So - how often should I be getting my housing serviced? I dive at least once a week, generally more like 3 times, and I soak my gear after each dive day.
We have a trip to the Revillagigedos coming up, trying to decide whether to have my housing serviced before or after... I had it serviced when I bought it (used), about 75 dives ago.
(Oh - at least 1/2 - 2/3 of my dives are shore dives - there is a lot of carrying my equipment through the surf, which might be a bit harder on my gear than some boat dives).
Thanks - Allison
So - how often should I be getting my housing serviced?
Just like your regulator, right before it is about to fail.
75 dives isn't that long. My servicing is usually just to replace the main and port o-rings. But then again I'm not the best person to ask. I went 4 years without servicing my reg.
Assuming that 75 dives is within the last year, if the controls still operate smoothly and there are no signs of corrosion or fatigue then you should be good to go. It is recommended to service through-bulkhead controls each year (just like regulators ), but I have found that if you maintain the equipment well, these intervals can be extended.
75 dives is within the last 4 1/2 months! (I love San Diego...)
So, unless I notice sticking or anything unusual, I'll stick to once a year. Thanks!
IMO, it's the number of drying cycles that causes controls to become sticky, so you may need to do your service more frequently with that much diving. For example, when I'm on a multi-day trip, I try to prevent the housing from completely drying out between dives. I'll dry off the outside to remove the camera, but then reassemble the case and port, wet it again, and wrap it in something damp (like a hood). That keeps mechanical through-case fittings from drying out. When they dry, salts can form in tight spaces, casuing abrasion and stickiness.
What do others think of this approach? It has worked very well for me over the past 28 years.
IMO, it's the number of drying cycles that causes controls to become sticky, so you may need to do your service more frequently with that much diving. For example, when I'm on a multi-day trip, I try to prevent the housing from completely drying out between dives. I'll dry off the outside to remove the camera, but then reassemble the case and port, wet it again, and wrap it in something damp (like a hood). That keeps mechanical through-case fittings from drying out. When they dry, salts can form in tight spaces, casuing abrasion and stickiness.
What do others think of this approach? It has worked very well for me over the past 28 years.
Personally I do not remove the port during multi day dive trips unless I am changing to a different port. Almost all the floods I have seen are from something on the oring or the oring out of place, so I try to minimize the chance of this happening.
), but I have found that if you maintain the equipment well, these intervals can be extended.
