Brand new Backscatter HF-1 flooded

[Nemrod]

I'd send Backscatter an email right away telling them about the incident and as them about how to proceed.

Yes, in particular describing how the O-rings are of different sizes. Could be wrong as usual but I suspect shipping different size or incorrect size O-rings with the strobes could be the root cause of several HF-1 floods I have read of.

 

[Robert Rommel]

So, six dives into use and it's flooded, has anyone else had this issue? I hear the battery compartment is sealed, but don't have easy access to a manual and barely have service here in Curacao.

I imagine the batteries need to be replaced, but if the battery compartment is sealed, what is the recommended method of cleaning it?

For $1,000 I wouldn't expect a strobe light to fail so easily either. The o-rings are new, look new, have no knocks, scratches, or defects in them, and it was completely screwed on, so I'm absolutely confused and likely not able to have two lights here in Curacao as it seems no one sells anything beyond basic SCUBA equipment here.

Any advice is appreciated, delayed response from me is to be expected, cellular and Internet here is the pits. Thanks in advance.

I am in Curacao for the next 2 weeks with 2 HF1 and extra batteries. If you'd like to work something out, feel free to contact me or send a PM.

 

[bvanant]

My understanding is that two o-rings are for redundancy and the strobe should seal with only 1 (hard to believe otherwise at least for me). I would talk to Backscatter but I suspect they will have a hard time figuring out what went wrong unless it was a complete manufacturing screw up since there are infinite ways you might flood it (cat hair etc.).

Bill

 

[icouldcarelessbutdont]

Yes, in particular describing how the O-rings are of different sizes. Could be wrong as usual but I suspect shipping different size or incorrect size O-rings with the strobes could be the root cause of several HF-1 floods I have read of.

Someone else mentioned this same issue elsewhere on the Internet, can't remember where. I arrive back tonight and plan to overnight the lights and get a resolution to this.

 

[icouldcarelessbutdont]

I am in Curacao for the next 2 weeks with 2 HF1 and extra batteries. If you'd like to work something out, feel free to contact me or send a PM.

Sorry we didn't see this, we're on the way back now. We stayed near Jan Thiel but did a lot of our diving in the West, very early morning too. Have a good time, we prefer Bonaire for the return trip though. Aside from the lights we had to deal with other frustrating issues non-photo related.

 

[icouldcarelessbutdont]

As an update, unlike Isotta who owned their issue and are sending me a replacement free of charge, BackScatter is taking an approach of blaming us and making us pay for the parts, but at least I get free labor (insert jerk off motion here). Given we inspect all our gear before assembling and ensure no debris is ever present before putting the battery cap on, and there was none, they want to try and play the good guy while attempting to place blame, nevermind the o-rings were CLEARLY smaller in the failed unit compared to the one that didn't fail.

So I'm paying for the parts and shipping but ultimately I'm ditching their trash product and support and looking at better solutions with significantly better customer support.

This is interesting considering on another forum, WetPixel, they have three documented floods just this year, I'm the fourth once I get registered and can reply. I talked with a few locals who had the same issue, so they're looking at 7+ people within a year having the exact same issue with new HF-1 strobes, but sure, everyone else is the problem, not Backscatter. I won't even sell these things, I'll take them to the gun range and shoot them once I get the replacement strobes. Straight hot trash, to backscatter.

 

[bvanant]

As an update, unlike Isotta who owned their issue and are sending me a replacement free of charge, BackScatter is taking an approach of blaming us and making us pay for the parts, but at least I get free labor (insert jerk off motion here). Given we inspect all our gear before assembling and ensure no debris is ever present before putting the battery cap on, and there was none, they want to try and play the good guy while attempting to place blame, nevermind the o-rings were CLEARLY smaller in the failed unit compared to the one that didn't fail.

So I'm paying for the parts and shipping but ultimately I'm ditching their trash product and support and looking at better solutions with significantly better customer support.

This is interesting considering on another forum, WetPixel, they have three documented floods just this year, I'm the fourth once I get registered and can reply. I talked with a few locals who had the same issue, so they're looking at 7+ people within a year having the exact same issue with new HF-1 strobes, but sure, everyone else is the problem, not Backscatter. I won't even sell these things, I'll take them to the gun range and shoot them once I get the replacement strobes. Straight hot trash, to backscatter.

Were both o-rings smaller on the one unit that flooded? That would be a serious problem.
Originally I thought there was one small and one proper o-ring.
Bill

 

[icouldcarelessbutdont]

Were both o-rings smaller on the one unit that flooded? That would be a serious problem.
Originally I thought there was one small and one proper o-ring.
Bill

Both were smaller (thinner). My only regret is not taking them off and measuring them with dial calipers to prove it, because in the video it's obvious. In any case, done with them.

 

[cetacean]

As an update, unlike Isotta who owned their issue and are sending me a replacement free of charge, BackScatter is taking an approach of blaming us and making us pay for the parts, but at least I get free labor (insert jerk off motion here). Given we inspect all our gear before assembling and ensure no debris is ever present before putting the battery cap on, and there was none, they want to try and play the good guy while attempting to place blame, nevermind the o-rings were CLEARLY smaller in the failed unit compared to the one that didn't fail.

So I'm paying for the parts and shipping but ultimately I'm ditching their trash product and support and looking at better solutions with significantly better customer support.

This is interesting considering on another forum, WetPixel, they have three documented floods just this year, I'm the fourth once I get registered and can reply. I talked with a few locals who had the same issue, so they're looking at 7+ people within a year having the exact same issue with new HF-1 strobes, but sure, everyone else is the problem, not Backscatter. I won't even sell these things, I'll take them to the gun range and shoot them once I get the replacement strobes. Straight hot trash, to backscatter.

Well, I have one of the HF-1 strobes - have had no issues with over 50 dives on it so far.

I'm not a Backscatter apologist, but I am a longtime customer. They are usually pretty good... (they fixed/replaced all the MiniFlash strobes that had issues when they were first released).

If you inspected the battery cap o-ring, and it was a different size than the o-ring for your other strobe, why didn't you just replace it with the spare?

 

[icouldcarelessbutdont]

Well, I have one of the HF-1 strobes - have had no issues with over 50 dives on it so far.

I'm not a Backscatter apologist, but I am a longtime customer. They are usually pretty good... (they fixed/replaced all the MiniFlash strobes that had issues when they were first released).

If you inspected the battery cap o-ring, and it was a different size than the o-ring for your other strobe, why didn't you just replace it with the spare?

If they installed the incorrect o-ring or the cap is out of tolerance, why would I gamble on more floods, especially when it's brand new and factory installed components? We have a checklist we go through before assembling anything, but I don't have their as-builts and don't think I should be pulling out micrometers and calipers to confirm their product meets their specs. We already use a magnifying glass to look at the orings before installing anything to ensure it's free if debris and lubed properly.

I'll say it again, but Isotta OWNED their problem and even though we were in different counties and had a language barrier, we got through the issue and they recognized that since it was THAT new then it's very likely it's their issue and not only helped me get around the problem, but are sending me a replacement free of charge, from Italy.

I talked with more local south Florida photographers and many of them pointed me to Kraken not only because they make a superior product, but they have significantly better customer service and even have company reps in the area too. Maybe the margins are better slinging middle of the road Backscatter for sellers? I don't know, I'm speculating; however, not only was the KS160 basically the same price, it comes with a solid case to carry it, a guard for o-rings on the battery pack and I can charge the battery pack directly with USB-C so I'm not carrying around separate chargers, it's all compact and right there in the carrying case it comes with.