Is O ring lube A must?

[squidster]

If you have your regulator serviced each year ,is it ok not to apply lube on o rings when changing computer hoses, safe seconds etc.. between services?
I have noticed that some on the board say that as long as you dont overtighten its ok not to lube at all between services.
I have changed out hoses a couple times and did not lube,
fittings did not leak.
if i should lube i would like to know and what is the best lube to use.

 

[Couv]

Dynamic o-rings should be lubed. Static o-ring do not require it, but it helps in getting the o-ring over the threads and serves as a gap fill when torqued down. It also helps to preserve the elasticity of some o-ring (depending on the material type) If you are short on lube, saliva is fine in a pinch.

If you do not service your own gear, then most likely the only dynamic o-rings you will come across are at the end of your high pressure hose and at the second stage connection.

On the HP hose there is a small "spool" with two o-rings at the swivel end that should be lubed. If you are changing out a low pressure hose there is a dynamic o-ring where the hose goes into the second stage.

The most recommended lube for scuba is Chirsto-lube. It is expensive, but a little can go a long way. If you bought a lot of gear from you LDS, talk them into giving you a dab in a small plastic re-sealable bag. Take use this tip from Oxyhacker: insert the o-ring into the bag and massage it from the outside until it is shinny. This way you will never waste any.

Hope this helps,

c

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I agree to a point. Dynamic o-rings must be lubricated. Static o-rings need to be lubricated to some extent in that they need to conform to the mating surfaces and some lubrication makes this much easier and reduces the potential of damaging the o-ring.

Which means a given hose end o-ring may have enough residual lubticant on it to get the job done or it may not. That gets problematic as you cannot really tell if an o-ring was damaged or not until after the fitting is assembled. If it leaks you know you have a problem, if it does not, you don't really know - until you have a problem.

In short cleaning the o-ring and mating surfaces and then lubricating the o-ring is good insurance. If nothing else use a bit of spit to lubricate it. Spit is as far as I know O2 compatible.

 

[skippy31]

Keep in mind also that when you lube o-rings you don't need to use very much lube. The operative phrase is shiny not slimy. Normally enough to make your finger greasy is enough for a whole bunch of small o-rings.

Mat.

 

[stablgr]

Personally speaking if I break a connection the o-ring gets removed, the sealing surfaces on both parts cleaned and inspected before inspecting/replacing the o-ring suitably coated with lubricant.

Cheap insurance really.

 

[docmartin]

when i service my regs i lube (using the ziplock bag approach mentioned above). when i change hoses around i don't lube.

 

[BlueDevil]

I am not so technically minded as some of the other posters above would seem to be. However I have been diving for 30 years and have on many occasions swapped hoses around to change configuration etc. I have never once lubed the O-ring when doing this and have never had any sort of problem with doing it this way.

 

[RoyalScubaAustin]

As a shop owner, I would have to agree with DA Aquamaster on this one. Making an o-ring shiny is such a small sacrifice that's quickly remedied in order to insure that if a future dive has to be cut short, it's probably not going to be from a reg/ o-ring / leak issue.

Happy Diving,
Nicco, owner of RoyalScuba.com