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GKMan
The Silicon would be used more in a system that requires some sort of lubrication where the O-ring is sliding past something else. Also where you would like to preserve the O-ring. Being that this is a compression type system it really would never have been required. I don't recall why people in the past said they were using it.
Good explanation. People recommend using lube because they don't understand it. They see it used on something for underwater application (camera housing, lights, etc. that use a sliding, radial seal design) and think every underwater system should have it too.