Bubble in compas

sailorman said:
its either the cold but more likely the diaphragm is failing
mine was repaired by Barry Phillips

Barry Phillips
BPSC Marine Services
Unit 4 Park Business Ctr
1 Park Rd
Southampton
SO15 3US
Click to expand...

The bubble was there in summer (if I can call it that). It was less cold than now ;-)
 
Hoolie said:
Why not just live with it? I'm sure you have more significant things to do on your boat
Click to expand...

The bubble seriously impairs the view when you're standing behind the wheel. After one and a half seasons putting up with it, it's time to have it fixed.
By the look of it, it's not a simple DIY job.
 
westhinder said:
The bubble seriously impairs the view when you're standing behind the wheel. After one and a half seasons putting up with it, it's time to have it fixed.
By the look of it, it's not a simple DIY job.
Click to expand...

Sometimes you can top compasses up but you need to know what fluid to use. The wrong one may not be compatible with whats in there, might damage the card or seals etc or affect the damping if the wrong viscosity.

If, as Sailorman suggests, the diaphragm has failed then it needs repairing not just topping up


Another possible repairer in the Uk is Sirs Navigation but Google will find others.
 
Last edited:
easy fix.

turn the compass upside down and you will find a pair of adjusting screws the same height and 90deg from each other. Don't touch these. Further down you will find a single fill screw low down but on the side.

Hold the compass with that screw uppermost and take out the screw.

Dribble some white spirit into the hole.

Wiggle and tap the compass and the spirit will spit as a bubble comes up the small bore fill hole.

Repeat until no buuble is left. Be patient you have to gently tip the compass like one of those childs toys with ball bearing and dimples, where you have to rest the ball bearing in the dimples, to get the last of the air out.

Once satisfied, put the screw tightly back in. Voila. Fixed.

If it has got a crack or a leak the bubble will return, but unless the bubble is rapidly growing you'll be fine. This fix is free so why not try.
Don't worry about viscosities, you are adding such a small %age of new fluid it won't change.
 
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Elessar said:
as recommended by robinsons compass adjusters of hamble and used by me a few times now with no problems - so fairly sure.
Click to expand...

Fair enough if that's what you were told to use in a Silva compass. It would be as well if the OP asked the advice of a compass repairer to confirm that it's correct for his compass.

We were told to top up one in an old Seacourse with liquid paraffin. After a few top ups it became sluggish .... white spirit was in fact the correct fluid for that one. Ok once drained and refilled except that it leaked faster with white spirit in it!
 
Elessar said:
easy fix.

turn the compass upside down and you will find a pair of adjusting screws the same height and 90deg from each other. Don't touch these. Further down you will find a single fill screw low down but on the side.

Hold the compass with that screw uppermost and take out the screw.

Dribble some white spirit into the hole.

Wiggle and tap the compass and the spirit will spit as a bubble comes up the small bore fill hole.

Repeat until no buuble is left. Be patient you have to gently tip the compass like one of those childs toys with ball bearing and dimples, where you have to rest the ball bearing in the dimples, to get the last of the air out.

Once satisfied, put the screw tightly back in. Voila. Fixed.

If it has got a crack or a leak the bubble will return, but unless the bubble is rapidly growing you'll be fine. This fix is free so why not try.
Don't worry about viscosities, you are adding such a small %age of new fluid it won't change.
Click to expand...
Got a syringe with a needle attached from a medical friend. Fixed the job brilliantly but I needed a new cork washer, which had failed and was the cause of the air intake, for the screw and an assorted pack from B&Q provided the correct one.
 
VicS said:
You are sure white spirit is a suitable fluid?

It probably is but its a relatively expensive compass to bugger up if its not.
Click to expand...

White spirit worked perfectly on mine. I changed all the fluid in case the original was different. The refill lasted several years and the bubble did not recurr. I sold the boat but expect the compass is still going strong.
There are old folk tales about the navy using alcohol and various amusing incidents with folk drinking it but I would use white spirit every time
 
VicS said:
Sometimes you can top compasses up but you need to know what fluid to use. The wrong one may not be compatible with whats in there, might damage the card or seals etc or affect the damping if the wrong viscosity.

If, as Sailorman suggests, the diaphragm has failed then it needs repairing not just topping up


Another possible repairer in the Uk is Sirs Navigation but Google will find others.
Click to expand...


Unfortunately just topping up the fluid does nothing to rectify the original cause of the bubble which just gets worse. When that happened to me I was fortunate to be able to buy a replacement Plastimo 140 (because it was the old range) for €100. That this happened in Pola, Croatia is a continuing source of wonder to me..
 
Find out what the correct fluid is before just trying something. I once put in the wrong fluid in a compass, and whilst I got rid of the bubble all the markings came off the card! A company in Southampton fixed it quite cheaply compared to a new compass, including a new card. This was about 35 years ago.
 
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