Taking a PT-010 to 160 feet

[Gilligan]

I received an e mail and photo from a person in Germany who stated his friend modified a PT-010 and claims to have taken it to 160 feet without destroying it. He placed a clear gel in the housing to fill the voids around the front of the camera.
I am not knowledgeable about the laws of physics to be able to discuss this issue. I am also not interested in taking my PT010 to such depths.
However, if this is true it may reflect on taking empty housings to depth versus full ones to check for leaks.

 

[andrea31419]

Gilligan, can I get the link for purchasing the color correcting lens for green water? I can't find my bookmark. Thanks.

A.

 

[Clutchcargo]

I think the housing itself can handle the pressure of 160'. I've taken mine to 140' with no ill effects. The problem may be with the o-ring seals at that depth. The non static seals may leak if the controls are operated.
I don't know this for sure but it seems the plastic housing is durable enough to handle the pressure.

 

[jcclink]

Two quickies -
The gel, being flexible and not actually part of the housing, will do nothing from a structural standpoint to enable the housing to go deeper.
Static and non-static o-rings are typically used in high pressure applications (like 3000 psi). The housing material & design are the limiting factors that restrict depth.
Maybe 3 quickies -
I would strongly recommend a test dive to a moderate depth with an empty housing where all the controls are operated several times. It is possible for a housing to pass a static pressure test (like in a tank), but operating a control under pressure could result in a leak. Small chance, but I had it happen once. The o-ring was accidently nicked during installation & the housing passed the static test.

 

[Gilligan]

Andrea,
Oceanbrite.com has a lens for $79.00. It does not look like the one I purchased (and subsequently lost) from them a couple of years ago.
Personally, I did not think the lens was of that much help. I get better results using Manual White Balance.
I did not that this lens is for use with and without a flash. The one I had was red and was for use w/o the flash.

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

I can't find the cite right now, (I'll do a more thorough search when I get home) but I recall reading of someone who tested a regular housing and camera well beyond the 130 ft it was rated for. He found that the housing would deform slightly under pressure making some of the buttons inoperable, and that the button o-rings were the first go, in this case at 190+ ft.

There was discussion in the thread that the 130ft rating may be a legal CYA so no one can claim they went deeper because their camera housing can. It doesn't seem to be a mistake that it's the exact same depth as the approved recreational depth limit.

Marc

 

[jcclink]

Control shaft o-rings typically lay in a groove in either the shaft or the housing bore. As I recall this isn't the case with the button o-rings in the PT housings. They just slide onto the shaft - no groove to restrain it. This probably contributes to the leak potential at extended depths. It is interesting about the 130 ft limit. Does anyone know the design safety factor for PT housings? I would hope at least 1.5.

 

[Gilligan]

jcclink,
I have had all the button O rings out of one of my PT-010 housings and there is a groove that the O ring sits in.

 

[jcclink]

Thats good then. I was going by a pic in a service manual for the PT-015 which looked like no groove. Thanks for the update.

 

[ChrisM]

There was discussion in the thread that the 130ft rating may be a legal CYA so no one can claim they went deeper becases their camera housing can. It doesn't seem to be a mistake that it's the exact same depth as the approved recreational depth limit.

Marc

I doubt it's a CYA deal based on rec limits, as all other manufacturers.... Ike, Subal, Sea & Sea, Aquatica, etc - have 300 foot limits. Plus the 5060 housing is rated to, I believe, 130+

Chris