Help with first flood

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LI Diver

Contributor
Messages
716
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Location
Long Island New York
# of dives
500 - 999
Well after after about 50 dives (over 2 yrs) with my trusty canon A70 and canon housing I got water in the housing. It wasn't exactly flooded but an ounce or two of water came out when I opened the housing and my camera no longer works. I shot images right up until I exited the water with no problems and did not notice water in the housing on doffing my gear. When I returned home I filled a rubbermaid tub with water from the garden hose and left the hose running and overflowing the tub. I then placed my camera and computer in the tub to soak about 30 minutes. I did notice that the water was quite cold when my hands touched it. Is it possible that taking the camera/housing from a warm vehicle and immersing it in chilly water could have caused a vacum and sucked water past the o-ring in the housing?? Could it have been condensation on a real muggy day? The o-ring looks good and has a thin coating of silicone grease on it still.I should have tasted the water and seen if it was salty or fresh but did not think of it. Also what are the odds of having the camera repaired??:confused:
Ed
 
Hard to tell what caused it. A couple of ounces wouldn't generally be condensation. You say you put it in to soak after filling it, so hose pressure shouldn't be the demon. A lot of times, you can get leakage while soaking, just because there's not much pressure on the o-ring. If you bump or jostle the housing much, it can leak. That's why I'm always real cautious putting my housing in the camera tub on dive boats.
Did you have any moisture or battery leakage in the battery housing? Any sign of water intrusion elsewhere? Unfortunately electronics are pretty subject to destruction by water, although I've revived a VCR that was under a drippy potted plant by opening it and spraying electronics cleaner (quick drying type) on the printed circuit board. Most cameras don't readily open up though. Sorry for your bad luck. If you replace the camera, I'd dive the housing empty before putting it back in.
 
Hard to tell what caused it. A couple of ounces wouldn't generally be condensation. You say you put it in to soak after filling it, so hose pressure shouldn't be the demon. A lot of times, you can get leakage while soaking, just because there's not much pressure on the o-ring. If you bump or jostle the housing much, it can leak. That's why I'm always real cautious putting my housing in the camera tub on dive boats.
Did you have any moisture or battery leakage in the battery housing? Any sign of water intrusion elsewhere? Unfortunately electronics are pretty subject to destruction by water, although I've revived a VCR that was under a drippy potted plant by opening it and spraying electronics cleaner (quick drying type) on the printed circuit board. Most cameras don't readily open up though. Sorry for your bad luck. If you replace the camera, I'd dive the housing empty before putting it back in.

Thanks Larry, There was a brown residue around the battery compartment door/contacts and also at the flap that covers the usb,a/c and video connectors. I can't believe how fast it appeared. I thought about the contact cleaner but it looked like the camera had turned itself on because the lens was out and I had shut the camera down on exiting the water so I figured it was too late. I was thinking about getting the G-9 and a new housing, I don't know though I really liked this one! Do I get a canon housing or an ikelite if I go that route???
 
Ikelite's sturdier and accepts 67mm add on lenses, but I think you're stuck with their strobes and converters if you want TTL. If I were buying a camera today, the G9 would certainly be one of my top choices. The Canon housing is more compact and cheaper, and I think currently available. You might have to wait a few weeks for the due in October Ikelite. I don't know if the Canon housing has a bulkhead for a hardwired strobe. I've heard alcohol will dry the innards. You might try contact cleaner on the battery contacts and stuff, just in case it works. If you're throwing it out anyway, you can't make things worse.
 
*welcome* to the club. I had a similar experience on a 44m dive in boracay a few weeks ago (luckily, my last dive of the trip, and there was not all that much to see on this particular dive).

I noticed a few drops of water int he housing at about 44m, and so started to ascend - the camera was working fine - though I turned it off anyway, just to be sure. for the rest of the dive I held the housing in a way as to minimise any water getting in contact with the camera, and it never pooled - there were only a few drops of clear liquid. I was staring at the housing for the deco stops and safety stops, and still, only a few drops of water...

Somehow, upon breaking the surface, the housing was about 1/5 filled with brown water. I have no idea how it got int here so quick int he minute of so it took to ascend form the safety stop. But the water got at the battery compartment, and that pretty much did it. I did try and wash the camera in fresh water, then let it dry for 24 hours - it seemed that the camera was rescued when the A640 played the familiar chime and the screen went blue with the "Canon" logo.. then it just stopped, lens half out, screen dead. Oh well.. Luckily I got it at a bargain price ($300) so it wasn't a huge loss, but anyway... You live, you learn..

I also had the residue, and tried cleaning it with cotton buds and alcohol. No luck, but it looks good!

I have since sent it back to Canon - but, on a side note, there was a thread about Canon having a plan where you can return a dead camera and purchase a re-furbed one of the same type for a very cheap price.



Z..
 
The "Brown" water is usually from the battery getting shorted and leaking. Get rid of the battery and use some vinegar to counteract the brown crud. The sooner you do this the less metal will get eaten by the brown crud. No clue on the chemistry involved but it seems to work.

I also unfortunately learned this one the hard way.
 
The "Brown" water is usually from the battery getting shorted and leaking. Get rid of the battery and use some vinegar to counteract the brown crud. The sooner you do this the less metal will get eaten by the brown crud. No clue on the chemistry involved but it seems to work.

I also unfortunately learned this one the hard way.

Thanks guys, I think the acid of the vinegar neutralizes the alkaline battery residue as they are opposites. Here is a tip I learned the hard way about. I may be the only one dumb enough to do this however!:dork2: I wanted to know if it was sea water or fresh water from the bucket so I took my finger and rubbed it on the inside of the housing and then touched it to my tongue,at about this time I remembered about the brown crud from the batteries leaking out. Well it was pretty spicy!I put my glasses on and saw that I put my finger in barely visible residue right under where the batteries would be!!!!!!!!:shakehead:
 
The "Brown" water is usually from the battery getting shorted and leaking. Get rid of the battery and use some vinegar to counteract the brown crud. The sooner you do this the less metal will get eaten by the brown crud. No clue on the chemistry involved but it seems to work.

I also unfortunately learned this one the hard way.


Brown crud is alkaline, vinegar is an acid - combining the 2 results in a salt + water.

z...
 
One thing to try on a dead camera is to soak it in alcohol then dry completely. I have brought back a dead camera with this technique although the odds are long you have nothing to lose.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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