O-ring maintenance

The o-ring of our smart phone housings will need a very slight film of lubricant to assure proper installation.

• After every dive day, you should clean and re-lube the o-rings and grooves: Do this on the housing o-ring. 

• Do not over-lubricate the o-rings. Just a little bit is fine. Make sure you use the o-ring grease supplied by the manufacturer.

• Use a high-quality paper towel to clean the groove the o-ring was in. First, remove the o-ring; wipe out any dirt from the groove using a q-tip, with a paper towel underneath it. Gently wipe off the o-ring, being very careful not to stretch it. I usually wipe the o-rings off with my fingers, gently feeling for any dirt or particles. Wash the o-ring off if it has sand on it that won't come off, or if it is really dirty. Use an air-blower to blow off any hairs or dust from the groove, and relubricate the o-ring with a small amount of lube that your housing manufacturer suggests. Look at the o-ring one last time, and again being careful not to stretch the o-ring, place the o-ring back in.

• Common Causes of underwater camera/phone/housing floods

• #1 top cause of flooding - closing the housing and having a desiccant pack caught in the o-ring or a large hair. This has happened to many people  - beware - always watch carefully when you close the housing. Nothing can be touched or laid on the o-ring as the housing shuts. Close it in a well-lit area so you can see. This applies to strobe and port o-rings also.

• Salt/dirt building up in the o-ring grooves over time. Make sure you clean the grooves, I use a Q-tip over a good-quality paper tool.

• Failing to fully screw in sync cords - always double-check them.

• small floods have happened when people jump into the water from up high with their gear, and the gear slams into the water - bring it into the ocean gently please, or better yet, have it handed down to you.

• Latches on the underwater camera housing are not being securely shut - always double-check them. This will cause a housing flood for sure.

• O-ring popped out after momentarily opening the underwater housing. This sounds obvious but always double-check the o-rings before closing the housing to make sure remain fully in the groove. If you open housing on a boat, you can't be in a rush when you close it back up - inspect carefully, and re-read the 1st item in this list.

• Water dripping into open sync cord connections - when removing sync cords, make sure saltwater can't drip onto the metal contacts.