Waterlogged SPG - apparently from being in checked luggage

[Sir-Dive-A-Lot]

Hello all,

Interesting thing happened to a friend of mine on a dive recently. We finished a good dive and at the end she noticed water in the front face of the SPG. Being <1 year old, we took it back to the LDS later that day for them to have a look at it.

Anyway, the first thing he asked when he saw it was whether it's been in an aeroplane's checked luggage. And yes, her last dive before this one was interstate and she did in fact check her regulators into the checked luggage om the flight back. He then mentioned something about the cargo area not being pressurised but that was about all I could pick up from it.

Just wondering if anyone knows why this would happen, or has had this happen to them?

I mentioned to her that you typically take your regs and computer as carry on and this is what she's going to do from now on anyway. Good thing anyway that he fixed it under warranty anyway.

 

[johnkendall]

Hello all,

Interesting thing happened to a friend of mine on a dive recently. We finished a good dive and at the end she noticed water in the front face of the SPG. Being <1 year old, we took it back to the LDS later that day for them to have a look at it.

Anyway, the first thing he asked when he saw it was whether it's been in an aeroplane's checked luggage. And yes, her last dive before this one was interstate and she did in fact check her regulators into the checked luggage om the flight back. He then mentioned something about the cargo area not being pressurised but that was about all I could pick up from it.

Just wondering if anyone knows why this would happen, or has had this happen to them?

I mentioned to her that you typically take your regs and computer as carry on and this is what she's going to do from now on anyway. Good thing anyway that he fixed it under warranty anyway.

He's talking nonsense. If the luggage compartment was not pressurized then the floor in the plane would collapse when in flight. The only difference in the luggage compartment and the passenger compartment is heating.

HTH
John

 

[drbill]

I fly with my reg and SPG in checked bags. One thing I do to prevent accidental damage is wrap the SPG in bubble wrap and place it in between other items in the bag that are padded. As far as I know baggage compartments are pressurized... but I've never stowed away to find out.

 

[JamesK]

He's talking nonsense. If the luggage compartment was not pressurized then the floor in the plane would collapse when in flight. The only difference in the luggage compartment and the passenger compartment is heating.

HTH
John

Absolute truth! How else would you be able to let animals fly in the cargo hold. 9 years working for Delta and I have yet to see an airplane with an unpressurized cargo compartment.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Even if the cargo hold was unpressurized (they are) and you flew into outer space, the pressure change is small (1ATM obviously) compared to diving (3-4 ATM typical). Just a BS excuse.

 

[rhwestfall]

lets see, @30,000 ft, you went from 14.7 lb/in^2 to 3.7 lb/in^2 absolute pressure - you don't go "negative" until you are in excess of 250,000 feet in elevation....(edit): and, as stated, we are still dealing with a pressurized vessel.....

P.S. - where did the water come from to get in it? It would have to be submerged in a container of it to have the remotest possibility to happen.....

 

[chillyinCanada]

Complete B.S. the general cause of flooding as described is due to a cracked casing.

 

[Sir-Dive-A-Lot]

Ok, yes it's pretty unanimous that cargo holds are pressurised.

He said it came through an over pressure valve, but I wouldn't think an SPG had one.

P.S. - where did the water come from to get in it? It would have to be submerged in a container of it to have the remotest possibility to happen.....

It was the first dive after a flight. The water came in during the dive.

Maybe she didn't secure it properly in the bag and something damaged it. That's about the only explanation I could find. Or, it was just faulty.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[JamesK]

Was this a plastic, or a brass and glass SPG?

 

[clownfishsydney]

Condensation? Have you ever felt how cold things are in your bag after a long flight?