How to absorb moisture in housing???

[ChrisM]

the moisture munchers are really for ambient moisture int he air inside the housing. If you really have water inside, you have bigger problems.

With an aluminum housing where you can't see inside I'd rethink the moisture alarm idea. I saw a relatively cheap one on wetpixel. Hate to find out you had a leak at the end of a long day of shooting

Chris

 

[mjh]

No "water" in the housing, just noticed a few drops on a recent dive. Could be the housing was put together in the warm house and then used in -55degree water. My main concern for the trip was the humidity in the air. Given the water temp is close to the air temp condensation should be less of a prob. Will have to check for the moisture munchers and I like the idea of rice in a stocking or some such.

 

[ScubaFriend]

Ok hi everyone

This sounds like a weird tip but i assure you it works, i have lived in the tropics fro a long time and i agree with the problems of fogging inside the housing, moisture munchers dont work here the atmosphere is so humid as soon as you take them out of a packet they are full of moisture so we had to come up with another solution the one we found was ladies panty liners cut them into strips and put them inside the housing i assure you its the best moisture muncher you ever used

 

[scubajoe]

I have never used moisture muchers. Never had need to. I try and keed my camera and housing the same temp as the air. The only condensation I have seen was in cameras/housings that were taken into an airconditioned area and allowed to cool off. Then conndensation formed when the hit the hot humid air. Only warm water and warm weather experience. I know nothing about cold water/weather usage. And I plan to keep it that way!

Joe

 

[Dee]

Same here, Joe. Everytime I've prepared my camera in an A/C environment, I get at least some condensation issues. I usually crack open the housing door and let it acclimate before diving. One reason we don't get an A/C room at CCV is we don't want to deal with the temp changed to our camera gear. The dessicant packs handle whatever humidity there is very well.

 

[fpoole]

I put in those "Absorbent Pads" purchased at the drug store market, and then cut them up to fit.. some have a light adhesive which holds them in place.. this is more for the catching of flooding, typically a tsp at a time, water.. not sure how it would work with condensation... Poise is the pad of preference.. heheh.. geesh.. but it works..

 

[Gilligan]

I live year round in a fairly hot climate. I have had an Olympus digital housing for a little over two years now. When I first started using it I encountered some fogging inside the housing from what I assume to have been condensation. The camera itself generates heat, especially when taking several photos.

I did three things to solve the condensation issue and any actual moisture that may occur:
1. I use re-chargeable desiccant inside the housing. This is for condensation and will not absorb moisture from a small leak or condensation droplets.
2. I use feminine mini pads cut up in pieces to fit several remaining spaces in the housing. This will absorb any moisture but will not absorb condensation.
3. I keep my camera setup in a soft beverage cooler at all times. It insulates the camera from the outside temperature.

I have used this setup for almost two years and have never had a condensation issue since. I leave the cooler in direct sunlight on the bow of my kayak to and from my dive sites.

 

[ScubaMarc]

On my last dive I set up my camera with an acrylic housing the night before with 2 moisture munchers. The air temp in my house was around 85 and humid. The next morning on my dive at around 90 feet, 38 degrees Fahrenheit There was around a teaspoon of water. Camera was fine. I did not see any leaks. It looked like condensation. I was thinking on my next dive, stuff, a piece of paper towel in the housing. This would help suck the water and moisture.

 

[ReyeR]

2 things have to be present for fogging to occur: moisture must be present in the air inside the housing, and the atmosphere (be it air or water) should be cooler outside the housing than the air inside the housing. Take one or both away and no fogging will happen.
It's very hard to keep the temperature of the air inside the housing the same as that of the surrounding atmosphere when the camera is on because it is going to generate heat and warm the air inside the housing. Leave the camera inside the housing in the sun and the same will happen (glass house effect). When this happens and there is moisture present in the air inside the housing it's going to find the coolest place, usually the glass port, and condense on it.
Also, if you prepare you housing inside an air-conditioned room the air shoud be dry(er) so less moisture will get trapped in the air inside the housing so less or no fogging should occur. Leave the air-conditioning on sufficiently before preparing the housing.
When you use silica gel you are absorbing the moisture inside the housing, essentially removing one of the causes of fogging. The key is 'fresh' or 'un-saturated' silica gel.

 

[Gilligan]

ScubaMarc,
Paper towel in no way can match the absorbing power of a feminine mini pad. Just bite the bullet and go into the store and buy them.
Real men do