O-Ring Removal between Dive Days

Maybe this was covered in a previous topic, but I couldn't find it. The others skirted the issue.

On a live-aboard using a DSLR housing, do you remove any of the O-rings over night? or just leave the cables connected and the back plate , strobe battery seals, and port firmly locked on?

For longer periods, say 1 month, between dives is it necesary or remove synch cable o-rings, port o-rings, and the main housing o-ring?

With my P&S, I always took the main housing o-ring and strobe battery seal off and left them in a Zip-Lock baggie if I wasn't diving for a month.

I never disassemble my housing and set up during a dive trip. Of course usually every O ring gets removed and serviced at some point during a trip as things get changed around. I subscribe to the old axiom that if the O ring didn't leak on the last dive it won't on the next unless you mess with it.

Hi Pat,

I think that this is a difficult topic to give advice on, because I am not aware that anyone has ever proved if on method is better than another.

Many photographers I know never clean their camera during a trip. Personally I clean my o-rings everytime I move them. It only takes a minute. And generally this means cleaning the main o-ring and port o-ring each dive. I like to change lenses for most dives as I find the new perspective of a different lens motivates me and makes me take better pix. It is just a personal thing. I tend to clean the synch cord every couple of days.

I have never had a flood with any of my slr (film then digital) housings. That said I have seen many camera's flood directly after being cleaned with people not seating o-rings correctly etc! I have also seen many o-rings leak when they were "fine on the last dive".

Another thing to consider are the diving conditions. If you shore diving off a sand beach, your o-rings will collect lots of sand, while if you are boat diving in open water they will probably stay very clean.

But as I said at the top I am not convinced that there is a right or wrong. I would suggest you should decide what routine you are going to do and then stick with it. That way should you have a flood you won't kick yourself for not doing what you planned.

Alex

Thanks guys! Your insight and past experiences help a lot.

I typically don't clean the orings unless I see sand around them when I'm opening the housing up to change a battery or memory card. If the oring has no contaminants, I'll leave it as-is for the next dive. The only flood I've ever had was when I failed to seat the camera correctly. I think the big thing is don't ever open and close a housing in a hurry. Take your time, inspect everything and you should be fine.

If it isn't broke don't fix it. Keep your o-rings clean. If that requires removing them to remove debris ok, otherwise leave them alone. I'm with davephdv.

Whenever I crack a seal I clean the oring and the sealing surface. This way I can convince myself that the seal is clean again and that there isn't any foreign matter on the sealing surfaces. That's part of the reason that I modified my housing to be able to download without opening the housing. That way I only need to change camera batteries every few days.

I agree with mark, if i break a seal both the oring and sealing surface get a good cleaning and re-lube no matter what. I always worry that a hair or speck of sand or drop of water may slip under the oring whenever its not fully sealed.

That said I try not to break seals like sync cables over multiple days if not necessary.

Chris