Refill compass?

Don S/V ILLusion · Apr 24, 2014

Every Richie compass with which I am familiar has a fill hole. As to what fluid to use, not all mineral oil is equivalent to compass oil.

More important, refilling it without first figuring out why and from where it leaked out is a futile exercise. If it's old and needs a new diaphragm requiring expertise to repair properly, it is nothing more than a pretty paper weight.

alexco38 · Apr 24, 2014

Refill cost more than a new one.

kloudie1 · Apr 24, 2014

These guys have the fluid and a few parts..
http://www.vikingcompass.com/compassparts.html

Benny17441 · Apr 24, 2014

Refilling an old compass is not a do it yourself job. Most likely the seals are dry and deteriorated and casings have been deformed. An authorized manufacturers repair shop will probably replace 90% of the components fill it up and pressure test it for 3-4 days. For a little more you can buy a new one of the shelf. Years ago I got Ritchie to sell me a gasket set and the glass sphere and a bottle of compass oil. It was work and money down the drain. Within a week it had a quarter size bubble and within a month it was dry again. The service Rep had warned me so I couldn't blame anyone but me.

Jan11 · Apr 24, 2014

pupluv said:
I have a X-10-M Ritchie Sport Compass that I inherited. However, there's no fluid to cushion the movement so it's almost useless on a sailboat.

It's a throw away... $25 at Amazon.

Joe · Apr 24, 2014

Jan11 said:
It's a throw away... $25 at Amazon.

I like Jan's answer.. here ya go.... http://www.amazon.com/Ritchie-X-10B-M-Sport-Compass-Marine/dp/B008YX4USI

Benny17441 · Apr 25, 2014

Oh, I was talking about a larger compass, that is a clear throwaway as I doubt parts or service would be available. To answer your question you may use mineral oil found at any pharmacy.

walmsleyc · Apr 25, 2014

Just filled my Ritchie compass. It had formed an air bubble over the winter.

Use Mineral Spirits and NOT Mineral Oil (for Ritchie compasses at least).
Very simple to do for their larger compasses. There is a fill hole with a
screw in it. I used a syringe to fill it up to avoid spilling. Simply orient the
compass so the fill hole is "up", and remove screw. Fill slowly, and gently
burp our remaining air bubbles until there are none left (can be hard to
get ride of the last tiny bubble(s)). put screw back in fill hole.

My outstanding question is why I lost fluid this winter and not before. Maybe
a seal is failing? My fill hole screw was not terribly tight so that could have been
it.

Chris

kloudie1 · Apr 25, 2014

A couple of compass manufacturers use an isoparaffin that has been hydrotreated and scrubbed so that it is very clear and has no impurities that might turn yellow in sunlight. We made it at the refinery where I worked; its brand name is Isopar M. It is kerosene that is purified. Similar to "mineral spirits" but with that product, ya may have some yellowing or some attack of the dome after several years in the sun. We made another product that was used as compass fluid; it was "Mineral Seal" oil, a replacement for oil from seals. Again, a highly refined kerosene type oil.

finding41 · Apr 26, 2014

Timely thread.
I noticed the other day that the compass one one of my boats was half full! It's the "make a big hole" in the cabin type too. I think if it lost that much fluid it's time to replace mine.