Stupidly locked my case

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Pyndle

Contributor
Messages
198
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39
Location
Thailand
# of dives
500 - 999
Hi,

I don't know what was going through my mind at the time, but I opened and closed my Meikon/seafrog case for a Sony A6000 in altitude (4000m), and now I'm back at sea level.

Obviously the case is completely locked and I can't open it. Any ideas to open it by any chance (apart going back to the same altitude)?

This is the model I have:
Sony A6500/A6300/A6000 60m/195ft SeaFrogs Underwater Camera Housing

Thanks,
Pyndle
 
unless you have a port of some form like you would have for a vacuum system that you can remove by unscrewing, there's no way to open it. a rough estimate of the closing force exerted by the change in pressure is 30 kg. so the chances of being able to get a good enough grip to open against that force are quite small. You could about halve the closing force on a plane flight (~2400m) but that probably is not enough.

I think you may need to go on a trip to the alps, what's the highest you can drive there? Try opening it on the way once you get beyond 3000m altitude.

This is the main reason for recommending that you remove O-rings while travelling.
 
Disclaimer:
No guarantees:

How big is the seal area if approximated as a rectangle?
If you assume a pressure drop equivalent to maybe 6 PSI (possibly 7 PSI, pending temps humidity and actual pressures (weather) (12...13 ...inches Hg), would you dare to crack it open by prying (after unlatching)? Can you pry at a spot far from the hinge w/o destruction (is there maybe a spot for the purpose .. twist a coin / screwdriver?
My thinking is that if the housing is 6"x4" you may have to put in possibly 7PSI x 24 sqin = 168 pounds (75ish kg) of force to pull it straight apart (if there was no hinge) but hopefully half or quite less to pry at the hinge fare side just yo crack it open...
Would you dare?

Other option: Maybe destroy the gasket to let air in if another gasket can be gotten cheaply? ... but how exactly to do that...

Drill a small hole in the housing f you can find a way to plug it reliably? Not recommending that, just fishing...
 
Is it possible take apart one of the control knobs ? There is usually some kind of gland nut. If you can get the knob apart you might be able to push the rod/ stem into the housing...just a thought...
 
Hmmm. Might try a flight training facility where they let people experience hypoxia by taking them to "altitude" in a chamber, then taking off their O2 mask. Maybe one of the techs could take your housing on their next "ascent" and open it for you.
 
Air gun / blow gun. Blow right into the seal. Overpower the seal with excessive air pressure. Very much like using compressed air to remove/install motorcycle grips or using compressed air to separate parts from a mold (typically fiberglass). Putting 100-150 PSI pencil jet of air into a localized spot on an O-ring can cause a mild leak in your favor. Bet you can do that and not leave a mark on anything.
 
How about put it in a warm water bath tub for a few minutes to warm up the air inside the case before you open it again right after you pull the case out of the bath tub?
Blow dryer. Warm it up. The air inside will expand.

All of the materials should be rated higher than your scalp. So no worries about too much heat.
 
After I closed the equalize pipe by epoxy in my Panasonic DMW-MCTZ3 (this pipe is under lock handle, covered by sealing on lock handle - may be you have the same?), it starts to be difficult to open back door.
I use lock handle as support and as a lever. I`m set lock handle to back door flange (not from back side, but from lock side), and with extra power to lock handle is opening back door...

another way is:
you have front glass, attached by ten screws. You can take off this screws and try to open front glass.
But be very carefully with front glass sealing.

Third, most stupid, but possible way - to find strong box (tank, steel sphere, pressure cooker or any another strong sealed container), and 10 m hose (30ft) 3-5mm diameter. Attach this pipe to the box, open camera case lock handle, put your case in to the box, fill this box AND pipe full of water (without air bubbles) and drop one of the pipe ends down (from third floor of the building).
Water in the pipe make strong vacuum inside the pipe and the box, and your camera case will be opened easy just in the box.
Later you will need just to dry it.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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