O-rings are the critical component that keeps water out of the housing and thus the instrument dry. Watertight sealing of the instrument housing is provided by double O-rings on the head and end cap sub-assemblies. The outer O-ring forms the primary seal and the inner forms a secondary (or backup) seal. If the integrity of the O-rings are degraded the instrument should not be re-deployed. In this case, please contact us.
If the instrument has never been opened, O-ring inspection is not necessary. Should your instrument have been in use for more than 5 years, consider sending it in for a service at Nortek HQ. Further details on the service routine can be found under the following FAQ. However, when changing batteries, the O-rings on the endbell are exposed and we recommend to make a routine of inspection, maintenance and replacement of exposed O-rings.
- Check the O-rings and the O-ring grooves for grit, hair, lint, sand, or anything that could potentially breach the O-ring seal.
- After frequent deployments or if O-rings or groves appear dirty, remove O-rings and clean the grooves. To remove O-rings, use finger pressure or the rounded edge of a plastic card to lift the O-ring out of the grove. Caution! Never use a metal object to remove an O-ring. It may cause damage to the O-ring or the sealing surface.
- To check O-rings for damage, place the O-ring between the middle and index finger and thumb. Then pull the O-ring through your fingers, feeling for any debris or wear.
- If O-rings are dirty, it is best to replace them. Washing dirty O-rings with soap and water is not recommended. Soap breaks down the lubricants and will compromise the integrity of the seal.
- Properly greased O-rings will help maintain sealing integrity and minimize O-ring degradation. Use enough grease, for example Molykote 111, to lubricate the O-ring thoroughly, but not so much that it will attract additional debris.
- Clean the groove with a lint free swab or the folded edge of a paper towel.
💡 NOTE: Do not open the transducer end on your instrument to check O-rings. Opening the whole instrument means exposing the electronics, and this shall not be done unless Nortek has approved and provided guidance on how to do it.
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