Hi I assume the reason the buttons stop working only below 50 ft is pressure related. Are the weak springs in canon housing pushed in because of pressure?? When I am night diving we quite often have a 30 minute drive from resort to dive where camera is out of water--any suggestions to stop salt crystals from forming?? Bruce
Buttons sticking HELP!!!
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A word of warning about using hot water ...
DON'T DO THIS WITH YOUR CAMERA IN THE HOUSING!
Two reasons ... first off, polycarbonate housings ... which are basically all of the "plastic" ones ... will expand due to the heat. I've known several people who have flooded their cameras by soaking them in hot water, because the expansion breaks the seal on the o-ring.
Second ... the electronics in your camera are heat sensitive, and the heat of the water can be enough to damage them.
A better suggestion is to use luke-warm water, soak the housing for a while, press all of the buttons several times, soak it a few more minutes, press them again, soak a few more minutes, then take it out of the water and dry. Pressing the buttons works the rinse water into the crevices, rinsing the salt deposits. Doing this a couple times flushes the water through where the salt has built up.
My recommendation is to work those buttons in the fresh water every time you rinse, which will eliminate the salt build-up from happening in the first place ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
DON'T DO THIS WITH YOUR CAMERA IN THE HOUSING!
Two reasons ... first off, polycarbonate housings ... which are basically all of the "plastic" ones ... will expand due to the heat. I've known several people who have flooded their cameras by soaking them in hot water, because the expansion breaks the seal on the o-ring.
Second ... the electronics in your camera are heat sensitive, and the heat of the water can be enough to damage them.
A better suggestion is to use luke-warm water, soak the housing for a while, press all of the buttons several times, soak it a few more minutes, press them again, soak a few more minutes, then take it out of the water and dry. Pressing the buttons works the rinse water into the crevices, rinsing the salt deposits. Doing this a couple times flushes the water through where the salt has built up.
My recommendation is to work those buttons in the fresh water every time you rinse, which will eliminate the salt build-up from happening in the first place ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Bubbletrubble
Contributor
@60sdiver: It's possible that the button springs might be a little weaker than they should be...or they just lose their "spring" as they age. In my experience, however, it's the crud that builds up on the button shafts and o-rings that prevents the button springs from working properly. At depth, the greater ambient pressure opposes the force of the spring, making it more difficult for the button to rebound to its initial/default position after it's been depressed. I've found that cleaning the springs and button shafts and re-lubricating the o-rings helps the buttons function like new. Try it. You'll be surprised with the results.
My Canon UW housing fits nicely inside a mask case (the kind that a new scuba mask comes packaged inside). You could fill the mask case (or similar container) with fresh water, put the lid on, and then put the mask case inside of a bucket in case the water sloshes out of the mask case while you're driving. Even filling the mask case with salt water would be better for the buttons since it's the drying process which allows salt crystal formation.
Alternatively, you could wrap the housing with a wet towel/rag.
I view the "sticky button" problem with Canon UW housings not as an inherent flaw with housing design but as a simple maintenance issue. Periodically, you're just going to have to do that maintenance. I rinse my UW housing exactly the way NWGratefulDiver describes above. I activate every button several times while agitating the housing in lukewarm freshwater (after removing the camera from the case). Then I let the housing soak for 15-30 minutes while I rinse the rest of my scuba gear. The method works. It's a small price to pay for being able to take UW pics.
Hope this info helps...
do not use HOT water..warm is ok, mix in a bit of white vinegar,let it soak for a few minutes, it will break down any salt deposits very effectively.You can do the same to your regulator after a week of vacation diving.
Vinegar works great. I also like to put a little Simple Green in my rinse tub full of water and that works like a champ to break down the salt.
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Hmmm ... I wonder what a few minutes in an ultrasonic cleaner might do ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Bubbletrubble
Contributor
Doesn't Simple Green contain detergents which will, theoretically, remove any lubricant on the o-rings? I only use warm freshwater rinses on my regs and camera housings following a day of diving.
Vinegar might help remove corrosion on the metal bits, but I would wonder about the effect of low pH on the o-rings (depends upon material composition) and plastic parts of the UW housing.
Does the manufacturer recommend that either of these two agents be used in cleaning/maintenance of the housing?
Soak housing in room temperature distilled water over night. Occasionally pump the controls. Remove from water and allow to dry, lubricate with a few drops each control with the 100% pure food grade liquid silicone. If this does not work, you have to replace the stubborn springs with stiffer ones, I did that on one housing, sourced from my junk box and McMaster. Or just stay above 50 feet.
Vinegar will destroy Buna N O-rings. Simple Green, lol, go right ahead, I think I will pass on that.
N
Vinegar will destroy Buna N O-rings. Simple Green, lol, go right ahead, I think I will pass on that.
N
I imagine if you left anything in a detergent long enough it probably would. I have been using SG for about a year now without issue and I got the tip from a couple of instructors who have used it for years without any problems as well. That being said, I don't think they are leaving it in the solution for long periods of time. I myself fill my tub with water (approx 6-7 gal), add about a cup of SG, and mix. Then I dunk my gear and swish around thoroughly and allow to air dry. All be told, the gear maybe has about 5 min in the solution.
didi440
Contributor
@60sdiver -- If you have drive a bit before you can rinse your camera, wrap it in a wet towel and rinse as soon as you get home. I carry a spare cooler in my truck filled with fresh water and rinse my camera in that as soon as I get to my truck.
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