My housing keeps fogging up!!

[f3nikon]

When I was in Palau and got my only silica pack wet it became a problem. My solution was the opposite of Pugs - I warmed up the camera and housing with a hair dryer set on low and held about 4' away from the camera for about 10 minutes. I then closed it up and took it diving. No foggo.

You’re correct and the first one to use that hair dryer trick after I suggested it some time back.

What most folks are missing are the three main components to produce fog or condensation…Water, Heat and a colder surface.

The heat generated by the camera turns the water form the moist tropical air, trapped in the camera and housing, from a liquid to a vapor. The vapor or steam floats around until it reaches the cooler housing wall or lens port, for which it then goes back to its liquid form or condensates and ruins your day.

One cannot control the heat because the camera will always heat up when on and you cannot control the colder housing wall that is exposed to the cooler seawater. But you can control the amount of water that settled on the camera and housing by gently warming up the camera (turn on the camera for about 15 min while charging) and by blow drying the housing to remove the water. Then keeping the water out by closing the housing lid.

Now if you are still experiencing the fog even after burning off the water out with a hair dryer then you maybe in for a bigger problem…like a water leak in your housing!

 

[Snowbear]

You’re correct and the first one to use that hair dryer trick after I suggested it some time back.

Huh - well.... uh..... thanks for the suggestion.... I guess.

If I had known it was previously suggested, I would have given you credit for doing so. Sorry for not having read your previous posts and spotting this suggestion so I could properly credit it.

And here I thought I had a good idea at the time

Wow! Now I know that at least one person out there in cyberworld agrees with me about something

 

[alcina]

Rofl :d

 

[WesTexDiver]

We teach the Hair Dryer method in our Photography specialty class...work like a charm.

 

[ewong]

You want to keep the humidity of the air inside your housing very low. You can achieve that by silica gel packs, opening the housing in air conditioning or using a hair dryer.

Humid air condenses (fogs) when it touches a colder surface. I always open my housing in my A/Ced room, never outside.


Eddy.

 

[Cecil]

Spot on advice, F3nikon. The hair dryer is good, but heated dry air is best. My car allows me to turn on the AC and the heat. The other thing to try is to minimize how long the camera is turned on. The LCD does generate some heat. My older Sony would fog up every time if I left it on to long.

 

[gert7to3]

Another thought. Before attaching your first stage, open your tank valve very slightly and direct that dry air flow into your camera housing for a short time as you close it.
This should displace moist air in the housing.

I use the air conditioned room and air conditioned vehicle methods mostly. The refrigerator/freezer method sounds promising.

The chief fogging troubles I have had were in 80 F+ water.

Protect your camera from the sun. Clear housings trap heat like a greenhouse.

 

[coconutgirl]

Where are you when you put the camera in the housing and close it???? I hope in an air-conditioned room. In my opinion - that is the BEST way to remedy moisture problems. It is risky to close it when you are near the water, on the boat, etc....
Do it BEFORE you leave your room/house.... Better... Use the moisture munchers. On a recent trip to maui - the dm used a dollar bill in his housing instead of a moisture muncher.... said it worked great.... I havent' tried it yet...
Coconutgirl

 

[f3nikon]

Huh - well.... uh..... thanks for the suggestion.... I guess.

If I had known it was previously suggested, I would have given you credit for doing so. Sorry for not having read your previous posts and spotting this suggestion so I could properly credit it.

And here I thought I had a good idea at the time

Wow! Now I know that at least one person out there in cyberworld agrees with me about something

No credit necessary I am just glad it worked out for you.

 

[Carribeandiver]

Hi, I use a Canon A520 with housing and strobe. Dive safely.

kinda off topic but I have a canon A560. just got it, used it on only 3 dives so far. two in Belize and one in Cozemel. Takes great shots, focuses well but it appears I need a strobe. Since you use the A520, which I assume is similar to the A560, may I ask what kind of strobe you use and where did you get it?
Thanks