DS51 Flashing

[CheddarChick]

Wow this is new to me. On my last dive of vacation on the way back in, my DS51 just started randomly flashing, like every 5 seconds it would go off by itself. I had it on the TTL setting when it started happening. I turned it off, and rinsed it off like usual and when I got back to the room I took it apart, cleaned it, changed batteries, and retried. It started just flashing all by itself. I flooded the battery compartment last year, sent it ito Ikelite who serviced it for me last winter. I haven't had a chance to dive with it until now. Any ideas?:shocked2:

 

[jdcpa]

My experience is that is a faulty sync cord.

I will guess that you have one of the old style cords without the "support" piece.

Hold the cord still close to the connection and see if it still does it. Usually the one closest to the housing. Move the cord around and you will see when it does it and when it does not.

With my luck you will say you use the EV controller.

In that case, check the face of the EV controller, and I would assume you will find a small crack and a little water in the unit.

Best of luck to you in finding the cause. PLease keep us posted.

 

[CheddarChick]

Shoot...I use the EV controller......I'll Check it out.......

 

[Hawkwood]

Check the o-rings on the bulkheads to the EV controller. My controller simply stopped triggering the flash. After much "hand ringing and teeth gnashing" we noticed that one of the o-rings was "squashed" and sticking out from a bulkhead. Since it was not a "user" part, it could have only come that way - never thought to inspect all that stuff first. Ikelite replaced the unit quickly.

 

[ScubaBasics]

Might be a problem with the rotary switch in the strobe.
Karl
Ikelite Strobe tech.

 

[CheddarChick]

So should I send it in???? Or is there someway to check at home???

 

[ScubaBasics]

pm sent, problem will be taken care of.

 

[CheddarChick]

With Ikelite....it always is....As I said before, I love Ikelite!!!!!

 

[jdcpa]

Well, what was the problem? Inquiring minds want to know.

Yes, IKelite is amazing. I completely understand why you love them.

 

[Ikelite Staff]

If the auto-firing is only happening "on the way back in" as in swimming across the surface of the water, it is usually due to the reflections of the sun in the waves tripping the sensor. This is unavoidable.

If it happens all of the time, it is usually a cord issue as in flooding or broken wire. A less typical cause would be random failure of an electronic component in the DS51.

The best resolution for the second scenario is to send both DS51 and EV Controller in for testing and repair as needed.

Regards,
Jean / Ikelite
IKELITE Underwater Systems