what to do, what to do...ys-01 semi-flood ...

[sharky60]

So my Sea&Sea YS-25 bit the dust and in April I replaced it with a S&S YS-01.

Took it to Cozumel and dove over 2 weeks with it with no problems...really like this strobe.

The strobe worked fine for all dives. On the last day, I rinsed it in the sink at the hotel like I do every day, but because I was going to fly out the next day, I didn't bother to take the batteries out, or even open the battery housing. Using rechargeables by the way.

I usually put batteries in everything that can hold them when getting ready to get on a plane to and from Coz, because the Mexican TSA seem to have an issue with loose batteries and there have been reports on the Coz SB forum that they will take them if they find them loose.

Anyway, I get home the next day and open the strobe & the batteries have exploded and are a little wet. I carry on my camera equipment, so it wasn't in the cargo hold.

I pulled the batteries out and used a jillion Q-tips to clean the battery housing out the best I could of all the corrosion and moisture. Then put one of those moisture pack things in it and closed it up for 24 hours to let the pack soak up any excess moisture left inside.

I then put fresh charged batteries in it and tested it. The red indicator light on the bottom doesn't always come on, but the strobe function seems to be ok. I can adjust the brightness and it seems to be working.

I need to order a new o-ring before testing it in water, because the old 'o' got some corrosion on it and I don't think it will clean very well.

The question is: should I send this unit into S&S to be checked out? Could they possible clean it better than I have? Is it possibly under warranty? (bought it directly from S&S) I'm not sure how the leak came about or even when. The strobe worked perfectly up to the last photo I took before getting on the boat, so it doesn't seem like it was leaking in the ocean, or if it was, it wasn't leaking much and the moisture didn't reach any electronics while it was turned on.

I know they charge like $120 just to look at something, & I think that money goes towards repairs if needed, but if the unit 'appears' to be working other than the indicator light, is it worth the $120 to have it checked out?

Thanks for your thoughts in advance...maybe the S&S rep could pipe in??

 

[KeithG]

your battery compartment should be sealed off from the rest of the strobe. so the only damage will be to the battery compartment. most likely just the contacts.

your intermittent red light seems to confirm this. so you need to do a better job of cleaning corrosion off of the contacts. if you can accomplish this there should be no need to send it in to s&s

you also need to verify that the contacts have not been fully eaten away by corrosion.

i once purchased a used strobe that had a far amount of gunk and corrosion but it worked fine once i cleaned it up. i used very fine sand paper to polish the contacts.

 

[sharky60]

great! thanks!!

I don't think the contacts have been corroded away.

I'll use some electronic cleaner and hit it all again,

thanks so much!!!

 

[Larry C]

You may need to replace the cap (about $50). Clean the contacts at the base carefully with a q-tip and electrical cleaner. I had to clean mine about every other weekend to keep it working, and eventually had a shop replace the lower contacts. (about $125).