DIY Video Housing a success...

[pdh]

Without any restraint on the inner edge of the o-ring, won't it get pushed into the case? The bit around the outer edge will be exposed to the full external pressure.

That's a very good point and you are correct, however the area of the face is huge compared to the area of the outer edge of the o ring so the force squashing it against the edge of the tube is high compared to the force trying to push it into the tube. All my units have a top hat but I was thinking about how you could forget about the machining - I should have thought about it some more before posting. I've got several test units so if I have time in the next day or two I'll make a flat face without the top hat and test it to 60 metres to see if the o ring gets pushed in.

I've seen your other design and this might have similar problems if the glue joint breaks under pressure.

Paul.

 

[pdh]

OK, as promised I tested if a flat plate would work without a top hat. It does but there are limits. First I took one of my end plates and machined the top hat further in to allow room for the o ring to push into the housing under pressure. This shot shows the o ring and the edge of the top hat inside it (facing upwards).

Then I put it in my pressure tester and pumped it down to 50 M. The o ring held.

OK, so I thought I'd push it and see how far I could get. The answer - 65 M. Then the o ring overcame the friction grip of the face plate to the end of the tube and the housing flooded. Notice the o ring at the top of the image is distorted.

So then it looks like for shallow stuff it might be an option to go without a top hat but the best option is to have one. My tests are of course a one off and it will depend on the friction of the o ring to acrylic as to when it will actually fail. Greasing the o ring will probably make it fail much sooner.

Paul.

 

[phunk]

Finally started working on this. Routing the top hat shape was much easier (and messier) than I expected. I'll post some pics when it's done. Went with this design, but in a 3" tube. The cam fits so perfect it doesn't even need any internal supports (but I might add a single rail to prevent rotation).

Going to make handles / light mounts out of 3/4" loc-line. Hopefully, it'll be ready for a test dive this weekend.

 

[MATTKINZ]

Hi, coming back after a couple of years.

I have had housing to 115fsw on the Oriskany and worked fine. I had a start and seal camera . Having bought an old Ikelite housing off of ebay so I got 2 control glands and 2 tension clamps for about $14 including shipping, I was ready to modify.

I cut off the back with bandsaw, cleaned up the cut and used router carefully to make new groove. I used the superglue method to make new o-ring from bulk o-ring material and made a plexi lens for the back of housing. The control gland now turns on unit, and does the standby/record function. I located it so later I can use same gland to toggle the zoom lens.

Tested a couple of weeks ago in Devil's Den, Williston FL (Still about the best open water fresh water dive I know). Worked fine.

Condensation started my leak detection system, no water intrusion seen. I can post pics of leak detector if anyone interested. Uses led in side window and metal plates separated with toilet tissue for switch. Salt water allows current to go between plates. Simple and works. MK

 

[MATTKINZ]

took some great video of sand tiger sharks in North Carolina . When I figure out how to put into computer and post, will do so.

I have a leak detection system that worked well. Even shows mild condensation. My minimal leak did not affect the length of my dive and I seem to have gotten a few drops of water in the housing.

My system uses metal plates separated by toilet tissue as a switch. located in the very bottom of the housing, it both shows with a light bulb when a leak occurs, and sops up the available water (if small amount) like a paper towel so camera doesn't get wet.

More to come when can upload video. MK

 

[TSwain]

Ok, finally got to test out my housing on 7/3/09 at Dutch Springs, PA. I was still not sure on if it would leak at a deep depth. So i threw in some lead weight for out first dive and we did a hour dive with max depth of about 80 feet. Not a single drop of water got in during the dive. So on our second dive, out came the weight and in when the video camera. Again we did a hour dive with max depth of about 70 feet and no water in the housing.

My housing is made out of Shedule 40 PVC with a test plug in the back, and 3/4" Acrylic routed into a hat with a O-ring to seal the front and 3 SS clamps. I also glued 2 -3/4" PVC fittings on the top and and can screw in the 3/4" PVC handles to hold the housing underwater. I had it pretty much nutral in the water. I am now making a new housing so I can add a wide angle lens and a filter.

Here is a link to the video. I got about 15 minutes of usable video.
First underwater video with DIY housing.

 

[MATTKINZ]

shark movie done with diy housing and corel videostudio proX2 . download at:

Send big files the easy way. Files too large for email attachments? No problem!

 

[MichiganDiver]

Nice video. It's a nice touch to put the text info, too. How were the colors on the dive? At 100', the video can't do them justice. Do you use a red filter? Any kind of color correction in post-processing?

 

[MATTKINZ]

No color correction used. everything blue as a result. light was good for 100 ft. deep. I have a red 25 filter but not rigged yet. for my usual diving, red 25 recommended. Maroon is rec. for greener seas.

The Gulf stream gows along NC coast and temp isn't bAD at least in summer and clarity was good.

going to seattle soon, hope to do another video. I plan to dive up near san juan island area with excellent fish and invertebrates. Hopefully will see wolf eel and pac. octos. Hopefully will not see orcas in the wild. I need to see if I can rig the red 25 lens filter.

Don't have video lights yet, though did neat cavern video I can post once finished where I taped a flashlight to the housing. Devil's den ,Williston FL. (probably the best fresh water diving I have ever done). I have a side handle to accommodate some lighting. I found something on internet about using mult high output white led's as vid light. This would need possible use otter box, though I have seen 28 led flashlights that might work. let me know what anyone thinks about video lighting on the cheap.

Thanks for commentary on the movie. for a home movie, most people woll watch the whole thing, which is rare for home movie. I intend to you tube it, but will have different music. mk

 

[phunk]

Finally started working on this. Routing the top hat shape was much easier (and messier) than I expected. I'll post some pics when it's done. Went with this design, but in a 3" tube. The cam fits so perfect it doesn't even need any internal supports (but I might add a single rail to prevent rotation).

Going to make handles / light mounts out of 3/4" loc-line. Hopefully, it'll be ready for a test dive this weekend.

Well, after a summer full of work and bad weather, I finally had a chance to take this housing on a test dive (without the cam in it). Went to 80 feet with no leaks. Will try with the cam this weekend!