Compilation: Ways to Flood a Camera

[peterbkk]

Postmortem: the o-ring on the case was covered with very, very fine particles of sand that were embedded in the silicone grease. I use a very thin layer, just enough to cover the whole surface, so only the bottom part of each particle was actually in the silicone.

I have seen similar results from diving in water with very small suspended sand particulate. Some housings expose the outer part of the o-ring's circumference to the water. Small particles adhere to the grease, even if the grease is finely applied. If the seal is opened and closed again, the pressure can pull sand into the o-ring's groove.

First time that it happened to me, luckily it was the last dive of a trip and all the o-rings were cleaned before the next trip. When I cleaned them, I could feel gritty sand particles on the larger o-rings.

The only solution is, if diving in water with suspended fine sand particles, clean the o-ring every time you open the housing.

Regards
Peter

 

[lmorin]

..........
The only solution is, if diving in water with suspended fine sand particles, clean the o-ring every time you open the housing.

Regards
Peter

You are right and I should have emphasized the need to thoroughly clean the o-ring. This means wiping it totally clean of the grease because the particles are so fine they will stick to any grease residue. Clean and inspect, then do it again before re-applying the silicone.

 

[KARELNIJEBOER]

I flooded may s-80 at home, on the kitchen sink. The tap was dripping, and flooded the sink by half an inch, enough to kill my s-80....

I accidentally dropped my sony p2 in a bucket of water that was cooling my beer cans... Did survive after an hour hairdrying..

My other s-80 flood was after a 40 min dive at 27 meters, wehn at 3 meters during th esafety stop, it started to suck in water.. Could never find the reason.

Now I have an iklelite housing on my G9, i have a much better feeling with that.

Karel

 

[under water]

I bought a used Ikelite housing for my G9 and brought it to Cozumel last month. It worked fine for the first 4 dives. About 20 minutes into the 5th dive at 50 feet, when I pressed the lever to depress the shutter, the lever just started rotating freely.

This didn't feel good at all. When I looked at it I noticed that there was water going into the housing through the lever. Not good. I figured everything was toast, but as I looked at the demise of my camera, I started to think if I could get up to the surface it might stand a chance. maybe a 10% chance, but what the heck.

Well I started to do an ascent holding the housing so that the water was filling up as far away as possible from the camera. By the time I did my safety stop (even though it's optional) the water was starting to touch the camera. By the time I was on the surface the water was covering the bottom 1/8 inch of the camera as long as I held the housing perfectly. I got the boat to come over and tried to explain to the crew who were reaching to get the housing that it needed to be held in "THIS position" Sure enough they grabbed the housing and proceeded to turn it upside down. My immediate reaction was probably a yelp of pain as they quickly saw their error and oriented it correctly.

On the boat I opened the housing and after the water rushed out, I removed the camera. It worked! The shutter lever on the housing that was rotating freely had gone missing on the trip up from 50 feet though. I think a set screw must have come loose.

Fortunately, I had brought my Canon housing along just in case, so I was still able to shoot pictures with the camera that had gone through this ordeal with me. I had also brought a spare G9, but didn't need it (this trip).

The housing is now on it's way back from Ikelite.. so hopefully all is well.

I am guessing that this is a very unusual way to flood a camera based on the other cases I have seen here. Everyone assumed that there was something wrong with the o-ring, but a lesson learned for me is to make sure that all those buttons are levers are not too tight .. or too loose!

 

[Cacia]

I find the Ikelite dome port for the Nikon D series to be very vulnerable at the last deco stop, if tapped by another diver.

I really don't like that dome port, the way it attaches to the body.

 

[mikerault]

Ditto on the dome...for Canon20D as well. That is how I flooded my 20D, the port wasn't sealed properly.

 

[Taxgeek]

Catherine and Mike, do you mean where the dome attaches to the stalk, or where the stalk attaches to the housing?

I've seen a couple of ike housings flood through the port attachment point - it's pretty hard to get the port seated properly (I have to apply a lot of pressure), and pretty easy to think it's seated when it's not.

 

[Cacia]

I've seen a couple of ike housings flood through the port attachment point

yes, if I recall correctly

we were discussing it once and somebody from Ikelite came on and started blasting me.....so I haven't spent a dime with them since....(I really like Ike himself) They tried to say I hadn't attached it right but I think it is designed poorly. I shot the old style smaller port for six years and never flooded. I have several of their housings, so now I just shoot the old dome.

 

[Taxgeek]

I've also heard of another brand of housing flooding at the port attachment alot - can't remember which one it is though. It's one where (I think???) you have to put the port in and then rotate it a few degrees or something.

In any case it just makes it more important to do the complete a__ retentive check each and every time.

That's a sad little picture . . .

 

[Cacia]

then rotate it a few degrees or something.

exactly

and you cannot see if it is in the correct spot because the stalk is so short....

we covered the body with a towel and had a few moments...backside of Molokini

actually, I got reimbursed totally from State Farm...I never threw the 12-24 away and I used it at the races today a bit...Manual focus only, lol I need the Sigma 70-300