Preventing/minimizing cracking a Canon housing locking latch

[Gilligan]

I have had my WP-DC28 (G10) housing for over two years and likely use it more than most as I am retired and dive frequently. I recently noticed a crack on the locking latch. I applied some Mighty Bond (Filipino type Super Glue) to it and will wait and see if it works.

My G10 has been factory repaired once due to lens issues and now the monitor has dark corners but the photos are fine. I will not have it repaired again and may not have to worry about that if the housing locking latch fails underwater :shocked2:.

Hindsight being 20-20 coupled with no mention of this in the housing manual I believe you can prevent or at least reduce the risk of cracking the locking latch by COMPLETELY closing the housing door by hand without using the latch. The most amount of strain is put on the locking latch when seating the O-ring in its groove.

Yes, it's a downside to inexpensive housings.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I learned the same lesson the hard way. Same exact break, my attempt at super glue failed. I ended up buying a housing with missing buttons (but a good latch) used for $25.

 

[emoreira]

I would suggest using some glue with cianoacrilate like Loctite.
Besides, reinforce the crack with a little stainless steel wire insert, inserted hot. This gave me some good results in some other situations. The point results stronger than the rest of the part.

 

[Gilligan]

I would suggest using some glue with cianoacrilate like Loctite.
Besides, reinforce the crack with a little stainless steel wire insert, inserted hot. This gave me some good results in some other situations. The point results stronger than the rest of the part.

Did you simply heat a small thin piece of wire and lay it on the latch and let it melt into it? If so was the wire slightly curved to prevent it from pulling free?

 

[prandyulo]

Same crack happened to mine but a bit further up. I filed a notch on each side, glued with plastic glue and tied nylon fishing line twice around it. Still works. Had more than 50 dives since then no problem.

 

[ozziworld]

The suggestions with a "physical" addition of pins or wire are better than relying on a chemical bond alone. Prandy's solution with fishing line would be better if a small diameter stainless wire were used in place of twine. It looks like a piece of stainless steel piano wire or guitar wire heated over a stove can be pushed through and then ''wrapped or twisted to tighten" would work. Looks like there is enough material on either side of the break. I would super glue it first then added the wire to reinforce the chemical bond.

 

[Gilligan]

Thanks for your suggestions. I'll look for a piece of stainless wire and give that a try.

And now for another shortcoming of the Canon and other brand acrylic housings with a single center tripod mount:

My G10 and G12 housings have a metal plate fastened to the bottom of the housings by four screws as do most acrylic housings (not Ikelite). Those screws thread into acrylic shafts. How strong can that be? Not very depending on the way you utilize the tripod mount.
I noticed the metal plate on my G10 housing was loose. Upon inspection one of the acrylic shafts was stripped and cracked. What caused it? I did. My tray/arm/strobe and my handling of it was the obvious cause. I have a tray with a single left handle. Quite often I hold the housing in my right hand leaving my left hand free with a stick for buoyancy control in tight spots. The tripod mount is not designed nor is it capable of supporting the weight of the tray, arm and strobe.

I used a two part epoxy to reinforce the the four acrylic screw shafts as well as using the epoxy to fasten the tripod plate to the housing and on the four screws. I don't expect the epoxy alone to solve the problem.

My solution as inconvenient as it may seem is two use two cable ties on each lower end of the housing and connect them to the tray to relieve the stress on the tripod mount. I could use a sharp knife point to open the cable ties at the end of a dive day but cutting them off is easier as they are inexpensive.

I will be closing my G12 housing by hand not by using the latch and I will use cable ties on it to prevent the tripod mount from breaking. Lessons learned with the G10 housing.

One could use this scenario as ammunition to buy an Ikelite (dual tripod mounts) or other more expensive housings.

Bottom metal plate removed revealing the acrylic screw shafts:

My G10 setup with cable ties on the lower neck strap fittings on the housing:

 

[ozziworld]

Gilligan,

I think this is the time to consider treating yourself to an aluminum housing. : )

You definitely put in a lot of dives on your Canon housing and I actually think you have explored the limits of what those little housings are capable of.

You deserve it.

 

[Gilligan]

Gilligan,

I think this is the time to consider treating yourself to an aluminum housing. : )

You definitely put in a lot of dives on your Canon housing and I actually think you have explored the limits of what those little housings are capable of.

You deserve it.

Ahhh but my G10 is dying again. The monitor has dark corners. Who knows how long it will last. I had it repaired once before after one year of use for the flat Canon $250. repair fee. Canon had to replace the lens assembly. Is Canon still repairing G10's or are they offering a refurbished G11 or G12 which doesn't fit in the G10 housings? Anyway, I wouldn't pay another $250. to repair my G10 camera AGAIN. Buy a used G10? No thanks. Technology moves on. This is why I don't buy $1000. aluminum housings.

I also have a G12 and Canon housing which I will handle differently based on my experiences with the G10 one.

I will just keep playing Captain Gadget.

 

[Wisnu]

I had similar problem with my G9 housing. used superglue + reinforced with acrylic sheet - worked for short time before had to reglue again. Then when the lens mechanism stack; it was a sign to get the replacement, ie, XZ-1 w/ PT-050.