Add fluid into my compass
- Thread starter seadaddler
- Start date
Depending on the manufacturer, it should have a fill hole in the base.
Filling it serves no purpose unless you also replace the diaphragm and anything else necessary to prevent it from leaking again.
Filling it serves no purpose unless you also replace the diaphragm and anything else necessary to prevent it from leaking again.
I've not tried it; it may be an old wife's tale. If you put your compass and oil in the freezer when you fill it up there is less chance of getting an air bubble because you get more oil in. I would be surprised if the oil contracts that much. would love to hear from anyone who has done it.
I rebuilt my old compass on my previous boat. Completely restored the dome - looked brand new. It was a bulkhead-mounted Aquameter Gemini. It had a fill screw in the bowl (the backside). With that compass, it would not have been possible to fill without removing it.
I don't know anything about the freezer trick, but there must be a not-insignificant amount of thermal expansion/contraction because compasses have diaphragms built-in for exactly that reason. I didn't find it challenging to avoid air bubbles. As recall, I filled it, shook it a bit to get any trapped bubbles out of nooks & crannies, let it settle several minutes, then used a little syringe to add the last few drops.
But, in support of what Don said about leaks, I did a substandard job with my rebuild and it slowly leaked ... but it looked great while doing it. (I never did fix it properly. It will be one of those things that the next owner curses at the previous owner about.)
I don't know anything about the freezer trick, but there must be a not-insignificant amount of thermal expansion/contraction because compasses have diaphragms built-in for exactly that reason. I didn't find it challenging to avoid air bubbles. As recall, I filled it, shook it a bit to get any trapped bubbles out of nooks & crannies, let it settle several minutes, then used a little syringe to add the last few drops.
But, in support of what Don said about leaks, I did a substandard job with my rebuild and it slowly leaked ... but it looked great while doing it. (I never did fix it properly. It will be one of those things that the next owner curses at the previous owner about.)
The freezer trick worked for me when I refilled the compass about 10-12 years ago. But it wasn't a one-time thing. I recall filling...then putting it in the freezer...then filling it a bit more the next night - and repeating that 2-3 times. It held up for at least a decade was still good the day I sold the boat.
I have done the freezer “trick”. May have helped a little, but the method I used in the video above works better.
Greg