How was your rig flooded?

For those who have endured a "flood", I'm curious what is the most common occurrence. I personally think chunking a rig into a rinse tank has to be a major offender. But, who knows -- maybe basic user mistakes are the main cause.

For those who have endured a "flood", I'm curious what is the most common occurrence. I personally think chunking a rig into a rinse tank has to be a major offender. But, who knows -- maybe basic user mistakes are the main cause.

You need to add at least one more - defective equipment, had that happen twice to me.

Of course there was one where it was my fault probably - I may have not spent enough time putting it together, but it was working fine for a half dozen shots in the surf, then when I got caught in the surf I think the housing somehow opened (Plastic P&S type thing).

And one I have no idea about at all. Made absolutely no sense. Had plenty of time to set up. Everything was okay. The only thing I can think of was that it was equipment handling at some point, had it handed to me and within seconds I was being pulled down by the weight, the entire housing was completely filled....not sure how that fits into the poll though.

I would never "chuck" a rig into a rinse tank...... perhaps someone could explain how this could cause a flood.....someone with experience?

Kinda insane to throw something fragile into even a bucket of water....

I would never "chuck" a rig into a rinse tank...... perhaps someone could explain how this could cause a flood.....someone with experience?

 

Kinda insane to throw something fragile into even a bucket of water....

I personally would never do that. But I have experienced two incidents because of the crew on a boat. The first one, they were literally dropping them in the rinse tank without looking and scratched my port. The second, on my Oly 5060 somebody inadvertently "popped" one of my latches causing a full flood in the rinse tank.

The problem is, with a group of 8-16 divers on a liveaboard, by the end of the week everyone tends to stay down longer and come up all at the same time. You hand your camera to a member of the crew and they are just trying to get shed of it as quickly as possible so they can help the next guest. I think on my next trip, I will ask the crew to not put my camera in the rinse tank and I'll do it myself.

JP

I'm curious to hear about the risnse tank disasters. I've heard of this before but thankfully not had it happy yet.

Is it before the dive during the dunk test or after during the rinse?

It would seem to me that a dunk in a tank before a dive is better than a plunge into the ocean.

Oh man.....I would be so so pissed off!

I have not flooded a SLR or DSLR housing, but I have seen many flood over the years. Most flood because of own mistakes. People forgetting o-rings, pinching o-rings out of grooves, even forgetting to correctly close housings. I have also seen plenty of housings flood in rinse tanks after dives. Often if seals are bumped or moved when coming out of the water etc.

I think that both these problems can be avoided most of the time by paying due care and attention to looking after your system and not getting distracted during preparation or in post dive excitement.

Alex

I had never had a flood, touch wood... The last I saw was a P&S when the corner of the silca gel bag was caught in the o-ring. That was a new one for me and I only mention it as 'heads up'.

Knock on wood, no floods in mucho anos of diving and UW photography

Straight from the horse's mouth, here's the mantra I send to Ikelite customers. Substitute your brand grease and if any of these ideas these apply to your system maybe they'll help you out

Don't use any lube other than the Ikelite type. You will mainly have to lube the small o-ring on the cord end that attaches to the strobe bulkhead and housing bulkhead. I put a bit of o-ring grease on the metal threads, too, of the connector bulkhead on the strobe and housing back. Once this is assembled and on a first dive of a trip it works, leave it assembled for the week of diving!

The spring loaded buttons as long as you rinse and "pump out" any salt water trapped in your post dive rinse (SEE BELOW) can go for like 1- 3 years depending on diving frequency before sending the housing back to the manufacturer for a complete o-ring change out.

I am not a big fan of rinse tanks on boats (or back on shore.) I NEVER HAVE IT IN THE TANK UNLESS I'M STANDING THERE HOLDING IT! I put my rig in where I "shake and bake" with gentle agitation for 2 minutes, working controls and pumping the buttons in clean fresh water. Pat dry the port where the lens looks through, and don't grind in salt water by wiping this surface if out on a boat! Then I occasionally pump the buttons to finish getting any salt water out while drying.

When I get home I disassemble the tray from the bottom and allow all to dry on a towel covered work bench. In 1-2 weeks you will still see some salt reside no matter how thoroughly you think you rinsed your housing. I loosen the nuts on the tray bottom, then grease the screw threads and store it all open, with no compression on the back o-ring.

You can store the back and / or port o-ring in a ziploc bag and put them INSIDE THE HOUSING where you'll remember to re-install on your next dive trip. O-rings can be washed in mild soapy water and patted dry (not stretched.) Then a light coating of o-ring grease to keep them supple.

The very last thing I personally do when entering the water with my system is fold the arm(s) in and tighten so the system can be handled by the dive guide with one hand. I SHOW THEM WHERE TO HOLD IT AND ASK THEM NOT TO PUSH THE SILVER QUICK RELEASE BUTTON(S) WHICH WOULD RELEASE THE STROBES!

Then right before I enter the water I double check the housing by looking at what I call my "5 point check". Meaning all 3 latches are securely snapped and the port locks are totally slid in and clicked closed. A total of the 5 things sealing my housing.....

IMMEDIATELY UPON ENTERING THE WATER, I hold the housing back tipped and angled to the right and double check no water is inside. In this position it could pool against the inside AWAY FROM MY CAMERA if an assembly mistake was made and I could hand it right back up and save the camera

Not saying my ways are perfect, but they work for me and many fellow shooters

YMMV

dhaas

I guess it's really all about knowing the weak points of your rig (or your "kit" if you are Alex ). On my Ike/D70 setup, I know I need to make sure the ports are seated with their o-rings properly. With the 5060, it was the latches which ultimately caused a flood, I should have duct-taped them to keep from accidental release.

These days, every liveaboard I have been on has 16 people with 16 cameras it seems -- I hate to see my stuff banged against others gear in the rinse tank, in the future I will take the Dave Haas approach.

JP

I guess it's really all about knowing the weak points of your rig (or your "kit" if you are Alex ). On my Ike/D70 setup, I know I need to make sure the ports are seated with their o-rings properly. With the 5060, it was the latches which ultimately caused a flood, I should have duct-taped them to keep from accidental release.

 

These days, every liveaboard I have been on has 16 people with 16 cameras it seems -- I hate to see my stuff banged against others gear in the rinse tank, in the future I will take the Dave Haas approach.

 

JP

I didn't vote since I don't think mine fits any of the categories, but I had a partial flood of my Ike/D70 rig a few years back (I have since sold that rig). The problem, as I discovered later on, was the nut on the housing back that holds the strobe bulkhead connector on came loose. I had contacted Ikelite shortly after that incident and was told that that nut should not have come loose and was not something that needed to be tightened regularly. As best I can guess, all the boat trips I have taken with the housing must have vibrated loose over time. It was a slow enough leak and it started at the end of a dive, so only a little bit of water got in and no damage was done.

With my Ike setup I followed a similar 5 point check such that the one dhaas has mentioned. I'll definately be following a similar regimented process with my new Aquatica rig.

Slightly off topic. With the dome ports, should you use the cover while in the rinse tank and even during entry/exit?

I don't leave my camera in the rinse tank very long especially if there are a lot of other cameras on board, but when it's in the tank the dome port cover is always on.

Doesn't have to be anyone dropping in a camera, just the normal movement of the boat is enough to bang things around.

My take on rinse tanks and covers.........

Any time you literally have minimal pressure holding on your port, (1' - 3' of depth in a tank) whether you have a screw on, bayonet on or port lock clipped on port, it is NOT the time to be stretching, pulling, or whatever a cover on your port.....

I also absolutely do not understand why anyone would be in such a hurry to put a scratchy salt water saturated cover on to "protect" their port.....I never take a port cover in the water.

After rinsing in the freshest water I can find (and only while I'm actually there) I pat dry the port and put the cover on....

YMMV

dhaas

Any time you literally have minimal pressure holding on your port, (1' - 3' of depth in a tank) whether you have a screw on, bayonet on or port lock clipped on port, it is NOT the time to be stretching, pulling, or whatever a cover on your port.....

I don't know what kind of cover you use but it sounds more like a description of alligator wrestling in the mud than slipping on the dome cover

Mine is just a simple drawstring type affair that doesn't require any gymnastics, but I absolutely agree that it would be foolish to try and put the cover on while in the water.

It also stays on the boat so I'm not to worried about it being salt encrusted, but the stray strobe arm or tray sharing space in the rinse tank is a much greater worry to me.

I've just switched from P&S to a full DSLR setup -- do most of you find the boat crew to be careful and respectful of your equipment getting in and out of the water?

I love my new DSLR setup, but I have to admit -- things were certainly simpler back in the 80's with a Nikonos V and and SB102. Of course, I can get waaaaaaay better pictures now

JP

I flooded an aquatica d2x. I had the infamous non-locking dome port. The boat gys handed it to me while holding it by the port, and probably the port loosened. It flooded as soon as they handed it to me. I now duct tape the port before each dive. The good news is I got full reimbusement from dan insurance. I replaced it with a demo model from e bay, and made a nice profit.

I flooded an aquatica d2x. I had the infamous non-locking dome port. The boat gys handed it to me while holding it by the port, and probably the port loosened. It flooded as soon as they handed it to me. I now duct tape the port before each dive. The good news is I got full reimbusement from dan insurance. I replaced it with a demo model from e bay, and made a nice profit.

BTW, I notice that the new Aquatica D300 system FINALLY has a port lock! It doesn't appear to lock the extension rings, but it is a step in the right direction.

I actually got Blake to retrofit my 5D housing with a prototype lock system after I flooded my 5D when the "infamous non-locking dome port" fell off in the rise tank. The prototype is a plastic slide pin and a mating hole. It works okay if you tighten it with a screwdriver. It doesn't allow for quick lens changes which is fine since I HATE changing lenses on the boat. I always setup my system in a clean dry location and dive it with one lens for the whole day.

I go along with most of Dave's recommendations. Keeping things clean is the major issue. Salt crystals, sand and hair seem to be the leading causes of oring failure.

I've had a couple of weeping control shaft orings. One did not become apparent until about 8 dives with the housing. And then only in the rinse tank after the dive.

I have a theory that when you bring the housing up from a dive where it's been under pressure, the orings have contracted and the housing springs back allowing a small leak. At least with plastic housings.

I have a longish article on my blog about avoiding floods:

Camera Floods: Avoiding the High Water Mark.

Jack