Leak Sentinel Leak Detector

[danclem]

Wow! Some interesting commentary. I shoot a Nikon DSLR in a Subal (aluminum) housing, and have never had a condensation issue. I have had lenses briefly fog up in the tropics when my camera and lens have been in an air conditioned cabin and was immediately put into the housing, which was outside. Clears up in a few minutes.

With respect to leak detectors, we ran an article on several types in Pacific Northwest Diver a few issues ago. Unfortunately, a good many floods take place in rinse buckets, with no one watching the submursed rigs. Housings are either jostled by swells or other people/rigs, or sand/salt breaks a button O-ring seal when we dutifully push all buttons several times to clean. Tough for any leak detector to catch these leaks.

Dan


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[Akimbo]

… Unfortunately, a good many floods take place in rinse buckets, with no one watching the submursed rigs. Housings are either jostled by swells or other people/rigs, or sand/salt breaks a button O-ring seal when we dutifully push all buttons several times to clean. Tough for any leak detector to catch these leaks. …

A vacuum leak detector allows you to exercise all your buttons and controls before getting in the water so they help in that area. Lots of leaks only show up when the shaft is moved but are fine when static.

Impacts to the housing in a rinse tank, or in operation for that matter, would concern me. If the seals are so delicate that a little bumping makes them leak then that sounds like a design issue. I can grab my port and rotate and rock it (within the bayonet stop limits) under vacuum and it does not leak air.

I did make a cover for my housing that protects it from getting too beat up in the rinse tank though. I like to give it a long soak and you can’t always be there to watch it.

 

[Interceptor121]

If you use a leak detector you don't need to immerse your rig on a rinse tank before the dive and after you don't leave it in anyway. Rinse tank is to rinse not to leave cameras in otherwise it becomes flood paradise

 

[alien]

I bring my own padded fridge bag to put camera in. Good to soak to remove salt


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---------- Post added April 8th, 2014 at 07:10 PM ----------

I always open and do
My set up on inside camera table like on Siren fleet or in my aircon room. Never have condensation issues. Aircon has low humidity


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[Interceptor121]

Aircon is generally at 60% temperature will vary. If your camera doesn't get hot when shooting it won't condense. I do a lot of video and the camera is red hot. The same camera with stills is much cooler

 

[Akimbo]

... I do a lot of video and the camera is red hot…

FYI, if you are considering adding a vacuum sensor to that housing the Nauticam might be worth considering. It is the only sensor I know of that has temperature compensating functions.

 

[Interceptor121]

Unfortunately there is no retrofit for my nauticam housing however miso is working on temperature compensation. The leak sentinel has a temperature sensor currently not used by the software

 

[divengolf]

One additional comment on the Leak Sentinel. I found the blinking green light to be very distracting during night dives. My solution was easy. I wrapped a thick rubber band around it to block most of the light. In the darkness, the green was still obvious, but the intensity was significantly reduced to a tolerable level.

The other option is to turn the light off after pumping the housing down and verifying integrity. Not optimum, so I opted for the rubber band.

I have passed this on to Miso for his information.