Strobe Head Care Between Dive Trips

[Randallr]

Photo newbie again, with thanks to all of you who answered my question about how to care for my housing between trips. I did remove, wash, and bag the o-ring.

Now: Should I do the same thing with the strobe head o-ring? Or should I leave that sealed as is, to be inspected and cleaned before my next trip? And what about batteries - remove those, or leave in place?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Doubler]

Remove the batteries. I have DS51's with the oring in the door, I just clean it and put a small amount of grease on it to keep it soft then screw it back lightly in place.

 

[asha]

I remove strobe o-rings, especially if I'm going to be flying.

Early on in my photographic efforts, I must have had a small strobe leak after a dive (rinse tank, maybe?), and didn't find it until my next dive weeks later, when it wouldn't turn on and I discovered the battery compartment to be filled with acid. Now I remove the batteries for storage

 

[divengolf]

As a general rule with o-rings, if you're able to put them in an uncompressed state either by removal or just separating the seating surfaces, that is the way to go. Best is to remove them, put a little silicon on them and store in a plastic bag to retain moisture.

 

[bvanant]

Definitely take out the batteries. A lot depends on which strobe. On my S&S strobes, I leave the o-ring on the cap but leave the cap off the strobe for travel. For the Inons I leave the o-ring on the strobe but only put the cap on one thread so that the o-ring is not compressed.
Bill

 

[Interceptor121]

Remove batteries definitely, then remove o'rings and follow same procedure for housing oring puttin the bag in the battery compartment. Now you can lock the strobe even if you fly as it is not sealed.
With sea and sea as Bill says you can leave the o'ring in place as it is quite large and soft however when you fly you should ensure the battery compartment is still open. Ultimately removing the oring and putting it in a sealed bag greased inside the compartment accomplishes all objective and also makes your strobe 'ready to fly'

 

[furby076]

Two weeks before the trip: Check the seals, regrease
Two days before the trip: Recharge all batteries
Day of the dive: Load the batteries, last check on the seals
After the dive (assuming there will be a repetative dive) - Rinse tank (if available on the boat), dry the strobe, change the batteries
After Dive (for the night or at the end of the trip): Rinse in fresh water, dry thouroughly (even overnight air dry for the nooks/crannies), pull out the batteries.

I leave the o-rings in.