Care and Maintenance
Naturally, the better something is taken care of the longer it will last and even though Ultralight products are virtually indestructible, treating them with respect will keep them in good working order. After every dive, the best thing to do is thoroughly rinse everything in freshwater. If this is not possible, then keep the equipment wet by placing a wet towel over the equipment and refrain from drying out. What you don’t want is saltwater drying on your gear, forming salt crystals that can cut and scratch O-Rings, especially those you cannot service yourself. You can wash your ULCS gear in hot, soapy water to remove the grit and grime that builds up once you get home. There are a couple of products on the market that help remove salt build-up. You can find these at your local dive store.
Periodic Maintenance
Cleaning parts
Most of the inquiries we get about maintenance are about how to clean the fuzzy salt build-up on parts such as clamps. To start, if possible, take as much of the part apart as you can by removing all-stainless steel nuts, bolts, and screws. Once apart, soak everything in a 50/50 water and vinegar solution for about 15-20 minutes. Use a soft bristle brush like a toothbrush to clean the parts. Don’t forget to clean the inside of the T-knobs on the clamps. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat the process till everything is cleaned. When done, dry and put back together. For the clamps add a small dab of silicone grease to the threads at the end of the bolt where the T-knob will be screwed on. Once finished they will be ready for your next trip.
Watch our clamp maintenance video to see how to take care of your clamps.
Nuts, Bolts, and Screws
Whenever you have two dissimilar metals in contact with each other, you will have electrolysis. This is what happens in the case of aluminum and stainless steel. The aluminum becomes oxidized and the nuts and bolts tend to freeze, making it difficult or impossible to remove them. Sometimes wrapping the threads of screws and bolts with Teflon plumber’s tape (found at your local hardware store), reduces electrolysis, and removal of the screws, nuts, and bolts is much easier. If you are looking at the thread end, make a couple of turns with the Teflon tape in a clockwise direction while stretching it slightly.
O-Rings
The O-rings in the balls of the adapters will last one to two years if not left out in the hot sun all the time. They will crack, but this will not affect the clamping ability of the clamp. They should be changed when they are cracked, hardened or the arms do not seem to be holding as well as when new. It is easy to forget about the O-rings and recommend replacing them every 2 years.
They can be difficult to remove and best if sharp objects are not involved in their removal. The best way is to squeeze with the thumb and forefinger, pushing together while at the same time trying to move it to the side. This should give you a small amount of the O-ring to then roll over the ball. To install the O-ring, stretch it over the ball and into the groove.
You can purchase new O-rings from Ultralight or maybe from your local hardware store. The ball O-rings are Buna, Size 2-209N70 and the O-rings for the base adapters are Buna, size 2-113N50.
We also have a video to show you O-ring removal and maintenance.
Pivots
The only thing you need to do for Pivot maintenance is to keep it clean and occasionally lubricate it. To do this, remove the two Phillips screws that hold the camera base to the back, remove the white nylon washer, clean out the inside and lubricate with silicone grease. Wire brush the threads on the screws, grease the nylon washer, and screw the base back on.
Tips for marking your equipment if it gets lost, stolen, or misplaced.
This video has some excellent tips on how to mark equipment or personal items in the event they are stolen, lost, or misplaced. Things happen! It is easy to do and it happens to EVERYONE sooner or later. It’s especially easy to misplace or lose things when in a group on a trip. Lots of time we just don’t think it will happen to us or we just don’t plan good enough in advance by marking our stuff so we can possibly get it back. In the video, Ken has some great stories and some excellent tips on how and what to use to mark your personal items. Hopefully, it is all useful information.
How-to videos
We keep adding more videos so check often or better yet, subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Please remember, these videos are designed for the person who can and wants to do these repairs themselves. If you don’t feel confident about doing them or don’t even want to think about it, contact us and we will take care of it for you.
How to replace grips on the handles
How to fix the inserts in the AD-1420 and AD-3816
How to fix loose or missing pins in our ARRI parts
Remember, if you keep your gear clean and happy, it will give you years of service!
