Silicon Oil

[redboat219]

Would this be safe on o-rings and shaft seals used in the SDs. Says it can be used on rubber but reading the literature at back of the can shows it contains petroleum distillates.

[Tugrat]

What about trying a silicone based grease - i would experiment with spare o rings regardless of what ever I decide

I used vaseline or petroleum jelly on my Nikonos camera, I was instructed to lube the o rings to prevent them from drying out. Vaseline didnt evaporate unlike the aersols

I have yet to try innox http://www.inox-mx3.com/ with regard to o rings but this a natural based grease/lube endorsed for a wide variety of environments especially food. I used to use other products but have started to use inox for almost everything

[Rick Teskey]

I have used valve stem lubricant for years , it is a litium off white in color paste available from any plumbing store / supply house
Rick Teskey

[Subculture]

A lot of people advise against the use of vaseline for o-ring seals, saying it rots the rubber.

This certainly the case with silicone o-rings, but most people tend to use nitrile, which shouldn't be adversely affected by petroleum jelly.

O-zone tends to have a greater impact on exposed o-rings. I've never tried neoprene or much more expensive rubbers like viton and EPDM, although perhaps they would be overkill for model sub applications.

Ron Perrot uses silicone o-rings exclusively, as silicone is apparently self lubricating with water. I never knew that, I though all rubbers were the similar in regards to friction and just differed in their shore (hardness) rating, at least for our applications.

[Rpmtech1]

That cheap "silicone" spray **** in not good for lubing O rings, or really good for much of anything else for that matter. Use Silicone grease (plumbing dept at your hardware store, used for lubing faucets etc, comes in a little white tub)

One of the neatest lubricants in an aerosol i have come across for O rings (and countless other apps) is spray mold release (mann, ease-release etc) You can get at Smooth-on or similar plastics stores. A tiny clean mist spray of this and your slipping WTC's on and off O rings effortlessly and with no goo all over the place. Same for pushrod seals etc.

[redboat219]

Ok. Bought a 200 gm bottle ( approximately 200ml) of silicon oil at a local fiberglass supply shop here. They use it as mold release and RTV softener. Cost me about $1.60 ( Philippine peso to US$ conversion rate).

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I'm with Rick. I use the Mann 200 mold-release almost exclusively as an O-ring lubricant -- stay away from all petroleum based lubricants (most car bearing packing grease, box-store '3-in-1' oil, Petroleum Jelly, etc.). And excellent heavy bodied grease is distributor grease, sold at most automotive stores.

David,

[Albion]

Redboat, try dive shops, your in Ph, must have one or two around your way. They usually have small tubs and tubes of silicon grease, mainly for underwater camera housings and flashlights. You don't need much anyway, literally just enough to make the o ring look wet, anything more than that is way too much. I have a small tube about 1.5 inches long which has lasted me an age, it gets used on my subs and my underwater cameras. Biggest problem i have is making sure i don't leave the tube with my subs when i go diving, otherwise have to beg borrow steal from someone else.

[redboat219]

Albion,

Isn't silicone grease just silicone oil with a thickener? The only advantage I see with grease is that it may last longer that oil. Will try to look for it if I happen to see a dive shop here. But for now I'll use plain silicone oil.

Thanks

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

The grease has different physical properties than the oil. Get the grease, damit!

David,

[redboat219]

The grease has different physical properties than the oil. Get the grease, damit!

David,

Ok, ok. Keep your panties on.
Did some searching, found a dive shop less than an hours drive from our place. It's at commercial center were usually have business meetings/ dinner. Will check it out next time we go there.