Nauticam Housing - How to deal with a minor flooding?

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ProfF

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Hi,

I just returned from a dive vacation in the Galapagos (wow! but tough on photography).

On one of the dives the flood-detection light on my NA-EM10 housing started blinking red. Not much to do about that during the dive, but did not see any major water in the housing and the camera was still on when this happened. I turned it off and continued the dive (what can you do at 20+meters?).

After returning to the boat (and soaking the housing in fresh water, drying the outer part, and opening), I did find some wetness in the housing (a bit more than few drops).

I dried to the best of my ability the inside of the housing (pressurised air hose and paper towels). I removed the O-ring, carefully checked it and cleaned its grove. Subsequent dives were fine.

The question is now that I am back home, what should I do? I am not too happy about salt remains inside the housing. I also want to ensure that this will no repeat (with more serious damage) in the future? The housing is quite new (20 dives or so with it).

Recommendations?

Thanks!

-Nir
 
I would send it to be serviced and cleaned, and if not there I would have them add the vacuum system & the electronics for it.
 
I would send it to be serviced and cleaned, and if not there I would have them add the vacuum system & the electronics for it.

Having it serviced would be a really good idea. Salt water is highly corrosive. So it would be best to get it out.

i would also agree with the vacuum system. I have one on my housing. The system indicates when I have a good seal, a green light. So before I dive, I know I have a good seal. The light goes yellow as the seal weakens and then goes red when it is critical. I see that every time when I open the vent so I can get the housing open. But I have never had any problem with the seal in about 50 dives. It is another layer of protection.
 
ok. How does one goes about sending it to be serviced?
 
Hi,

On one of the dives the flood-detection light on my NA-EM10 housing started blinking red. Not much to do about that during the dive, but did not see any major water in the housing and the camera was still on when this happened. I turned it off and continued the dive (what can you do at 20+meters?).

-Nir

TO answer "what can you do".... clip it to an SMB on a reel and send it to the surface. You are less likely to continue a catastrophic flood on the surface than at 20 meters. This allows you to complete your dive, or at least surface safely while your camera floats safely up top.
 
TO answer "what can you do".... clip it to an SMB on a reel and send it to the surface. You are less likely to continue a catastrophic flood on the surface than at 20 meters. This allows you to complete your dive, or at least surface safely while your camera floats safely up top.

I have to say that I think this is truly terrible advice. The majority of floods I have seen occurred in the first 3-5m of depth. As you go deeper the water pressure helps squeeze your o-rings in most housing. The worst thing I could think of, therefore, would be to have your $5000 or so bobbing around unattended at the surface.

My answer as to what I'd do would be to call the dive, and figure out the issue. Once on the surface I'd remove the camera from the housing, remove the battery from the camera, and rinse the housing inside and out with fresh water. You already have had salt water inside, some additional fresh water is unlikely to make things worse. Don't forget to take the leak sensor battery out too.

Alex
 
any electronics in the housing? if so then salt water exposure is very bad. send it in for service.

no electronics? then the only issue is salt crystal formation and / or corrosion of the gubbins.

you have several choices:
- send it in for service
- soak the housing inside and out to remove all traces of salt & let it dry thoroughly

a housing without electronics is purely a mechanical problem. no crystals, no corrosion, no problem.

do not over think this. either you can solve it easily on your own, or you should send it to an expert.
 
I have to say that I think this is truly terrible advice. The majority of floods I have seen occurred in the first 3-5m of depth. As you go deeper the water pressure helps squeeze your o-rings in most housing. The worst thing I could think of, therefore, would be to have your $5000 or so bobbing around unattended at the surface.

Alex

That depends entirely on what type of o-ring system your housing uses, but you are correct for some types.
You are also assuming that the leak is from an o-ring leak, and not a leak at another point in the housing, or from a split o-ring. Personally, I want as little pressure as possible on a leaking housing.
 
Are you sure it flooded? Something similar happened to me with my first Nauticam housing. About the 10th dive during a live aboard, the leak alarm went off. I aborted my dive, all worried about my new camera. Ended up camera was fine, there was less than a teaspoon of water in the housing. I tasted it and it was fresh. What had happened was that when I opened my housing up after a fresh water soak, a little bit of fresh water was getting in. Now I know to dry off my housing better before I open it.

I would think that a leak at 20meters, where you continued to dive, would result in a lot more than a few drops of wetness.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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