What oil for a depth transducer mounted in the hull?

[firstascent2002]

Hi guys,

In a cleaning frenzy the plastic tube bonded into the hull with the depth transducer and oil in it was dislodged.

The tube is now firmly expoxied and glassed into position. What oil should I put in it before putting the transducer back?

The options are

1 olive oil
2 15 /40 engine oil or
3 automatic transmission fluid which was for the sail drive

Any thoughts..?

On a happier note...Plymouth breakwater to turn away point in Falmouth in 6.5 hours...not bad for a 30 footer.

J

 

[sailorman]

Hi guys,

In a cleaning frenzy the plastic tube bonded into the hull with the depth transducer and oil in it was dislodged.

The tube is now firmly expoxied and glassed into position. What oil should I put in it before putting the transducer back?

The options are

1 olive oil
2 15 /40 engine oil or
3 automatic transmission fluid which was for the sail drive

Any thoughts..?

On a happier note...Plymouth breakwater to turn away point in Falmouth in 6.5 hours...not bad for a 30 footer.

J

as long as there is oil below the transducer hd it doesnt matter about the depth, olive oil would be better than mineral oils

 

[VicS]

Hi guys,

In a cleaning frenzy the plastic tube bonded into the hull with the depth transducer and oil in it was dislodged.

The tube is now firmly expoxied and glassed into position. What oil should I put in it before putting the transducer back?

The options are

1 olive oil
2 15 /40 engine oil or
3 automatic transmission fluid which was for the sail drive

Any thoughts..?


On a happier note...Plymouth breakwater to turn away point in Falmouth in 6.5 hours...not bad for a 30 footer.

J

Seafarer, in their day, recommended castor oil.

Almost anything will do provided it:
does not deteriorate ,
is not corrosive or incompatible with the materials with which it is in contact,
does not freeze,
is not volatile,
does not smell
and will not make too much of a mess to clean up if it leaks.

castor oil fits the bill ... mine been in there for 34 years.

I think Id not use a mineral oil. I wonder if olive oil is liable to any deterioration or bugs growing in it in the long term

 

[samwise]

In my experience the best stuff is K-Y Jelly, used on scanner heads by the ultrasound people in hospitals and it is also used as a sexual lubricant --that might earn you some funny looks from the folk in Boots as you ask for a couple of tubes!

It acts as an excellent transmitter for in hull transducer installations and is sufficiently gloopy not to slop about like more viscous oils ..

 

[ghostlymoron]

I used Co-op cooking oil for my NASA transducer readily available from the galley if a top up is required. Depth doesn't matter as long the void between transducer and hull is full on all angles of heel.