Ikelite Housing Maintenance

I have a G9 with the Ikelite housing. I have taken it on 100+ dives. At what point do I need to send it back to Ikelite for maintenance? What kind of maintenance?

I bought the outfit used. After each dive, I keep the housing in warm, fresh water for 15 minutes, press all the buttons, turn all the levers. I clean/lube the seals every time I open the housing. At the end of my trip, I soak the housing in fresh, warm water and press all the buttons, look for wear, etc. I travel with and store the housing gasket lubed and sealed up in a ziplock baggie, not on the housing but inside it.

I'm headed back to Bonaire in late October, so I still have time to send it to Ikelite for service, if it's time.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Laura

Hi Laura,

You have the same rig and my son and I. Sometime around 300 saltwater dives would seem to be about right or every other year. Self-service is very easy and Ikelite supply control rods, springs, washers, o-rings in a kit for user replacement. HTH, Tim

For used Ikelite housings, I would recommend a complete service by Ikelite. They will replace all the o-rings and pressure test afterwards for proper factory specs.

After that, it is your decision to follow Ikelite's recommendation for annual service by them or do it yourself. You can pressure test yourself by lowering the housing empty clipped to a weighted line off a boat before you install the camera. It all comes down to how handy you are with tools and understand working with lexan, or if it is just easier to spend the money for certified factory service.

Bo

I have a G9 with the Ikelite housing. I have taken it on 100+ dives. At what point do I need to send it back to Ikelite for maintenance? What kind of maintenance?

 

I bought the outfit used. After each dive, I keep the housing in warm, fresh water for 15 minutes, press all the buttons, turn all the levers. I clean/lube the seals every time I open the housing. At the end of my trip, I soak the housing in fresh, warm water and press all the buttons, look for wear, etc. I travel with and store the housing gasket lubed and sealed up in a ziplock baggie, not on the housing but inside it.

 

I'm headed back to Bonaire in late October, so I still have time to send it to Ikelite for service, if it's time.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

Laura

For used Ikelite housings, I would recommend a complete service by Ikelite. They will replace all the o-rings and pressure test afterwards for proper factory specs.

 

After that, it is your decision to follow Ikelite's recommendation for annual service by them or do it yourself. You can pressure test yourself by lowering the housing empty clipped to a weighted line off a boat before you install the camera. It all comes down to how handy you are with tools and understand working with lexan, or if it is just easier to spend the money for certified factory service.

 

Bo

 

Thanks to both. I am handy with tools and am a professed DYIer. I usually take the housing down without the camera on my first dive of a trip to check out its integrity. After flooding the first G9 on its first dive with a Canon housing, I learned that the bathtub/paper towel test is not valid for diving! (Experience = made THAT mistake before.)

 

I really appreciate your help.

 

Laura

cboater,

servicing it by your own is not a big issue and you can get a "overhaul" kit from your dealer or mybe from Ikelite directly.

Here some hints:

Be very carful un- and redoing the new circlips, they are very small, weak and easily break in 2 pieces.

To remember what button was where, use a piece of cardboard or styrofoam and design the housing layout on it, then poke the buttons, orings, springs in their corresponding place so you know where they where.

The knobs can be cleaned quick and deeply with a inexpensive, small ultrasonic cleaner from home depot or soak them for a few minutes in white vinegar (not more as the vinegar will destoy the cromed surface).

When all is out, clean and degrease the housing troughly, dry it with compressed air, lubricate the o-rings with a thin layer of ikelite grease rubbing them between your fingers and reassemble all.

Chris

If you service the pull buttons, do not reuse the old c-clips. These are fragile & may break when being removed anyway. New o-rings & new c-clips. After service dive the empty housing to about 60ft. Push, pull, rotate everything that moves several times while checking for leaks. Then you're good to go.