Genesis ReactPro Question

[Steve Gavalchik]

After recently changing the battery in my ReactPro I "noticed" that the O-ring obviously didn't seal. AAuuuuuuugggghhh!!!!!!! Is the unit "toast" or can it be dried out and saved? If it can be saved, do any of you recommend where I could send it for servicing? Thanks in advance!

 

[BrianS]

Did water get inside while it was on?

 

[Canadian_Diver]

After recently changing the battery in my ReactPro I "noticed" that the O-ring obviously didn't seal. AAuuuuuuugggghhh!!!!!!! Is the unit "toast" or can it be dried out and saved? If it can be saved, do any of you recommend where I could send it for servicing? Thanks in advance!

Did you dive in salt or freshwater?

First, I would contact Genesis Scuba and see what their policies are and what it would cost to have it serviced. Maybe you'll get lucky.

As a last ditch resort..... take the battery out and flush it extremely well with clean, fresh, distilled water. Shake out all the water you can and dry it out. Next, lay the computer on top of a large desicant pouch inside a dry sealed container. Let it sit for several days to ensure it completely removes all traces of moisture. After that, pop a new battery in and test the functionality of the unit.... maybe you'll get lucky, and maybe you won't. It is a low voltage / amerage device, so you might just be ok.

 

[Steve Gavalchik]

Did water get inside while it was on?

Brian,

Yeagh (fresh) water got in.

 

[Steve Gavalchik]

Did you dive in salt or freshwater?

First, I would contact Genesis Scuba and see what their policies are and what it would cost to have it serviced. Maybe you'll get lucky.

As a last ditch resort..... take the battery out and flush it extremely well with clean, fresh, distilled water. Shake out all the water you can and dry it out. Next, lay the computer on top of a large desicant pouch inside a dry sealed container. Let it sit for several days to ensure it completely removes all traces of moisture. After that, pop a new battery in and test the functionality of the unit.... maybe you'll get lucky, and maybe you won't. It is a low voltage / amerage device, so you might just be ok.

Thanks Canadian Diver!! I'll give that a shot.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I would not panic quite yet.

The battery compartment in a pelagic hockey puck computer like the react pro is sealed so a flooded battery compartment will not neccesarily cause the interior of the computer to get wet - unless the compartment itself is no longer sealed. If you do not have condensation on the inside of the face of the computer, the odds are good that it is still dry inside and will be fully functional.

By now the compartment should be dry, but if not leave the cover off until it is. Since it flooded with fresh water, no rinse should be required unless the water was extremely silty. If you do need to rinse the compartment, used distilled water and follow it up with an alcohol rinse to speed the drying process - just don't get the alcohol on the o-ring.

Replace the battery, as under no circumstances do you want to use a lithium battery that has been wet.

Take a Q-tip and carefully clean the groove in the case where the o-ring seats. Also carefully remove the o-ring from the cover and clean the groove in the cover with a Q-tip.

Ideally you should get a new o-ring from the LDS. At a minimum, carefully clean and inspect the old one. You need to ensure there are no cuts, feathers, or flat spots on it. If it looks ok, relube it with silicone grease by taking a small drop of silicone and rubbing it into the o-ring between your thumb and forefinger. The o-ring should have a nice shine to it, but should not have so much silicone that any is visible on it. You want to fill the pores of the o-ring, not goop silicone on it.

Immediately reseat the o-ring in the groove on the cover and take care that there is still no dust or lint on any of the mating surfaces or o-ring. Install the new battery and replace the cover. Be careful not to cross thread it and tighten it only finger tight using a quarter - the o-ring does the sealing, not the tightness of the threads.

The odds are the leak occurred because of dirt or lint on the 0-ring or mating surfaces and/or due to inadequate lubrication of the o-ring. If the o-ring is undamaged, you should be back in business. But if it does leak and goes unnoticed, things will corrode in there and you will quickly own a cool looking paperweight so it is a good idea to inspect the battery compartment in a clean dust free location after the first dive to ensure nothing leaked. Then carefully reseal it again if it's dry.

If however you notice condensation inside the face of the computer, your best remaining DIY option is to do as canadian diver suggests and seal it in a zip lock on top of a bag of dessicant for several days/weeks.

Another option, certainly the one to use if nothing else works, is to see your LDS and have them contact Genesis. We recently had a customer with a flooded computer and Genesis exchanged it for a refurbished computer for $75.00. Not exactly cheap but a lot cheaper than buying a new computer, or even a used one off e-bay.