Stupidly locked my case

[Chris Ross]

yes with the leverage you could likely apply enough force to open it but to do that it applies the opening force to the lip along the length it is contacting the plastic over a quite small surface area, increasing the chance of damaging that area, you cold easily apply a force of 500-1000 psi to the lip of the seal area.

 

[Dan]

yes with the leverage you could likely apply enough force to open it but to do that it applies the opening force to the lip along the length it is contacting the plastic over a quite small surface area, increasing the chance of damaging that area, you cold easily apply a force of 500-1000 psi to the lip of the seal area.

Damaging the outside of the split face is a high possibility, even slicing part of the o-ring. However, that’s just cosmetic issue. The internal sealing surface would still be intact. You can replace the o-ring too afterwards.

The elevated temperature would also help to soften up & relax the elastomer property of the o-ring, allowing some movement on the hinges end to flex and letting air to leak into the case. It would be flexible enough (easier) to press the sharp edge of a knife & pry open the cover. All you need is a millimeter gap to let the air to leak in.

 

[Barmaglot]

By the way, when I flew with my housing (same exact model) without taking the o-rings out, it kind of sealed itself due to air leaking out at altitude, but when I pulled really hard at the two parts, I was able to pry them apart.

For the reference, this housing has two main o-rings, so dislodging the outer one won't break the seal on the inner one.

 

[bvanant]

The vacuum pump is a good idea, if you can find a rigid box big enough to hold the housing. Find a lab with an old glovebox and that might work.
Bill

 

[broncobowsher]

For a giant vacuum box and a vacuum pump, that is a lot of expense for a one time problem. Probably cheaper to just go back up to altitude.

Still waiting to hear if a jet of high pressure air works. Overload the seal is a single spot. No damaging of the case, at worst you blow out the O-ring.

 

[Barmaglot]

Still waiting to hear if a jet of high pressure air works. Overload the seal is a single spot. No damaging of the case, at worst you blow out the O-ring.

I seriously doubt that will work. There are two concentric o-rings, and even the outer one is a ways past the edge. This is what this housing looks like when open - you can see the outer o-ring going around the back part, and the inner o-ring seated in the groove in the front part:

And this is what it looks like when closed - you can see both o-rings through the translucent plastic:

Chances of a jet of air making it through all that are... quite remote, I'd say.

 

[arew+4]

Get two shop vacs, lift the motor off of one put the unlatched camera in it cover it tightly with something rigid. Put a hole in that cover and use the second shop vac to create a vacuum inside the first. The camera should pop open.

 

[tursiops]

Get two shop vacs, lift the motor off of one put the unlatched camera in it cover it tightly with something rigid. Put a hole in that cover and use the second shop vac to create a vacuum inside the first. The camera should pop open.

1 Atmosphere is about 400 inches of water. A good shopvac might pull about 50-60 inches, so maybe .85 ATM at best. He closed his case at about 0.6 ATM. So, not optimistic on this solution.

 

[Schwob]

At heart, I still like "the stupid way" from post 10... If you try it, be sure to let us know...

How about taking a tripod mount plate screw out, drilling that hole through with a drill well smaller than the internal thread ID. Open housing, clean out chips. apply tape to inside spot where hole came through. Wit a syringe with fine needle fill that hole up with the right adhesive, filling from the outside, but syringe near the tap, syringe up, housing upside down, so as to not trap air, slowly removing syringe as you go, fill a bit into threads. Bed screw into adhesive. maybe flip housing right side up after the screw is a couple of threads in so that if you push out adhesive at the tape side it makes a wipable mole hill and not a runny mess.

What right kind of adhesive?
That's the catch... not sure...
Anyone?

 

[Rred]

I think I' drill a small hole in the middle of a fairly empty part of the case. That lets the pressure equalize and then there's only the trivial issue of resealing the hole. It should be a fairly simple thing to use a small tap to put threads in the hole, matching a short stainless steel screw with a wide head. Insert a suitable epoxy (not all bind to all plastics) under head and on threads, screw in the screw, add a nut or acorn nut on the inside "just in case". Or, use a couple of o-rings in the mix. Between those and the epoxy, that small hole is not going to leak.

Using a small screw to plug a small hole in a high pressure pipe or other surface is a standard old damage control procedure.