Olympus housing maintenance- need advice

I am using the C5050Z camera with the PT015 underwater housing.

In the PT015 manual there is no mention of any service for the o-ring

gaskets of the buttons, but only for the cover o-rings. Doesn't they need

any cleaning/lubrication ever?

If they do - where can I get the removal instructions ?

Hi Mr. Smirnov,

I think that due to the inexpensive cost of the housing it is advisable to purchase a new one rather than to try to service the individual button o-rings. This has been the consensus here at least.

Many users have gotten a good year's worth of diving on their housings without problems. I don't know what the current "PT Housing Record Holder" is though - probably someone with a 3040 and PT-010

Cheers

James

With out seeing how the shaft is held in place, my guess would be you could replace, or lube the individually o-rings if you could remove the retaining clip that holds the shafts in place. This is not usually a user friendly procedure and shouldn’t be done if your not confident with the correct procedure. I’d contact the manufacture and get their recommendations first.

If you post a few close up pictures of the controls I’ll give you my opinion.

Marc

I thought this might help you and others understand how a push button control works.

This is my design, but it’s probably similar to yours buttons.

The control penetrates the housing with a thin shaft. Under the push button there is a spring, that spring is pre loaded to a certain tension. The spring is pushing on a washer that is pushing on a o-ring. That’s what makes the seal. On the inside of the housing there is some sort of retaining clip that holds the spring at the pre loaded tension. If you can remove the inside retaining clip it all should come apart. Great care should be given to keeping the retaining clip in the same position

when reinstalling the control. Make sure you keep all the parts and the penetrating hole free of all foreign material when reinstalling. Even a hair could cause a bad seal and leak.

My own observation with my control are, they still have retained the original silicone lube and are still moving freely after 100 dives and about 18 months after their installation. I make sure I throughly wash my housing and spray water into all the push buttons after each use.

Marc

Many users have gotten a good year's worth of diving on their housings without problems

Ummmmm... you're kidding, right?

I'm only going to get one year's use out of a housing?

Nobody ever told me they were that... umm... "disposable".

Was that a serious comment?

Ness

Yes, but it really depends how much diving you do. I'm talking a year of diving weekly.

As for me, I advocate getting your housing serviced every year - and since this one is not servicable...

Cheers

James

Not only is the housing serviceable, it is serviceable by just about anyone. Take a look at the second article down in this library list. The steps you need to take are there, and a source for the o-rings has occupied a couple of different extended threads on DDNet's forum.

http://www.digitaldiver.info/library.php

I have replaced the "problem" o-ring in the mode dial (using the instructions referred to by Jeff) and my housing is doing okay. Of course, after service, it's a good idea to take the housing down on a dive without the camera or have it pressure tested at the local dive shop.

Regards,

Norman/Swordfish

Just a little aditional advise,

why don't you keep the shaft in vinigar or something over night since it is allready out!

Ok and ultrasound bath would be nicer but I don't keep one of htem at home! so vinegar will help to keep also the shaft nice and clean since after a year of saltwater use some of it gets stuck!

Happy Bubbles

thomhard :roll: