DIY Video Housing a success...

[unfix8r]

Hey Scott...

I'm going to go for this one. I've been out of diving for about a year for medical reasons, now it's time to get wet again. But this time I need a new toy!

Did you get my message about pond lights for a possible method of having two sealed lights? Would love your thoughts on this.

I like the look of Willy's container, and accessing controls seems like something that can be added later if wanted/ needed.

Quick response there!

 

[moneysavr]

Hey Unfix8,
Pond lights are sometimes sealed and 12 volt but water proof is more like ,than deep water type you need.

Im using the new LED =2- 25 watt style bulbs they are real bright,use low amps,12 Volts! and are small,They dont focus light well, but spread it wide and I like that!
and doing a small pvc case with lens like my camera but small and glued tight,with cord to battery pack.
Brad

 

[Larry Horne]

Scott,

Thanks for the excellent technical advice. I will hit your DIY site and dig deeper.

Cheers,

Lar

 

[unfix8r]

I'm just guessing it'd be easier to beef up a water resistant seal to being waterproof than grinding out an o-ring seal from scratch.

You'll have to tell me how you rigged up the LED's.. new terrritory for me. I've built a dive light like Padipro's, with some modifications, of course. It'd be sweet to rig a video housing that incorporated the light with it.

If you have pix of your setup are they here on the board? It's been so long since I was on the board that I don't know where everything is!

FYI
I was told the cheapest place for LED's were the new christmas light strands.

 

[ChillyWilly]

Thanks for all the info,

Padi and Brad,

Unfortunately the first test leaked, the pvc glue that I used to glue the pipe to the coupling had a pinhole leak. I sanded and epoxied the whole edge were the coupling meets the pipe. Hopefully this wil hold. In the lens as I had mentioned I used marine Epoxy, but I sandwhiched the lens between the inside lip of the Coupling and the pipe with epoxy so it doesn't move (If it scratches I'm Screwed). As Brad had metioned , solid glue can crack, you think this would be OK ? I'm hoping this will hold ok since the edge of the lens should not flex because of the sandwhich.
To what depth would the schedule 40 work, I noticed that it has a max pressure rating of 180 PSI and Schedule 80 280 PSI. Another thing I found was that 1 ATM = 14.7 PSI. So would this mean in theory that the pipe can withstand aprox. 12 ATMs, Don't know if this is right or not. If this is true it would mean that max depth for the pipe is 363 Feet.


Another question, what is the best way to put on the weights. It took about 11 LBS
to sink the housing empty. Do you guys use an external hook, box or something. If I put them inside they take too much room and they move.


Thanks !!!

 

[ChillyWilly]

Another thing I found,

These might be good to use underwater, with a custom housing !!! Good price !!!

Check it out


http://cgi.ebay.com/LED-MR16-White-Light-Bulb_W0QQitemZ4367775929QQcategoryZ3201QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

 

[mddolson]

I appologise for joining this string so late.
I too built my own video housing.

Here's a link to my page on Reinhardt Kopka's DIY scuba sight.
http://insel.heim.at/malediven/350052/mikedo_e.htm

I found Reid Tool Supply in Michigan to be an excellent source for hardware (knob, latches , clamps) https://reidecom.reidtool.com/xephr/qbe/HOMEPAGE
My controls are basicly same as Ikelite control glands.

I have drawings available in PDF .
PM me with a home email address and I'll send them with more photos.

regards

Mike D

Another thing I found,

These might be good to use underwater, with a custom housing !!! Good price !!!

Check it out


http://cgi.ebay.com/LED-MR16-White-Light-Bulb_W0QQitemZ4367775929QQcategoryZ3201QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

 

[Divmstr223]

Thank you all for sharing your project pictures and ideas. I have been thinking about building my own housing for quite some time now, but I only ever found sites that wanted to sell you their plans etc..... I will certainly follow the plans set forth in this thread to build the housing. Thanks again for making my wacky idea a reality and I hope to have some feedback for ya on how it comes out in the coming months.....=)

 

[Jorbar1551]

alright, i used money savers design and i beefed it up alot. I think i spent about 75 dollars on the entire project, and ive gone to 81 feet and no problems. The only thing i need to work on is how the camera is attached to the housing, right now its only velcro.

 

[Jorbar1551]

Made this for about 75 dollars in about 1 week. Its worked up to 80 feet so far