Housing Maintenance

[Pez7378]

How do you take care of your housing? I've got a Canon Housing...WP-DC8 for my camera. Lately I have been experiencing "sticky" buttons. I rinse my housing after every dive, and generally soak it every other dive. Sometimes, I don't do anything at all but that's rare. I've heard of people using Vinegar to help disolve the salt crystals? What's your magic elixir? Is it harmful to lubricate the springs, or button posts with oil, silicone grease or something else? What am I doing wrong?

[cardiver]

How do you take care of your housing? I've got a Canon Housing...WP-DC8 for my camera. Lately I have been experiencing "sticky" buttons. I rinse my housing after every dive, and generally soak it every other dive. Sometimes, I don't do anything at all but that's rare. I've heard of people using Vinegar to help disolve the salt crystals? What's your magic elixir? Is it harmful to lubricate the springs, or button posts with oil, silicone grease or something else? What am I doing wrong?

I've found that just playing with the buttons while you're soaking the housing loosens them up....

[spatman]

definitely soak (or at least thoroughly rinse) your housing after each day of diving, pez. the buttons on mine have been sticky lately too. i've taken a small blob of silicone grease on the end of a toothpick and worked it up under the button. then i exercise the button a bit to spread the grease around. i don't know if it's bad for the housing, but it loosens up the controls for the next few outings. then i repeat the process when necessary.

pez and i both use canon housings. anybody have this problem with other manufacturers' housings?

[WylerBear]

Definitely soak in warm/hot water and work buttons in the water. My usual routine is the whole housing rinses/aggitates on the 3 hour trip home, then soak for a bit in warm water once I get home. Play with the buttons in the warm water, then put under the faucet as I push the buttons some more.
This may be a bit over the top but I've never had a problem with sticky buttons on my Casio, or on the Canon I used to own.
I would hesitate to add any lubricant not recommended by the manufacturer but I'm a chicken about stuff like that.

[Maverick]

I do the same thing as wyle, but I use everynow and then some Salt Away added to the soak. Salt away is a non toxic bio degradeable engine flush.. get it at a marine store and use it very dilute, the color will not stain anything.

[whatevah]

My housing was made by Ikelite, but they're all similar and they can all end up with sticky buttons. I soak mine in fresh water for a while when I get home from each dive outing, but that isn't enough. Try opening up the housing and removing the camera, then push each button down and use some kind of small tool to touch a little silicone grease to each button's shaft (while it is extended into the housing). Work each button back and forth a few times. From now on each time you push the buttons in normal use the o-rings will get their lubrication replenished. I did this once, some time ago, and I've never had an issue with sticky buttons since. Hopefully this will put an end to your sticky buttons issue too.

[Sounder]

I do the same thing as wyle, but I use everynow and then some Salt Away added to the soak. Salt away is a non toxic bio degradeable engine flush.. get it at a marine store and use it very dilute, the color will not stain anything.

This is an interesting tip!! Would it work for removing the bit of salt scum around the DIN threads?

[lurch]

I do the same thing as wyle, but I use everynow and then some Salt Away added to the soak. Salt away is a non toxic bio degradeable engine flush.. get it at a marine store and use it very dilute, the color will not stain anything.

This is an interesting tip!! Would it work for removing the bit of salt scum around the DIN threads?

If it's salt it should. If it's corrosion it might not. Try going very dilute first and upping it as needed.

Disclaimer: Blow the valve dry and let dry completely before use.