Which fluid for this compass?

[Reptile Smile]

Sorry all, tedious topic. There was a thread fairly recently IIRC in which someone said the correct fluid to refill a compass depended on the make & model.

I need to refill this one:

What do I need and where can I get it from..?

Cheers

 

[sailorman]

Spend your hard earned £s on a new one & some patio magic too

 

[Reptile Smile]

Hmm, suspect the boat cost less than a new compass. Could likely afford some patio magic, though... ;-)

 

[SteveSarabande]

Does patio magic work in compasses?

 

[nigelmercier]

Some info from another thread, hopefully heading off any "I gave my cow turpentine" advice:

I thought it best to start a new thread about my Suunto Compass, which has leaked all of the fluid.
Suunto replied: "Please be informed that compasses over 10 years old cannot be repaired anymore. If fluid is leaking out, refilling the compass may not be a permanent solution. Mineral oil is used in filling the capsule. We have used liquid known as Isopar M ..."
...

I've just had an interesting reply from Barry at compass repairers BPSC Marine:
Isopar L (compass fluid we supply) is specific for the job! White Spirit is used for cleaning paint of brushes! Lamp oil, if you knew the number of compasses that come in with that inside that I just throw away because it ruined the internals. Below are the fluids I have had in because someone told someone else it would work!!
Olive Oil
Baby Oil
Sunflower Oil
Kerosene
Pink Paraffin
White Spirit
Clear Massage Oil (enough said)
All of this compasses were marked ‘oil fill only’

 

[sailorman]

A new Contest on ebay is £129 inc del.

check ebay for a cheaper deal on a compass, fixing that one you have will be a waste unless you spend very little, the diaphragm will be shot will that amount of liquid gone

 

[sailorman]

Does patio magic work in compasses?

He has nothing to lose & any left over he can use on the coachroof :encouragement:

 

[VicS]

Sorry all, tedious topic. There was a thread fairly recently IIRC in which someone said the correct fluid to refill a compass depended on the make & model.

I need to refill this one: View attachment 37633

What do I need and where can I get it from..?

Cheers

Very possibly the original fluid was one of a range of Esso Bayol fluids which is no longer available. I know it was used in Plastimo compasses.

Different people will suggest various fluids including baby oil, white spirit, lamp oil, gin, vodka etc

If you do not want to risk terminally damaging the compass by filling with the wrong fluid then the only sound advice is to contact a compass repairer eg forum contributor BPSC marine http://www.bpsc-marine.co.uk/

 

[Reptile Smile]

A new Contest on ebay is £129 inc del.

check ebay for a cheaper deal on a compass, fixing that one you have will be a waste unless you spend very little, the diaphragm will be shot will that amount of liquid gone

Ok, more than half the cost of the boat then... ;-)

Thanks all - much appreciated

 

[saltylegs]

Same compass i think I refilled with "Barotine" lamp oil and still looks good 3 years later (I did get new covers as well)

 

[sailorman]

Very possibly the original fluid was one of a range of Esso Bayol fluids which is no longer available. I know it was used in Plastimo compasses.

Different people will suggest various fluids including baby oil, white spirit, lamp oil, gin, vodka etc

If you do not want to risk terminally damaging the compass by filling with the wrong fluid then the only sound advice is to contact a compass repairer eg forum contributor BPSC marine http://www.bpsc-marine.co.uk/

Barry serviced my Ritchie some 7 yrs ago & by the sound of it it cost more than the Ops boat :ambivalence:

 

[Halo]

Empty the old stuff out and refill with white spirit - I came to this solution years ago as a result of several threads on this forum and it works well for very little outlay.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Empty the old stuff out and refill with white spirit - I came to this solution years ago as a result of several threads on this forum and it works well for very little outlay.

I was debubbling an old Sestrel Radiant a couple of years ago and phone SIRS for advice. The very helpful woman there said "Take the plug out and have a sniff. If it smells alcoholic, use gin. If it doesn't, we'll sell you some Bayol substitute".

Gin it was.

 

[pvb]

... fixing that one you have will be a waste unless you spend very little, the diaphragm will be shot will that amount of liquid gone

Exactly! The liquid has leaked out because there's a fault in the compass. You need to fix the fault before refilling it.

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

Has the OP bought the boat that features in the thread entitled ; "Anyone want to buy one of these?"

 

[Alpha22]

How does this come apart?

I think my compass is a bit overdue an oil change.....

I can't work out how to get it apart .... any clues???

 

[nigelmercier]

^ Undoing the screws would be a good start.

I had to put mine in boiling water to separate the case.

 

[chewi]

Sorry all, tedious topic. There was a thread fairly recently IIRC in which someone said the correct fluid to refill a compass depended on the make & model.

I need to refill this one: View attachment 37633

What do I need and where can I get it from..?

Cheers

Definitive answer...Johnsons baby oil from your nearest Chemist, and get a pipette from them to decant it.
I have the same compass and did the same job years ago.

In my case I foiund a crack at the filler, unscrew that and pump the current fluid into a holding jar, enough to reduce the level to clear the crack.
dry the crack out as best you can and seal with eg araldite.

pipette the original fluid back, andd top up with baby oil . They smell identical ( my wife recognised the smell of the original.)

The fix will be as good as your repair.

 

[nigelmercier]

Some info from another thread, hopefully heading off any "I gave my cow turpentine" advice:

See what I mean. Sigh!

 

[maxi]

Baby oil, works for me.