EP-08 Housing Knob

[Gdog]

Well, I finally stumbled on a solution after doing a basic check and finding out the Oly housing shaft was a quite common size, 6mm. Turns out it's a standard shaft size in electronics for potentiometers and I found some on Amazon.(link below)
View attachment 399751 View attachment 399752

The replacement knob doesn't have a screw on the face of the knob like the Oly part, instead the lockdown screw is set on the side of the knob. The screw and fitting are brass however and well machined. I lubed the screw with some o-ring grease, tightened it down real good and it seems to work fine. If it ever comes off I have 4 more, cost me $6 for 5 of them including shipping! // ww
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PZSIBZI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Followup on this post...how are the knobs working out at this point since its been a while? My Zoom dial fell off somewhere in the channel islands. ....

 

[Warmwater Wank]

Gdog--I'll give them a qualified ok...but glad they sent me a package of 5. There is only one lock down screw and it is fairly small diameter. Torquing it with a tiny screwdriver has limited effect and I did have it come off after a week of diving. No biggie but the other problem can be that it can be difficult to grab the knob itself tight enough to turn uw. Some filing on the knurled outer ring would allow for a bit better grip, be nice if it were a bit larger diameter though.

Oddly enough I found the first knob the next day (another story) and was rather surprised at the amount of corrosion from (apparently) the screw. It's a cheap fix but not the best solution. // ww

 

[cerich]

Gdog--I'll give them a qualified ok...but glad they sent me a package of 5. There is only one lock down screw and it is fairly small diameter. Torquing it with a tiny screwdriver has limited effect and I did have it come off after a week of diving. No biggie but the other problem can be that it can be difficult to grab the knob itself tight enough to turn uw. Some filing on the knurled outer ring would allow for a bit better grip, be nice if it were a bit larger diameter though.

Oddly enough I found the first knob the next day (another story) and was rather surprised at the amount of corrosion from (apparently) the screw. It's a cheap fix but not the best solution. // ww

try loc tight on the screw

 

[Warmwater Wank]

Well it isn't that the screw is loosening so much as it's a small screw trying to do a big job from the wrong spot. If the housing stayed above water the knob would do fine (but not be very useful!), however the shaft does get harder to turn at depth. Oly anchors their knob with a larger screw that inserts through the top of the knob (not the side) and then threads into the shaft end.

The knobs I got really aren't made to do this job but they sort of manage. Be nice if Oly repair would just sell me the right knob for a buck or two and not want to do a housing overhaul for $160+! // ww

 

[Gdog]

I just got my reply back from Oly regarding this. Nothing different, they want me to send in the housing because they say im not qualified to repair it and they need to test the housing for waterproof after the repair. I emailed back saying the housing is currently waterproof, and reattaching a knob with a screw that is inserted from outside the housing would in no way compromise the integrity of the housing. Im sure they wont change their position. Sux to have to be without a camera rig for weeks because their crappy install job on the dial is at fault.

 

[Warmwater Wank]

Can I get an amen? // ww