Housing Test Dive

[iflyprops]

I am planning on taking my new Ikelite housing for a test dive this sunday. My question is should I put a few pounds in it to compensate for the camera? I will not have the strobe attatched. It has the aluminum tray also. I was thinking somewhere in the neighborhood of two pounds (freshwater). Also how would I secure the weight...duct tape? :sappy:


Thanks!

 

[Mo2vation]

I am planning on taking my new Ikelite housing for a test dive this sunday. My question is should I put a few pounds in it to compensate for the camera? I will not have the strobe attatched. It has the aluminum tray also. I was thinking somewhere in the neighborhood of two pounds (freshwater). Also how would I secure the weight...duct tape? :sappy:


Thanks!

Definately put a weight in the housing - for me, I have some extra 1 pound soft weights, so I tossed one in.

I also pulled off a few feet of TP and threw it loosly into the housing, so I could at least roughly pin point the location of a leak, if it did.

If all you have is hard weight, obviously wrap it in a towel or something.

Good luck. I was so nervous, but it all worked out nice and dry.

K

 

[iflyprops]

Luckily I have some spare soft weights. Good idea on the toilet paper though, i'll have to throw some in there! No reason to be nervous on the test dive...if it leaks its time to send it back to the factory! Thats what the test dive is for!

Thanks!

 

[Cecil]

I've actually shoved some weight and toilet paper in mine, put a line on it and dropped it to the bottom. After a bit I pulled it up, checked for leaks, no leaks, took it diving with the camera.

 

[FredT]

Toss a bit of dry grape cool aid in the housing. If there is a minor leak it will immediately pinpoint the location. It changes color rather sharply when wetted.

 

[iflyprops]

I assume you don't toss the cool-aid in there loose...as it could get in the places you don't want it too, so what should you put it in? I like the idea but I'd rather not damage or stain my housing.

Thanks!

 

[Mo2vation]

I assume you don't toss the cool-aid in there loose...as it could get in the places you don't want it too, so what should you put it in? I like the idea but I'd rather not damage or stain my housing.

Thanks!

With the grape Kool Aid. Ask any DIR guy - they have some around. I do.

A light dusting - the white-ish powder turns bright purple if it gets wet. I recommend doing this AFTER the leak test, simply because if it doesn't leak (which is more likely) you can pop in the cam and go. if it leaks, dry the inside of the housing, dust it with Kool-aid and do another leak test.

The hang-the-housing-over-the-side is a good idea... accomplishes the same thing (depth test) without burning a dive. I like that idea.

K

 

[iflyprops]

Ahh, dust the inside of the housing...ok. Now I understand. Thanks! I plan on making a dive anyway not much to miss in a spring anyway. If nothing less it will give me a chance to get used to hauling the housing around, without the risk of screwing up the camera.

Thanks again,

 

[jcclink]

It's important that you actually dive your new housing to properly test it. Past history has shown me that a housing may not leak in a static condition (no controls moving), but could have a slight leak when you exercise a control shaft. I have to do a test dive myself soon. I usually take the housing down 50-60 ft & exercise all the controls several times. If you can pull the shafts in & out, do that also in addition to rotating them. Good luck to both of us.

 

[iflyprops]

Thanks for all the tips! I Test dove my housing yesterday, took it to 88ft, and it performed wonderfully. I put two pounds of lead in it and it was maybe 1/4 positive, which worked out perfectly. Thanks for all you helpful advice, looks like I'm a new shutterbug!

Thanks again!