What silicone to use for greasing?

[genady]

Hello.
What silicone to use for photo underwater boxes?

[SeaRat]

If you're talking about underwater camera housings, just about any silicone grease without additives will work. I have used a silicone grease I got from Ikelite, which should still be available from them.

What I do with my Ikelite housing is to take off the large O-ring, wipe it down with the silicone grease, and be sure to remove any sand particles from it too. I then take a Q-tip and run it in the groove to ensure that no sand or grit remains there, and lay the O-ring into the groove. I lubricate the other housing o-rings by first pulling the shaft out, wiping it dewn to remove any grit, and placing a bit of silicone grease around the shaft, then moving it up and down. This distributes the grease to the O-rings. I then wipe off any excess.

The importance of wiping down the O-rings, and removing any excess grease, cannot be over-emphasized. The grease is to revitalize the O-ring material, and is absorbed into the O-ring. But excess grease attracts sand to adhere to the surface of the O-ring, even when it is under pressure. Wiping it off keeps this buildup from occurring.

Here's what Ikelite says about the subject:

www.ikelite.com/web_pages/qmaintain.html

This works well for the main O-ring of the Nikonos cameras too. But it is impossible to do on the other Nikonos O-rings around shafts. This requires disassembly of the camera and probable replacement of these O-rings.

John

[nemrod]

Silicone grease should be available at dive shops. This is different from the spray/squit products. For O-rings you want a grease and then follow Sea Rats instructions, lube the O-ring and then wipe it down gently. Do not grease the grooves in the equipment but do clean them of old grease and grit so the freshly lubed O-ring can seat down correctly. James

[Ron Hearn]

Hi

Dive shops do sell silicone but I find they ask to much for such for a small quantity. That silicone sold in dive shops is Dow Corning food grade silicone lubricant, and if you can find the supplier in your area I would suggest calling them because you can get a 200 ml tube for $10 versus a thimble full for $16 from a dive shop. You can also get the same type of food grade silicone for oxygen rich applications as well in lieu of cristo lube.

Ron

[justleesa]

I had an oring swell on me by using the "wrong" oring grease, causing my housing to flood. Find out what the manufacturer suggests and use that. No matter the cost. Replacing the camera would cost you more.

When greasing, a dab the size of a rice corn should be enough (too much isn't good either).

[justleesa]

I had an oring swell on me by using the "wrong" oring grease, causing my housing to flood. Find out what the manufacturer suggests and use that. No matter the cost. Replacing the camera would cost you more.

When greasing, a dab the size of a rice corn should be enough (too much isn't good either).

[Ron Hearn]

Hi Justleesa

You greased your o-ring and your housing leaked, that sounds more like you just had to much grease on the o-ring rather than the swelling of the o-ring causing the problem. I would think that an o-ring swelling some what is what you want rather it shrinking and causing a leak, but hay! what do I no.

Ron

[justleesa]

nope, I just use a very small amount of grease. After sending everything in and talking to olympus they verified that the oring had swelled and popped the groove (sad to say it happened during the dive).

[Buzz]

you have to be very careful what kind of silicone grease you use if you are using EPDM or some Nitrile o-rings (some Buna-N also). These materials are very susceptable to swelling and deterioration when coming into contact with petroleum products...which some cheap silicone greases will contain.

[Ron Hearn]

AS long as its a food grade silicone lubricant you are 100% safe and a little swelling on the o-ring is what you are after, as all o-rings are designed to swell under applications to aid in sealing.

Ron

[Turtleguy9]

I am pretty sure I caused Justleesas problem. She was looking for the silicone lube for the housing. I was getting one of my Nikonos cameras ready for use. I told her she could use my silicone. Big problem, the Nikonos uses the hard old O-rings, and the new housing uses the soft spongelike O-rings. I would say its the wrong formulation lube as it caused the O-ring to swell up, causing a flood.
Aloha Turtleguy9

[Bob3]

You'll probably want the DC-111, its pretty much the "standard" silicone grease from Dow Corning, we used in the stuff in the Navy for greasing the torpedo o-rings.

[Broxton Carol]

At JOYS HOUSE OF BONDAGE, they use KY on every regulator in the place!! Including carry outs!