Almost all camera housing Still use a pair of Compression Orings to seal the back and port. The clips and clamps that hold them closed have improved, but ultimately it is only pressure that keeps them water tight. This is why Vacuum systems are becoming so popular now. The reduced internal pressure in the housing provides the equivelent surface compression to the thing being 10-20 feet deep, and often have a circuit to alert to a loss of pressure.
Minor Rant about DIN 1st Stage Dust Cap
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Almost all camera housing Still use a pair of Compression Orings to seal the back and port. The clips and clamps that hold them closed have improved, but ultimately it is only pressure that keeps them water tight. This is why Vacuum systems are becoming so popular now. The reduced internal pressure in the housing provides the equivelent surface compression to the thing being 10-20 feet deep, and often have a circuit to alert to a loss of pressure.
I have it and it's great, but the vacuum system is to alert you if there is a leak, it's not to prevent leaks in shallow water.
I kind of thought that it might help keep the housing watertight, so during this discussion, I looked at the published material from Nauticam, etc... I couldn't find any data that implies that the system prevents leaks by improving the housing seal. The only claim that I could find was that it lets you quickly detect leaks (by watching for an increase in internal air pressure).
OP
certainmisuse
Contributor
Curious, the DIN cap that had to be cut was on the 1st stage or tank?
That was a good point re: ionic bonding of dissimilar metals. So yes, delrin caps rather than aluminum.
I believe that is probably the main reason to lubricate cylinder valve threads before installing in a tank, to create a slight barrier between the aluminum/steel and the chrome/brass.
Ionic bonding - Wikipedia
OK, but creating a stronger seal is exactly what it does and is the primary value of a vacuum system. Here is a link to a Vendor of a similar system that states that upfront:
Housing Sentry overview
Benefits of the Housing Sentry
Vacuum provides tight seal of all o-rings and housing parts
- Minimizes the possibility of problems in the rinse tank
- Minimizes effects of wave action at the surface
- Minimizes the possibility of problems as housing is handed to and from the boat or shore
- Minimizes the possibility of problems if you enter the water while holding the housing
etc....
Yeah, maybe it's a question of how they decide to market it, and what they stress as a benefit.
The Nauticam housing clamps closed very tightly and securely, so it doesn't need the vacuum to actually make the seal if the O-ring is intact. That's why they describe it as an alert system, and don't sell it as a way of preventing leaks. So at least for the Nauticam housing, I definitely wouldn't say that it's the primary value of a vacuum system.
On the other hand, my old Ikelite system did require some water pressure to really make a good seal, the actual clips holding the dome port on were very flimsy and not the primary way of making the housing watertight. I don't know about this Housing Sentry product, but it looks like it's an add-on for a plastic housing like the Ikelite, so maybe it is a benefit for that particular type of housing.
Degenerate
Contributor
Pretty sure most, if not all, divers have a shower though.
If you got a tank you can easily hook the reg up and wash it down in the shower, there's no need to submerge all your gear in a large tub.
I live in an apartment and I wash all my gear after dives in the shower because I can't fill a big tub with water, that includes putting my drysuit on and taking a thorough shower with it.
It's a proper hassle but I love diving so I do it because it's needed, if I don't my gear will start going to shite.
Divectionist
Contributor
You can just buy a 100 or so litres plastic storage tub collecting water as you shower your gear, and then drop your gear (BCD/fins/neoprene/sturdy accessories) into it with a bit of gear shampoo to soak before pouring the water out and hanging your stuff up to dry. Fragile items can soak in a sink separately.
I am a fan of soaking gear for a couple hours in warm water with some sort of gear rinse additive as salt can hide well and survive a shower annoyingly well. It also conditions neoprene and rubber parts, or at least the bottle says so.
When submerging the BCD, it is also easier to press the inflator buttons and pull the dump valve a few times underwater so no salt gets stuck in the mechanism.
Degenerate
Contributor
I know, I have one (90lt though) but never use it for soaking to be honest.
Never had an issues with getting rid of all the salty crap, besides if you toss your gear in a tub to soak then all the salt and crap is gonna end up in the tub with your gear anyways...
I usually rinse out the bladder on my BCD after a dive (especially after pool sessions) and put a bunch of water through the inflator hose/mechanism while on it.
Can't say anything about neoprene as I don't own a single piece of it, I imagine it could definitely benefit from a long soak after a dive though
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