Is it OK to fly with housing sealed up?

[CoopAir]

I recently read is some article (can't remember which one for what its worth), that you could damage either the O ring(s) or the housing itself be flying with it shut since there would be "negative pressure" on it.


Since most airliners are perssurized to 8000' this would be where the atmostphere is 11 PSI which is a 3.7 PSI differential from where I would seal it up at sea level.

Since my housing is rated to 130', taking it to this depth on the other hand would mean a PSI differential of 58 "positive pressure"

(130/33+1=4.93 atm * 14.7 = 72.6 PSI -14.7 = 58 PSI differential)

So does having a "negative pressure" of 3.7 PSI at 8000ft altitude really hurt the O ring and/or housing more than a "positive pressure" of 58 PSI does by having it at 130' underwater???


Thanks!!

 

[hiloboy]

I am not sure if it hurts the housing but when I forgot to remove the o ring from my Nauticam housing when flying, I could not open the housing when I got off the plane. Luckily, my housing has a bulkhead I could unscrew to relieve the vacuum.

 

[BDSC]

I have a video housing and have flown many times with it sealed up and never had a problem.

 

[Mike]

Check your owner's manual. Almost all that I've seen the manufacturer will address this and most likely warn you specifically not to seal the housing for the reasons stated by hiloboy.

 

[fda483]

Why would you even consider this? Whenever I travel I just leave the port off. Also its easier do deal with the TSA questions then.

 

[diver 85]

I would think the only damage could be to the Oring.....but, why take a chance??/........Remove it, IMO....

 

[Larry C]

Just pull the o-ring. I had the same issue as hiloboy-had a heck of a time getting it open. My wife forgot to pull the o-ring on her dry box a couple of times and we had to insert a blade between the sides to break the vacuum. Pressure varies not only in the air, but with the temperature and barometric pressure at your destination as well.

 

[KeithG]

Leaving the housing sealed is very unlikely to do any damage to either the o ring or the housing.

But you may experience a vacuum leak and find the housing hard to open. I randomly forget to leave the door open / remove the o rings. I once had a vacuum seal on an amphibico housing that was quite a challenge.

A vacuum test is not the same as a pressure test.

All of the housing I have owned are designed such that as the external pressure increases the door closes more which compresses the o ring more which gives a tighter seal. Too much pressure will flatten the o ring too much (possibly causing damage to it) and you lose your seal.

On the plane you have the opposite. The high pressure air in the housing pushes the door open and reduces the compression on the o ring. And you have a leak.

Note that we are taking about minute movements of the door.

If you encounter a vacuum leak situation, all you have to do is heat the interior of your housing until the air expands to release the pressure. I believe a few minutes with a blow torch or a quick plunge into a vat of boiling oil will fix your housing forever....

 

[drbill]

I only bring my housing in my carry on, so am not 100% certain if it is in checked baggage. It sure gives TSA some fun each time I fly with my extra batteries, video lights and control handles disassembled!

 

[KeithG]

I only bring my housing in my carry on, so am not 100% certain if it is in checked baggage. It sure gives TSA some fun each time I fly with my extra batteries, video lights and control handles disassembled!

My camera stuff is always carry on, so tsa NEVER gets to mess with it. All they get to play with is smelly wetsuits and old underwear.

P.S. we at batting .500 lately. Half of our checked luggage has been broken into by the TSA. They leave a very polite form letter and trash our TSA compatible lock.