Vacuum System on SeaFrogs TG7 housing

[Searcaigh]

So, after four days of my buddy using my TG6 in a Nauticam housing she decided to buy a TG7 and being on a budget got the SeaFrogs housing for it, which looks pretty good.

Now there is a vacuum port on the back door of this housing, which she was not aware of when ordering, and didn't order the accessory for this.

Question (as I don't have any vacuum ports on any of my housings) does she need to get this vacuum thing or will the housing work ok without it?

I've had one of my buddies freak out when she noticed the cover was off the vacuum port during a dive, and last weekend another photographer didn't take his camera underwater because the cover for the vacuum port was missing and he didn't know where it was. Neither of these incidents involved a SeaFrog housing.

My plan is to take this housing on a dive without the camera to test it, as the buddy in question is waiting for medical clearance to dive due to a recent operation. I know the TG7 is waterproof, but that's not the point.

 

[Ardy]

There will be an answer here. I have only been diving with a vacuum system for a year, it does give me some peace of mind. The area I dive in has very fine particles in the water, and I have had 2 leaks in the last 10 years due to this issue. Neither was camera or lens destruction so just a shock, as the whole trip could have been stuffed if I hadn't noticed them.

 

[TostitoBandito]

You don't need to put the housing under vacuum with a pump, but you do need to have the cap/plug on the vacuum port. It's a little disturbing that you report multiple people unable to manage a simple vacuum port plug. You really need to be meticulous and have attention to detail for SCUBA and for photography, and folks that can't slow down and properly configure and check their gear are going to have chronic issues like this. Anyways...

On my Ikelite housing the port plug is attached with a short metal chain, so you can't lose it and it's super obvious if it's not installed and dangling about.

That said, if you get a housing with a vacuum port you really should spend the few bucks for the pump and use it. In addition to verifying your housing seal it also makes your housing very unlikely to fog and more or less eliminates the need for desiccant packs. I often pump my housing before bed and in the morning I just double check the pressure is holding, put the cap on, and I know I'm good to go for the day.

 

[Matad1974]

Grazie per il consiglio, sarà utile