YS-110a flooded ... now what?

[MXGratefulDiver]

I took my camera out diving last evening, and the right strobe refused to fire. In fact, the little red light never even came on.

I had previously taken the setup on a 127-foot dive on Sunday. However, due to conditions I wasn't completely comfortable with, I didn't take a single picture on that dive. So I left the setup together until last evening, and took it out. So when it didn't fire, my first thought was that I must have somehow run the batteries down.

However, this morning I took the cap off the battery compartment and noticed a significant amount of water inside (not to mention four rusting AA rechargeable batteries). I cleaned it out as best I could, using fresh water, a toothbrush, and a can of compressed air.

What I want to know is this ... can I expect this strobe to be toast? Or is there a chance that with proper care I can restore it to working condition? And if the latter, is there anything besides rinsing and cleaning the battery compartment that I should consider doing?

If it's toast, do I return it to Backscatter (where I purchased it) or directly to Sea & Sea to see if it's salvageable?

I did inspect the cap and o-ring and cannot see any visible reason for the flood. I clean and lube every time I change out the batteries, and there was no sign of any hair or other debris that might have created the flood.

Any help or suggestions are appreciated ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[SEA&SEA]

HI Bob-
Sorry to hear of the flood. Good news is that SEA&SEA engineers sealed battery compartments in the new strobes like the YS-110. So, in case of a flood through the battery cap, the major parts of the strobe are not effected. You did the right thing and cleaned it out as best you could, you can simply return it to Backscatter who can service and inspect it or to SEA&SEA. Since Backscatter maintains a service staff and is your retailer, we'd recommend them first so they can inspect the strobe and make service/repair recommendations. Hope that helps and they'll get you back up and running asap.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Thanks ... that's reassuring. I'll contact Backscatter.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Just want to add that I got home this evening, popped some batteries into the unit ... and it WORKS!

This strobe is amazing ... you wouldn't have thought it would have been possible if you'd seen the rusty water that came out with the batteries this morning.

I will still send it in for cleaning/servicing ... but I may just take it diving a time or two before it goes ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[weinerr]

The exact thing recently happened to me with no explanation as to why. I fully inspected and greased the o-ring prior to a 110' dive. I removed the corroded batteries, cleaned the inside to get all the crud out. I put a dessicant pack in the battery compartment and sealed for a few hours to dry. Put new batteries in and wala it worked! I will be sending it back for a professional repair.

 

[Ardy]

HI I did the same thing with an old SnS ys 50 I own. Did the same as you guys and had it working fine.

I was messing around with it trying to work out how it flooded, had myself convinced the cover was worn out and needed replacing, then whammo! I found that there is a click it makes when it is properly engaged and took a fair bit of pressure to engage it. In a few years of use I had never noticed it. Since then it has never missed a beat and gets used as my slave strobe on most dives still.

Amazing that it never flooded before as it must have done a couple of hundred dives without the compartment properly sealed.