Recommended Regular Maintenance 

Vehicle Cleaning

Cleaning your vehicle should be done every time after a deployment. 

The most ideal way to clean your vehicle is to submerge in clean fresh water and run the thrusters to flush out any debris or salt buildup. Using a stock tank or Brute tote is recommended. 

On vehicle such as the Pivot or Photon, where there is removable foam, remove and rinse under the foam occasionally.

In extremely salt saturated conditions, a solution of DSALT is recommended to prevent premature wear of components.  DSALT and similar de-salting products are readily available on the market. Always follow the manufacturer's recommended procedure and if unsure, please test the product on a small component before full use. 

Window  Cleaning

In instances where physical contact has scratched the centre window users can repair scratches. We recommend using Novus Polish brand scratch remover and using a Microfiber

cloth for polishing. Facial tissues are also a good substitute, we do not recommend using paper towels. Follow the work instructions below:

• 1000 Grit Sandpaper-------------------> Perpendicular to scratch if deep scratches

• 2000 Grit Sandpaper ------------------>  Perpendicular to above, or perpendicular to scratch if lightly scratched

• Level 3 Heavy Scratch Remover----> Perpendicular to above

• Level 2 Fine Scratch Remover ------>in circular motion

• Level 1 Plastic Clean & Shine -------> in circular motion

Whichever sandpaper you start with you will want to start sanding perpendicular to the scratch direction.

Sand initially until the scratch can not be felt with your fingernail.

Anode Checks

Your vehicle may be equipped with several anodes to protect against galvanic corrosion. These anodes will intentionally corrode with time instead of other dissimilar metals such as stainless fasteners in aluminum parts. These anodes must be tightened down over time as the intentional corrosion will shrink them. The speed of this corrosion process will vary from environment to environment. Once these can no longer be tightened, the anode must be replaced as it will not make proper contact with the components. Contact us for replacement anodes.

Greasing

The addition of grease on o-rings and external fasteners adds a second layer of water protection as well as extra corrosion protection.  Deep Trekker Inc. uses MOLYKOTE® 111, a proven product for marine greasing applications.

• Key facts about Molykote

  • Odourless

  • Colourless

  • Excellent for O-ring greasing and will not leave particulate residue from drying

Action: 

• You can grease the tether connection as needed, approx. every 10-20 dives. 

• Grease screws if needed after removal/upon installation. 

O-ring greasing procedure:

A small amount of Molykote is needed to grease o-rings depending on the size of the o-ring. Apply the Molykote with bare fingers or wearing black nitrile gloves. Distribute the Molykote evenly around the entire o-ring while also checking the o-ring for defects.

Example:

For Tether o-rings, and other harnesses, do not remove the o-ring to grease unless you have a new spare available, removing the o-ring may damage it if not done carefully. 

External screws 

Apply a small amount of Molykote around the threads ½ way down the length of the screw and around the screw head using either fingers or a silicone brush. When the screw is torqued down in the hole, there should be a small ring of Molykote around the screw head.

External screws in high vibration areas

Screws that will be subjected to high vibration (i.e. thrusters) during normal operation of the ROV will need both Loctite and Molykote applied to them.

Apply blue Loctite to the bottom threads of the screw.  Then apply a bead of Molykote on the remainder of the dry threads. When the screw is torqued down in the hole, there should be a small ring of Molykote around the screw head.