Leaking camera housing

[mbs]

I would replace the main oring. I have a meikon and had a minor leak. New oring fixed it. The old looked just fine but perhaps a little stretched out. I tend to replace it annually.

 

[stepfen]

I changed the o-ring, made sure the door was closed tightly and brought the casing (no camera inside - just some lead for weight and tissue) for a test dive today. No leak whatsoever. The dive site turned not as deep as I was hoping (max 8m/25ft avg 6m/20ft) but the dive lasted quite long (85 minutes) so the test was better than nothing.
Now I am not sure if the leak was due to the o-ring or the door not closing properly or both.
To find this out I need one more test dive with the new o-ring but without closing the door tight.
Depending where and when the next dive will be I might consider this extra test.
Thanks for all the info

 

[dead dog]

I changed the o-ring, made sure the door was closed tightly and brought the casing (no camera inside - just some lead for weight and tissue) for a test dive today.

Don't use the tissue, it makes a mess when wet. Instead use a women's tampon taped inside the housing, if there is a small leak it absorbs the water without making a mess.

 

[AfterDark]

O

I changed the o-ring, made sure the door was closed tightly and brought the casing (no camera inside - just some lead for weight and tissue) for a test dive today. No leak whatsoever. The dive site turned not as deep as I was hoping (max 8m/25ft avg 6m/20ft) but the dive lasted quite long (85 minutes) so the test was better than nothing.
Now I am not sure if the leak was due to the o-ring or the door not closing properly or both.
To find this out I need one more test dive with the new o-ring but without closing the door tight.
Depending where and when the next dive will be I might consider this extra test.
Thanks for all the info

O rings compress over time which is probably what happened. The new one will most likely be fine for awhile. Keep the door closed correctly don't tempt fate you could wind up with a case full of water. I've had 2 housings leak on me both time drowning the camera. I clean them and treat them like eggs still I have bad luck. I'm on my 3rd camera housing and probably my last unless I want to sleep behind a locked door for the rest of my life!

 

[stepfen]

Don't use the tissue, it makes a mess when wet. Instead use a women's tampon taped inside the housing, if there is a small leak it absorbs the water without making a mess.

Thanks for the tip. Sounds good advice and I will keep it in mind. 3 times I had to do this test I was lucky enough not to have leaks so I didn't have to deal with any mess, but I get your point.

O rings compress over time which is probably what happened.

I think I fount what the problem was. The old o-ring has actually been deformed a little bit. I am not sure how it happened but my guess is this: Between dives I use to store the (empty) housing with the lens port facing down and the door lying (half-open) on the housing. Hence apart from the hinge the weight of the door was constantly applied on the o-ring itself at the 2 points where it was touching the back side of the housing. This over time deformed the o-ring. I could feel it only by carefully running the o-ring through my fingers.
Now I leave the door totally open and I think/hope this will keep the o-ring in better shape over time.
I understand though that leaks are a matter of when not if. This time I was just lucky.

 

[AfterDark]

Thanks for the tip. Sounds good advice and I will keep it in mind. 3 times I had to do this test I was lucky enough not to have leaks so I didn't have to deal with any mess, but I get your point.


I think I fount what the problem was. The old o-ring has actually been deformed a little bit. I am not sure how it happened but my guess is this: Between dives I use to store the (empty) housing with the lens port facing down and the door lying (half-open) on the housing. Hence apart from the hinge the weight of the door was constantly applied on the o-ring itself at the 2 points where it was touching the back side of the housing. This over time deformed the o-ring. I could feel it only by carefully running the o-ring through my fingers.
Now I leave the door totally open and I think/hope this will keep the o-ring in better shape over time.
I understand though that leaks are a matter of when not if. This time I was just lucky.

Good for you! I do the same thing with my housing. I'm thinking I may take the O ring in my "new" housing out completely for storage. The last housing that leaked on me went diving with me empty yesterday, damn thing didn't leak at all!!!! I have an old housing from a 35MM camera I use to hold my key and fob for my car while diving. The housing is 30+ years old never leaked in all that time, go figure.

 

[mbs]

I take the oring off and toss in a baggie for storage. No reason to leave it stretched on the housing while storing.

 

[undrwater]

It's awesome when a mystery is solved. Do you get a more positive latch now with the new o-ring?

 

[stepfen]

I take the oring off and toss in a baggie for storage. No reason to leave it stretched on the housing while storing.

"Problem" is that I usually dive once a week nowadays. It is too long period for short-term storage (eg store wet or replace batteries and store with the case closed) and too short for long-term storage (remove o-rings etc).

Do you get a more positive latch now with the new o-ring?

Yes now the door closes totally with just the latch as it used to be! Strangely now it actually closes too good hence I find it difficult to open it just by pulling the door apart. I now use a large flat screwdriver as a level to open the door.

 

[AfterDark]

"Problem" is that I usually dive once a week nowadays. It is too long period for short-term storage (eg store wet or replace batteries and store with the case closed) and too short for long-term storage (remove o-rings etc).


Yes now the door closes totally with just the latch as it used to be! Strangely now it actually closes too good hence I find it difficult to open it just by pulling the door apart. I now use a large flat screwdriver as a level to open the door.

You might want to try a plastic picnic type knife, if that works IMO it's better than a metal tool.