Canon 40D Ikelite flood

[Parso]

Wick

Believe me, you need both the port locks in place. If you read my original post you will see that I only had 1 lock in place, and even the force of slight water movement dislodged the dome and port.

With only 2 port locks at 180 degrees to each other, there is no room for human error. If there were 3 or maybe 4 port locks, then I believe the risk of a flood due to human error would be greatly reduced.

By the way, thanks to everyone for the responses. The only advice I can give, is to visually ensure that the port locks are in place. I made the mistake of assuming they were both in place by listening to the click sound made by only 1 clip engaging.

Regards

Parso

 

[Wick]

Parso

I don't understand how you can just listen for the click sound? Don't you need to position the clip over the nub that sticks up and then screw the other end down?

 

[Wick]

Parso

Never mind my comment. I just downloaded the instruction manual for the 8" Dome and see what your talking about. No instructions were in my box ordered from B&H Photo.

Are the port locks easy to become unlocked underwater? or is this more of just making sure its locked before entering?

 

[Parso]

Once the port locks are in place, from my experience, they will not disengage. You have to lift and slide to disengage the locks. The trick is to visually ensure the locks are in place. I'm sure once you stat playing around with your housing, port and dome you will understand the concerns we all have about this port locking system.

 

[AussieByron]

It is very interesting that I bought the same topic up about the port system issues last year:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ikelite/263019-ikelite-port-option.html

Please keep in mind that those two little plastic clips are only held in place by a single screw which over time can loosen. Even if clipped inplace there is a chance of possible flood if one of those screws has loosen enough to not be able to lock the port properly in place. See how much movement there is with the 8 inch dome when those lock screws are loosen a little.

Personally I recommend that you lock your port in place and then tighten those screws in the clips so that nothing moves. For the spacer on the Tokina 10-17mm with the 8 inch dome I lock the clips inplace and then tighten them before adding the 8 inch dome.

I would like to see Ikelite add something to the main housing like they have with attaching the modular system. i.e Screw in captured o-ring.

I have seen ports come off when a diver is handing the setup to the deckhand. Change in pressure has simply poped the port off leaving the two plastic clips locked in place. It hasnt happened since I have tightened the plastic lock screws which is good to hear.

I am a little disappointed to hear that only after several other Ikelite users have had the same issue and posted their comments that something looks like being done about the port system.

Regards Mark

 

[Ikelite Staff]

Personally I recommend that you lock your port in place and then tighten those screws in the clips so that nothing moves. For the spacer on the Tokina 10-17mm with the 8 inch dome I lock the clips inplace and then tighten them before adding the 8 inch dome.

Please note that this is NOT the recommended assembly procedure. The port locks should be tight but still able to slide freely.

The most important thing in attaching the port to the housing is visually confirming that both locks are all the way in the locked position. You may hear what sounds like a "click" before the top of the lock is flat against the body of the lock. Once fully engaged the port cannot unlock itself.

Regards,
Jean / Ikelite
IKELITE Underwater Systems

 

[AussieByron]

Jean I cant see the problem with placing a port into the housing and sliding the locking clips until they click then tighten the screws on the locking clips.

Only Visually confirming both locks are all the way in the locked position will give your customers a false sense of security if they have not also checked on the screws that hold these locks onto the housing body.

Those screws that hold the locking clips in place can and will loosen after use and it is most likely that if one of these screws if not both has been loosen just enough that it will still allow it to "click" into place but still have enough give in it allow the port to pop off under the right conditions. Especially on the 8 inch dome where there be more cam effect due to the size of the dome port.

It might explain why some ports have pop off leaving the housing with the two locking clips still in the locked position. Which I have experienced personally on a couple of times.

Simple test is to place the 8inch dome port onto the housing and see if there is any play or slight movement after you have locked those clips and visually confirmed. If there is tighten those screws.

Regards Mark

 

[fppf]

I have never had an issue with the screws coming loose.

Tightening and loosening those screws will put excessive stress and wear cycles. Which is probably the reason yours are coming loose. Because those screws interface directly with the acrylic the threads can wear, and if they do, may cause non repairable damage.

I would follow the mfgr recommendations.

 

[AussieByron]

Actually my screws were loosening from regular use of unlocking and locking the port locking clips. I noticed one day when I had my 8 inch dome on that there was alot of movement with the dome when the ports were locked and checked. I had to tighten the screws to remove this movement.

I cant see the excessive stress on the housing from tightening and loosening and wear cycles on these screws as there is no real force used to tighten them. I can understand if excessive force was regularly used but its not required.

By all means these are just my suggestions from what I noticed in my two Ikelite housings which I regularly use and from others that I have dived with using Ikelite housings.
Most people I know do not like the port locking system and believes it to be a poor design. Even it is shown here but the comments to this post. Two little plasitic clips held in place by screw just doesnt sit right with me.

Using a screw in captured oring style design like what Ikelite uses for their 8inch dome port makes more logical sense.

Regards Mark

 

[jsmanson]

Well gang, I am sad to report that I just wrecked my Canon 20D and 17-85mm Zoom through the same circumstances in the Ike 20D Housing. We were doing a shore dive, and there was some surge, and it was a rocky entry so I decided to leave the neorene cap on the front, and I was going to take it off when we cleared the surface zone. All went well, and I went to take the Neoprene cap off the front at abut 20 feet, and I must have pulled on it, and all of a sudden I saw air bubbles coming from the port/case interface. The only thing I could think that went wrong was that I had only manged to secure one of the two snaps - I thought that I installed it very carefully, but it must not have been snapped right in. So I'm down the camera and lens, and I'm not sure about the case. The TTL curcuit board has some minor corrosion on it, but I put it in fresh water and air dried it, so I will see if it talks to the DS-200 with my 50D.

I was going to upgrade to the 50D housing, but not now - it's too risky the way the system is designed. Granted water pressure at depth will ensure that the port stays on, but there is that 0-20 foot zone, where things are going on, shock stresses will be highest, and that is where you want to make sure that the port can't come loose. If I stick with this housing, I'm going to look to see if it's possible to put a vacuum port on the housing so I can enter the water with an equivilent 20 feet of pressure - I don't mind loosing that bit of deisgn pressure rating at the bottom end as I only dive to 120 feet anyways.

Boo Hoo for me... :-(

Anyeon had any luck bring the Ike TTL curuitry back to life from a full flood in salt water?

John