non silicone O rings used to be black). But I have since got confused because in Jim Church's book on the Nikonos system he explicitly said that no grease with silicone should be used on the Nikonos V or RS's O rings. As far as I am aware, if the O ring is silicone both Floro-silicone or regular silicone should work.
Can someone help clarify?
Thanks
Paul NG
If the o-ring is silicone just use spit as the lubricant. Grease is not required. Over time grease will be absorbed into the o-ring, causing it to swell & elongate. Or change it to Buna compound & use generic silicone grease.
I thought that the o-rings were just standard one - just coloured orange to make the bits visible on them. I always used standard Nikonos O ring grease on them.
Alex
I thought that the o-rings were just standard one - just coloured orange to make the bits visible on them. I always used standard Nikonos O ring grease on them.
Alex
My wife and I used RS's for a number of years -- from inception (I believe early 90's) until 2000. The orange O-rings were different from the Nikonos V orings and required a different grease, unfortunately I cannot remember the type. I do remember that if you used Nikonos V grease on the orange o-rings, the o-rings swelled and flooding was possible. I know that there was someone who made traditional black o-rings (Nikonos V) style for the RS. We did make the change, and then could use the Nikonos V grease. If my memory is correct I believe they came from Harold at Seacam in Germany and we may have used Stephen Frink to secure them. I don't know if they are still available, but these o-rings were easier to maintain, and they seemed to seal with less risk of slipping their channel then the orange o-rings. We had hundreds of dives with the RS and never a flood, but we fussed with the o-rings much more then we ever have with our housed cameras.
I would check with Southern Nikonos
www.southern-nikonos.com
(713) 462-5436
Email nikonosrepair@aol.com
On the Nikonos 5 system the orange o rings were for storage.The black for diving.Don't know about the RS though.
