Is flooding inevitable?

[BlueDolphin]

I just made a large purchase on a new video housing/camera.

I know that you should never use a camera you can not afford to flood.... but is it possible to use care and NEVER have a flood?

What are some good sources for assuring proper care and handling for an expensive video system?

Any secrets? Any tips?

I am new to underwater video.

Thanks

 

[alcina]

Always triple check all seals. When you set up before you put it together, as you put it together, after it's together and before you hit the water. And again on decent. OK, that's more than three times, but it will help.

Take all possible time and care when working on the housing. Be in a well lit area so you can see those pesky fibres etc. Do not use cotton buds! Those makeup sponge tipped applicators are great.

Don't knock it around. Be fairly gentle with it.

Insure it!!

Yes, it is a matter of when, not if. Some might be lucky and not flood anything for 20 years, but if you do enough dives the odds are that you're gonna have an unfortunate water experience

 

[Jim Ernst]

and as said above check it often, i check and recheck all of the time including while i am diving, and doing so saved my butt (camera) this weekend as while in the middle of an awsome dive and in the middle of an awsome dive trip, i happend to look through my clear ike-lite housing and noticed 2 small drops of water inside, had not got to my canon yet, but had i not noticed it would have been a disaster by the end of the dive, i surfaced and opend and checked and found a single hair on the o-ring, saved my trip!!!! yeeee haaa, be very meticoulous

 

[fdog]

Flooding is a primal force that we mortals can only postpone....

With that said, I've never had the "biblical flood", where fish flop out when the housing is opened. Just enough of a trickle to set off the leak alarm and raise my heart rate.


All the best, James

 

[diversteve]

Don't splash with the housing, have it handed down to you. - it's hard on the rear seal.

Drop it in the camera rinse tank upon boarding, watch it 30 secs. for bubbles and leave it there till the dive - helps with fogging sometimes. Also, if I can, I seal it inside near an A/C unit, the air is dehumidified.

Power up before you enter the water and check the camera functions again.

Don't forget to clip it off once in the water. I like mine just slightly positive so If I do drop it, it might be recoverable on the surface - it's bright yellow for a reason.

 

[BlueDolphin]

Thanks all...

Do yo lube your orings before each dive? How often do you replace the orings? Is there a particular cleaner you like to use on the housing when and if needed? What brand/type lube is preferred? Some lubes expand the oring and some do not.

I will pick up some of the makeup sponge applicators.

Thanks again

 

[diversteve]

"Do yo lube your orings before each dive?" Yes - well at least once per day.

"How often do you replace the orings?" If/when they look scuffed. For me that's been over two years now. If you can find out the AS568-# from the mfr. you can buy them from a hydraulic/pneumatic supplier in your area for about .30 ea. Usually the black ones are made of Buna-N - also called Nitrile.

"What brand/type lube is preferred?" I use stuff that I picked up at my LDS. It was designed for still cameras. Comes in a little blue round case. I'd post the name but my housing is in Mexico currently.

 

[drbill]

Yes, there is one way to avoid ever flooding... buy flood insurance! At least that's my personal experience. I had two tiny floods- less than a teaspoon before I bought insurance a few years ago. Enough to knock out the housing electronics, but not the camcorder. Reason the camcorder survived intact was that I hold the housing at an angle so any water would seek the side where the electronics are. When they fail, I know to surface. Not a single "flood" since I bought insurance. It's like magic.

As for greasing the o-rings, I believe it was Cathy Church who said if they don't need it, don't grease 'em. I smooth out any remaining silicone lubricant on their surfaces and check the double o-rings for hairs, etc. with my reading glasses on. If they seem to need lubricant, I'll add some. Generally not more frequently than every 6-10 dives. However I dive very frequently and live in a seaside environment with reasonable humidity and moderated temperatures. Your mileage may vary.

 

[BlueDolphin]

Thanks guys...

I was thinking removing the orings each dive and lubing might stretch them out and distort them, possibly causing more problems than solving?

I appreciate the input.

Anywhere better than another for the insurance? I have DAN I can check my policy to see if I have the clause for flooding cameras. Any other companies that are offering the insurance?

 

[clgsamson]

I also use a magnifying glass to scan the housing ( camera inside) after I have closed it. It pays to be patient and meticulous.

ps - found the magnifying glass on a reef in an earlier dive.