Flooded GATES EX1 housing

Lets see who receives the 'Gates xmas golf day' invites this year ... There's defo a few contenders ...

I don't think that John and co are responsible for buying the brumpster another camera but they (as maybe all manufacturers) should be more explanatory in the manuals as to 'what' may need more attention ...

I don't think we will ever all agree but we will defo be checking our housings alot more ... Lol ...

Dive safe

Dean(checking his glands as we speak)B

Of the 5 housings I've used extensively, 4 of them leaked at some point...

Greenaway Seapro housing - used to "dribble" for no apparent reason (Thai sanitary towel manufacturers did good business out of me)

Amphibico VX2000 housing - leaked once for no apparent reason. Quite a bit of water but thankfully not terminal.

L&M Stingray 2 housing - lots of problems but it never actually leaked.

Gates VX2000 housing - "dribbled" occasionally but fixed by cleaning/lubing glands I suspected of dribbling. Plus a couple of close shaves with a loose nut behind the flip filter.

L&M Bluefin FX1 housing - leaked once when fine Lembeh crud worked its way under the top window. Thankfully not terminal. Plus many screws loose on delivery which thankfully I noticed before taking it diving.

In my case it's not "if" a housing leaks but "when", hence the paranoia.

In my case it's not "if" a housing leaks but "when", hence the paranoia.

Agree with you Nick, insurance can seam expensive but if you use the cam every day it makes the whole experience a lot less stressful. Even if you just insure the cam on a special policy on your home insurance you can dive with a clearer mind. And lets face it with a cam like an Ex1 I'm sure your shoot professionally or semi professionally so the insurance is a tax deduction.

This is getting a long treath with allot of opinions! That is where forums are made for :-)

Now a few new serious things happend between now and my last posting here, but i have a apointment with Gates, i will fly to the states with the housing to talk about everthing and after that i will tell here more details!

So if i may ask everebody to be on hold for about a week of 2 max before blaiming me more or telling me what i need to do :-)

Thanks

This is getting a long treath with allot of opinions! That is where forums are made for :-)

 

Now a few new serious things happend between now and my last posting here, but i have a apointment with Gates, i will fly to the states with the housing to talk about everthing and after that i will tell here more details!

 

So if i may ask everebody to be on hold for about a week of 2 max before blaiming me more or telling me what i need to do :-)

 

Thanks

Are Gates paying for your airfares and accommodation ??? Seems like another expense just to be told it wasn't their fault

Dive safe

DeanB

Another thread that will not die.

Peter, time to get a Harley. Glad you're not hurt though maybe the ego is a bit bruised.

Steve

Hey Steve take a closer look. ( 2008 Buell )

No damage to me ( not even a piece of skin off or a bruise ) because I had used my experience to be properly prepared (full leather , gloves & boots)

Darn, couldn't tell....oh that poor Buell. Maybe the insurance and a Fat Boy is in your future.

Glad you're okay. As they say, 'If you haven't been down, you're going down'. I went down in 1980 doing 80mph. Glad that is out of the way but still riding my FXR

Steve

I don't think we will ever all agree but we will defo be checking our housings a lot more ... Lol ...

Last Wednesday - filming; myself (shooting video), presenter with full face and recording system (diver mounted hard drive + through water recording), sound man in boat recording too, two in-water standby divers one for presenter and one for me, surface supervisor, boatman and boat - high costs - I check my housing thoroughly pre-dive (not a Gates)!!!

Last Wednesday - filming; myself (shooting video), presenter with full face and recording system (diver mounted hard drive + through water recording), sound man in boat recording too, two in-water standby divers one for presenter and one for me, surface supervisor, boatman and boat - high costs - I check my housing thoroughly pre-dive (not a Gates)!!!

well done Paul ... a paid shoot, so you have to be more meticulous... Now all us geeks want questions answered ... Who for ... How much ... and why didn't you ring me ??? ... Lol ...

Dive safe

DeanB

Hey Steve take a closer look. ( 2008 Buell )

No damage to me ( not even a piece of skin off or a bruise ) because I had used my experience to be properly prepared (full leather , gloves & boots)

Peter, looks like I got to come over there and show you how to ride hey

Good to see you did not get hurt.

This old gates thread still going.....well I guess all that have one now need to know what to check.

Bruno, good luck with the Gates meeting.

Peter, time to grow up and get a StreetFighter

I am back from my meeting with GATES!

First i will tell what happend.

After buying a brand new EX1 and getting a insurance on the new camera and housing i left to Bali with the toys!

To make a long storry short, the housing flooded again!

This time true the gland of the IRIS!

I can tell that i cheked and recheked the housing like crazy! my buddy who is a photagrapher and travel years with me asked if i was getting a little crazy!

The housing flooded on the 3th dive of the day on the end of the dive!

I went completly crazy having a flood again! The brand new EX1 not even had filmed 1 hour of footage!

There was less water in the housing then last time so i had hoped that the camera was not damaged to bad but it was only hope it is more expensive to fix him then buy a new one :-(

So this was enough and i contacted GATES and send the housing back to them and then i travelled myself also to there office.

I was recieved verry well and got a nice tour etc.....

The owners told me that somthing like this never happend before and i started to trust them more and more, then i witnessed myself how they tested everthing on the housing and where not able to find somthing that explains the gland comming loose, i even tried getting the gland lose on purpose when the housing was under vacuum and you have to do like hell your best to open the gland enough to let water comming inside i could not believe my eyes!

They did't not find eny fault on the housing from me or them.

i am not a believer but when sombody used the words "this have to be a act of GOD" i could only agree!

Conclusion!

GATES is a nice company with really nice people there and they made me a offer that i agreed on, the details of the agreement i am not going to trow on the internet but i left with a good feeling trusting this people and that is what counts.

Now i am waiting for the insurance to pay me or send me a new camera and then i start diving so fast if possible again.

GATES also prommised to make it their quest to find out what happend and is going deeper and deeper testing the housing.

Bruno

Bruno I am very happy to hear all is ending well with Gates. John, Pamela and everyone their always do their best to make sure everyone is taken care of. Keep us posted on the findings of the housing.

I am sorry to hear about the additional issues but I am glad you met with Gates and had a chance to know them better and how much they always try to do everything they can.

GATES is a nice company with really nice people there

Bruno

Cripes !!! massive change of heart there then ...

they made me a offer that i agreed on, the details of the agreement i am not going to trow on the internet but i left with a good feeling trusting this people and that is what counts.

Bruno

Ahhhhh !!! ... All becomes clearer ...

Glad its all sorted and you now have insurance

Dive safe

DeanB

I sit here shocked that this happened to you again. Yes, the new Gates facility is just beautiful and there is lots of room to expand. Glad that you and John found a common ground and that all will be well.

Steve

Me too.... that's mad how it flooded twice! Bet your glad you had insurance the 2nd time..... I would have nearly thought lightning doesn't strike twice! I'm sure the insurance company are happy with you too!

Me too.... that's mad how it flooded twice! Bet your glad you had insurance the 2nd time..... I would have nearly thought lightning doesn't strike twice! I'm sure the insurance company are happy with you too!

Yep that is the thing i hate!

I insured everthing now and a few days later it flooded!

They have not yet paid me but on the mails i got it looks like they are going to do fast or send me a new camera (they asked me prices quotations what they whill compare to there own dealer)

The only positive thing is i insured much more then just the camera, Lens, monitor, Housing, dive gear and the rest offcourse they do not need to pay.

So i hope they are not going to kick me out!

This is a bit weird. How do you know it was the iris gland that it flooded through? Was it loose in the same way as the other gland had been?

Did you do any test dives with the repaired housing before you dived with a camera in it?

Which insurer did you use?

Brump ...

Remind me never to lend you my Ex1 ...

Dive safe

DeanB