gyork Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 I purchased a used boat recently, and found the deck-mounted compass to have condensation inside the globe. The compass appears quite different than mine; smaller rotating mechanism, smaller numbers. Was this compass never oil-filled? Will condensation always be a problem? How to remove the condensation? If the globe is plastic, can I drill a tiny pinhole, expose to sun on a dry day, and seal with whathaveyou? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhabich Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 My guess is that the oil leaked out. If you take out the compass is there a plug on the globe? Just did a bit of research. Brunton has a support address on the web, and the compasses have a lifetime warranty. Amazon has 70P compasses for half price just now, perhaps the expedient solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prudenceb Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 Gary, You've bought another boat!! Hope the School Bus isn't jealous. What did you get and why? I assume it's to supplement, not replace... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Nystrom Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 Brunton compasses are filled with mineral spirits (a.k.a. "paint thinner"), not oil. It should not leak out and there shouldn't be any air it it. Brunton will probably cover this under warranty if you contact them. If not, there is a screw plug on the bottom of the compass for filling and draining it. If you attempt this, remove the plug and verify that the liquid inside is in-fact mineral spirits (the scent is distinctive). Drain out whatever is left in it, refill it, then put the plug back in. That should be all that's necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyork Posted July 13, 2017 Author Share Posted July 13, 2017 7 hours ago, prudenceb said: Hope the School Bus isn't jealous. What did you get and why? School Bus (Argonaut) is happy to have her little sister (Aquanaut) as a playmate. Hoping to get my Niels into kayaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyork Posted July 13, 2017 Author Share Posted July 13, 2017 2 hours ago, Brian Nystrom said: Brunton compasses are filled with mineral spirits (a.k.a. "paint thinner"), not oil. It should not leak out and there shouldn't be any air it it. Brunton will probably cover this under warranty if you contact them. If not, there is a screw plug on the bottom of the compass for filling and draining it. If you attempt this, remove the plug and verify that the liquid inside is in-fact mineral spirits (the scent is distinctive). Drain out whatever is left in it, refill it, then put the plug back in. That should be all that's necessary. Thanks Brian. Yeah, a volatile liquid like mineral spirits makes sense. A slow leak likely would go unnoticed, unlike a messy oil, that would surely steam you if dripped onto your front hatch contents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Nystrom Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Other advantages of mineral spirits are that it's hydrophobic (repels water) so it prevents corrosion inside the compass and its viscosity is unaffected by temperature, so the compass works the same at any temperature where you can actually paddle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyork Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 Although it took some time for Brunton to Email me an RA#, a new compass arrived yesterday! Go Brunton! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Great results, glad you have a replacement. I also got to learn a bit about the workings of the compass, I always figured it was filled with alcohol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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