Ok my first real problem with an underwater housing

[seamonster01]

Amphibico evo dive buddy for Hdr-hc1.
I have about 200 dives on the housing. It has been nearly always rinsed.
anyone ever hear of problems with the controls of these setups?
I could not get the housing to turn the camera on at depth the other day. After playing with it a bit after the dive.I could not get the trigger to activate the camera but everything else worked if I turned the camera on manually,eventually the camera just started cycling through the different modes while plugged in.???

This is not a rant, I am very happy with my housing I am just intrested if anyone has heard of something similar happening.
I sent an e-mail off to Amphibico and I assume I will have to send it in for servicing.
how much should I expect a repair to cost? any idea?
Any Idea what it is or how to fix?
Where to go or send it to get it fixed? I live near Seattle Washington
Where would someone recomend I send it if nessary?
Thanks for your time
Craig

 

[crpntr133]

Amphibico evo dive buddy for Hdr-hc1.
I have about 200 dives on the housing. It has been nearly always rinsed.
anyone ever hear of problems with the controls of these setups?
I could not get the housing to turn the camera on at depth the other day. After playing with it a bit after the dive.I could not get the trigger to activate the camera but everything else worked if I turned the camera on manually,eventually the camera just started cycling through the different modes while plugged in.???

This is not a rant, I am very happy with my housing I am just interested if anyone has heard of something similar happening.
I sent an e-mail off to Amphibico and I assume I will have to send it in for servicing.
how much should I expect a repair to cost? any idea?
Any Idea what it is or how to fix?
Where to go or send it to get it fixed? I live near Seattle Washington
Where would someone recommend I send it if necessary?
Thanks for your time
Craig

Don't know what would caused it but it will end up at the factory for repair. You could take it or send it to a dealer but it will most likely end up at the factory. Check their web page for dealers and the factory address.

 

[Annie Crawley]

Check all the connections for corrosion. Anything that you plug in. I don't know where you have been filming the 200 plus dives, but corrosion on connections, you can solve. There is a spray I always carry with me...W5, it is an electrical contact cleaner. If you see green and corrosion on your connection, this could cause them to misfire. I used to have this only on my lights that were wet connectors. I used to have to take cleaner and sand paper to them...

Years ago Light and Motion and Amphibico had problems with their handles. So much so that if people were going into the field, they would often bring an extra handle. That was around eight years ago and both companies have improved their systems since then. Don't laugh...check your batteries in your handles. I am sure you have done that, but you might want to make sure you have good batteries in them.

If neither of those work, I would agree...get it to the manufacturer!

 

[diversteve]

Years ago Light and Motion and Amphibico had problems with their handles. So much so that if people were going into the field, they would often bring an extra handle. That was around eight years ago and both companies have improved their systems since then. Don't laugh...check your batteries in your handles. I am sure you have done that, but you might want to make sure you have good batteries in them.

The EVO doesn't have batteries in the handles, it's powered by the camcorder.

I have the same system you do. Mine had a similar glitch once in the summer of 2006, all I did was shut it all down and soak the handles thoroughly, it's worked flawlessly ever since.

If yours still doesn't work, it's either the circuit board or more likely a button contact that's staying depressed due to salt crystals interfering with it's operation. My guess would be your Mode button contact is sticking. That would cause the cycling you're seeing and also why the trigger won't function, LANC is a very slow, stupid serial protocol so the pulses from a sticking contact might override the trigger function.

Either way it's likely a factory service issue. All service for the U.S. and Canada is done through Amphibico in Montreal/New York - depending on urgency needed. Here's their contact info page:

AMPHIBICO - Customer Support

And here's the Return Authorization you need to submit when you send it in:
https://www.amphibico.com/amphibico/ra_form.jsp?sid=86964715315274341418717620481

The return addresses are listed at the bottom of the RA page.

Note the following also:

This issued number is mandatory for any package being sent to Amphibico. Any package sent to Amphibico without an issued RA# and without the following information indicated on the face of the package will be refused and returned to the sender at his own expense.

hth, let us know what happens, for obvious reasons, I'm interested in the outcome.

 

[seamonster01]

Well you all are pretty much correct.
Sent the housing in to the manufacturer.est price for a new controler arm about $300+(if its beyond repair). The service rep suggested a maintance check after so many dives anyway. I am pretty happy with their response to date I got an e-mail back the next working day and got to talk to a rep when I called without any trouble.
Thank you for your responses, I will let you know how it all finishes up in a couple weeks.

 

[seamonster01]

Well got the housing back yesterday afternoon, it was in the water last night and it worked great.
Quick turn around from amphibico, The handle was replaced and the unit was cleaned and serviced at least as far as I can tell.
The lanc cord seems to be a bit more robust that the one on the unit before anyway. All seems pretty well.They never did tell me what was officially wrong.
Pocket book is a little sore but underwater video doesn't work very well on the cheap for me.
Thanks for everyones input.
Craig

 

[Annie Crawley]

Good Stuff,

Happy to help and thanks for sharing. Can I help with anything else?