which o-ring maintenance on Inon Z240 Type IV?

[Nicool 26]

hi to all Inon Z240 Type IV users!

 

I am one of them :-)

Today after re-reading part of the cumbersome Z240 Type IV manual (basic operation), i saw on page 13 (o-ring maintenance method), that they recommended to re-grease the battery cap oring while he was seated in the groove (i.e. no need to take the o-ring out from the groove unless difficult to clear remaining dirt).

 

However, over the last 5 years (!) i have been taking out the oring from its groove for lubrification, each and every time i changed the batteries! I am now wondering if i have wasted my time, though i am happy to think i could reduce significantly my photo gear maintenance time :-)

 

But i must have been advised by someone to proceed the way i did with full oring removal each time cap is opened.

So i'd like to hear how you do:

 

1/ do you remove the battery oring from its groove each time you want to grease it, or just grease it while it's seating in the groove (greasing the oring outside then)?

2/ do you do such oring maintenance each and every time you open the battery cap?

 

thanks in advance for sharing your experience!

Obviously, if your way of doing things resulted in strobe flood, please say so ;-)

cheers

Nicolas

2

[divengolf 17]

There is nothing wrong with your approach as it has served you well with no floods. May be a bit of an overkill, but it works, so don't knock it.

 

Although I don't have Inons, I have used two sets of Ikelites and now have S&S YS-D1s. But o ring maintence at this level is pretty much the same. I don't remove the o rings when I change batteries, but I do inspect both the o ring and the seating surface with a light to insure there is no foreign material. I use a head light so both hands are free and I get good strong light on the surfaces. Unless I find something unusual, I only remove and grease the o rings every couple days. Plus I use a make up applicator or something similar to clean the o ring groove when it's been removed.

 

But the real cardinal rule is not to hurry when assembling your photo kit. In tech diving, it's standard ediquite not to talk to or distract a diver when he is checking his gear or suiting up. The same should apply to camera preparation. Don't distract me when I'm working on my kit.

 

Again, if it's working for you, why change?

[Tbar58 0]

I take the o-ring out and grease every time I change the batteries with Inon D200/Z240 strobes. Also you may find these O-rings expand over time so need replacing. I do the same for the housing when the camera or port is changed. I am happy to ensure the whole o-ring is very light greased all over, and particularly to feel for nicks or grit that cannot be seen from the 'outside'. Always done it this way since managing my Nikonus V.

 

I do agree with divengolf, if it works for you then that's a good method to follow.

[hellhole 18]

Why no one mention abt maintenance for the sync cord oring. I do that at the end and start of each trip.

[Nicool 26]

Thanks both for your feedbacks (was on business travel with little internet, sorry i am answering only now).

Of course i have a safe strobes maintenance routine currently, but i am wondering if it is overkill, in the light of what i read in manufacturer manual.

I am assuming (certain actually) that the manufacturer's instructions are safe enough (they have to be), so in my view everything i'd do extra is waste of time, and time is precious.

The time i can allocate to diving overall (including diving itself, travel to/from dive site, and all gear maintenance) is limited. Saving 10-15mins of maintenance time here and there may mean that i can spare time for that decent shore night dive, or stay longer underwater in that dive site, and then have more time for photos, which is my ultimate goal.

 

One example of safe time saving: my Nauticam distributor advised that the main oring of my housing doesn't need to be taken out each time i open (whereas that's what inwas initially doing), provided it is still clean & sufficiently greased. This saved me sooo much time, because when i take out such an oring to properly examinate and clean and regrease (if needed) i think it takes me about 10mins, as i do it very carefully, with a torch to see the dirt. Of course when i see or suspect dirt sitting on the side/below oring, then i would remove it. Typically here i have one very mucky dive site where oring gets very dirty and i clean it each time. But on other sites no need. No housing flood for 4+ year working like that.

 

Now back to the inon strobes, i think my question comes down to whether the friction applied to oring is mostly on the outside (cap-side), not inside (battery canister side), which would explain why the manual indicates re-greasing only the outside of the oring is enough (provided there is no dirt).

I just want to ensure i understand what the manufacturer's recommendation is, and as we all know, Inon aren't the best at writing clear manuals ;-)

So i am looking for help to understand what needs to be done and why, not keeping doing what i've been doing and staying with my ignorance :-)

 

 

Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

[TimG 62]

Hi Nicool

 

Interesting question you pose.

 

On the Inons, I've had 3 sets over the last 16-18 years and only lubricate the battery cover o-ring at the beginning of a dive trip - and then take it off and clean it at the end of the trip. No problems at all. I find those o-ring quite tricky to move and figure I'm more likely to damage it trying to lever it out - than leaving it in place and making sure the outer edges look fine.

 

Similarly with the housing o-ring. I usually only open the housing in the evening after, say, a 3 dive day and wipe around the inside frame of the housing to remove any droplets of water or bits of sand. I very rarely take the o-ring out.

At the end of the trip I remove it, clean it and wipe around the o-ring grove - then store the housing with the o-ring in a small plastic bag in the housing.

 

As you say, not lubricating o-rings all the time saves time; but, in addition, for me it reduces the risk of introducing a problem that wasn't there: a hair on the o-ring, a bit of sand, not properly seated.....

[Nicool 26]

Hi Nicool

 

Interesting question you pose.

 

On the Inons, I've had 3 sets over the last 16-18 years and only lubricate the battery cover o-ring at the beginning of a dive trip - and then take it off and clean it at the end of the trip. No problems at all. I find those o-ring quite tricky to move and figure I'm more likely to damage it trying to lever it out - than leaving it in place and making sure the outer edges look fine.

 

Similarly with the housing o-ring. I usually only open the housing in the evening after, say, a 3 dive day and wipe around the inside frame of the housing to remove any droplets of water or bits of sand. I very rarely take the o-ring out.

At the end of the trip I remove it, clean it and wipe around the o-ring grove - then store the housing with the o-ring in a small plastic bag in the housing.

 

As you say, not lubricating o-rings all the time saves time; but, in addition, for me it reduces the risk of introducing a problem that wasn't there: a hair on the o-ring, a bit of sand, not properly seated.....

Thanks Tim for sharing your experience! I so much agree with your last statement

So shall i understand that, during a dive trip, at times when you replace the AA batteries you don't even regrease the oring nor the cap?

Also if i may: how tight do you close the battery cap? Do you stop turning once you feel resistance or go bit further?

 

cheers

Nicolas

[TimG 62]

Hi Nicolas

 

Yep, I don't regrease anything on the Inons (or anywhere else for that matter) when I change batteries - or change cards in the housing. I just check that the outer edge (i.e. the edge you can see) of the o-ring looks clean and refit.

 

On tightening the battery cap, I guess "gentle finger-tight" would be the best description I can make. I am always slightly wary of over-tightening it and maybe cracking the battery cap. In practice it doesn't need to be "tight". As long as it's firmly in place, water pressure is going to prevent in coming off. So, yeah, a bit of resistance and then a tiny bit more.

[Nicool 26]

Hi Nicolas

 

Yep, I don't regrease anything on the Inons (or anywhere else for that matter) when I change batteries - or change cards in the housing. I just check that the outer edge (i.e. the edge you can see) of the o-ring looks clean and refit.

 

On tightening the battery cap, I guess "gentle finger-tight" would be the best description I can make. I am always slightly wary of over-tightening it and maybe cracking the battery cap. In practice it doesn't need to be "tight". As long as it's firmly in place, water pressure is going to prevent in coming off. So, yeah, a bit of resistance and then a tiny bit more.

Cool thanks again