O-rings

[seasnake]

What's everyone prefer for o-rings? Do I understand correctly that EPDM would be the superior material for o-rings in scuba applications?

Ron

[fredob]

epdm has always worked for me

[Sarah]

I prefer fluoropolymer elastomers such as Viton.

[Papa Bear]

I prefer White Gold for my rings!

[BamaCaveDiver]

The thing to remember is that any oring will burn under the right conditions (same guys who discovered the leaky cylinder that passed hydro got bored one day and put this to the test), so you need to look at what is given off should that happen. Viton is a good choice for oxygen service, but when it burns it does give off some nasty gases. EPDM does not seem to be as bad when it burns.

[acelockco]

I use the el-cheapo o-rings you can get at the local hardware store. They don't last as long as the other o-rings out there, but they are so cheap that you can replace them on every dive and never even think about it. You can get a 100 pack for just a few bucks.

By the way, they still do last a long while, but I am really careful with my gear.

[seasnake]

I prefer fluoropolymer elastomers such as Viton.

Although I know viton are supposed to be more durable, my understanding is they are a bit of overkill for scuba, especially if you service your gear regularly. And then there is the point brought up by Bama that they get kinda toxic when they go poof.

Amtrosie, isn't it true that viton is not the common material for o-rings in aircraft applications, even in the presence of 100% O2? I thought I read that it is more common to see EPDM?