Why did my camera housing flood?

[mi000ke]

Hoping I might get some insight here as to why my camera housing flooded.

I use a Seafrogs (Meikon) A6XXX Salted Line housing with my Sony A6400. The housing had been used on only 4 dives with no problem before flooding this time. I have the vacuum pump system, and the housing held airtight for several hours before the dive on which the camera flooded. I removed the valve before diving and carefully replaced it with the port cap. O-rings were in place.

I shoot ambient light only and dove with just the housing - no tray, no strobes. I have two lanyard clips, one on the top and one on the bottom of one side of the housing, and clip both to my BDC to keep the housing from flopping around when I enter the water.

I put the housing in the rinse tank (dedicated to cameras only and I was the only one on board with a camera) before the first dive to test the seal. No leaks.

The housing performed as expected on the first dive. No problems. I put the camera in the rinse tank between dives (again, the only camera in there). No leaks. Housing was not opened between dives.

As I was descending on the second dive, the leak detector started to beep at about 15 feet. I checked my computer to see if that was the issue (similar beep) and then checked the camera. I was at about 30’ now and saw water inside the housing and could see the leak detector light flashing.

I did a controlled ascent and removed the camera once on board. Both side latches were tightly closed. Fortunately, only a small amount of water entered the housing and the camera was fine.

After the dive I rinsed and dried the housing, did nothing with the o-rings or anything else on the housing other than inspecting for hair or other issues (found nothing), and was able to obtain an airtight seal again using the vacuum pump system.

The only explanation I could come up with is that somehow the seal or maybe the main o-ring was somehow slightly dislodged when I did my stride entry on the second dive. But it all looked fine when I inspected the open housing after the dive.

Any other thoughts as to what may have happened?

(Btw, Seafrogs customer service has been quite unhelpful with this. It seems like they do not read emails, but just give a canned reply about not diving with the pump valve in place - which I did not do - and other irrelevant suggestions.)

 

[Nemrod]

I have had, I think I mentioned in your other post, several floods over the years. This is why I tend to shy away from something like a Sony AR7IV which runs $3,000+ for the camera body alone vs. an A6400 at under $900 for the body. If I were pro it would be different. But, that said, back to your question. I also jump in with my camera as I have had bad experiences with "crew" handling my photo gear. But, that is a known cause of floods. The O-ring seals are not loaded yet on the glands (controls) and the rear O-ring door to body seal could possibly flex.

Exploring that, and not exclusive to plastic/molded, polycarbonate housings, I have seen sealing issues with housings of that type that were not fully supported by the handle tray and with girder supports from handles to housing. The handles flex the housing when loaded, such as the impact of jumping into the water and allowing the housing to burp and take a bit of water ( speculation, with a vacuum in the housing it will pull that water in). Usually though, there is a defect in an O-ring sealing surface, the O-ring itself (cut, twisted, hair, lint, sand etc.).

And while on the subject, I would shy away from leaving a camera in a rinse tank even if it is in there by itself.

James

 

[Bigbella]

I have always had my housings handed to me, in the water, while on boat dives. That giant stride with a housed camera -- whether or not the seal is "pre-pressurized" -- is always a bad idea and I have witnessed serial floods as a result. The o-ring seal is at its weakest on the surface and that stride is enough to slightly breach even a tight seal . . .

 

[Interceptor121]

Buy a decent housing and never leave a camera in a rinse tank

 

[Bigbella]

Buy a decent housing

I have seen Subal and Seacam housings, well north of 5K, flood, on occasion . . .

 

[Interceptor121]

I have seen Subal and Seacam housings, well north of 5K, flood, on occasion . . .

Are you suggesting your plastic box is on par with those brands?

 

[Bigbella]

Are you suggesting your plastic box is on par with those brands?

No, not necessarily; I have aluminum housings for my SLRs as well as GoPros in plastic; but plastic housings have been around for decades, say Ikelite, for example; and if they are maintained and used properly, can be a reliable source of protection for cameras. I was simply illustrating that all housings pose a risk of flooding, if used improperly, whether it's a 50.00 plastic GoPro housing or a 5000.00 milled aluminum Seacam . . .

 

[Interceptor121]

Any housing can flood if you smash it. Plastic housing also retain heat that makes them more prone to flooding as the air inside expands
At least your leak alarm worked so you did not fry the camera

 

[arew+4]

Did you sacrifice three virile roosters, and soak the o-rings in the blood of your enemies?

No..,

Such is the price for failing to appease the photo Gods.

 

[Bigbella]

Plastic housing also retain heat that makes them more prone to flooding as the air inside expands
At least your leak alarm worked so you did not fry the camera

Again, improper handling. If the diver is stupid enough to leave his plastic housing on a dashboard; tailgate; or in direct sunlight -- that's his own problem.

It's amazing, though, what a cursory examination of an instruction booklet will do for the photographer. Regardless of the material or manufacturer, I have never seen instructions that ever encouraged jumping overboard with any housing, of any material, in hand . . .