Hi there, wanted to ask how you protect your equipment once in the water from knocks and bumps? You might have some ideas that I can take inspiration from.
The main item I want to protect is my strobes (inon z330s). When I put them down on a hard surfaces (think concrete pier or rock shore) the bottom bit is gonna get scratched up. I don't want to do the neoprene sleeve route as it is an additional something to dry and clean at the end of the day. I was thinking along the lines of putting some adhesive tape to protect the bottom bits but not sure what tape won't peel off once wet. Was also thinking of cutting a piece of rubber or plastic that can act like a skid plate. There might be some ideas or solution I can take inspiration from.
I don't think I've taken the neoprene sleeves off my strobes since I got them. I rinse them together with the strobes after each dive, and again for ~24 hours after each trip, then just let them dry in place.
The neoprene sleeves are really the best option really, Tape might work for a while but will look ugly pretty fast and if it parts company UW it's another bit of plastic pollution the ocean doesn't need.
To be honest, I do not care about little scratches on the plastic surface of my Z330s. I got the neoprene covers for my Z330s as a birthday gift from friends and use them since then. The front covers, protecting the domes, I use for transportation only, while the covers for the bodies remain, more or less permanently, and are rinsed with fresh water together with the flashes...
Wolfgang
On 3/28/2022 at 11:50 PM, Barmaglot said:
I don't think I've taken the neoprene sleeves off my strobes since I got them. I rinse them together with the strobes after each dive, and again for ~24 hours after each trip, then just let them dry in place.
Won't the neoprene be like soaking wet when you're changing the batteries? Would love to learn how you do not get other things wet.
5 minutes ago, Pomacentridae said:
Won't the neoprene be like soaking wet when you're changing the batteries? Would love to learn how you do not get other things wet.
It's damp, yeah, so what? I wipe the superchargers and the back face of the strobes with a towel, or blow them dry with a stream of air if I have access to that, then unscrew them and make the change. Having reflectors or at least reduction rings mounted helps, as they can be used to stand the strobe on its front end.
Just now, Barmaglot said:
It's damp, yeah, so what? I wipe the superchargers and the back face of the strobes with a towel, or blow them dry with a stream of air if I have access to that, then unscrew them and make the change. Having reflectors or at least reduction rings mounted helps, as they can be used to stand the strobe on its front end.
Okay, I think I may be overly cautious with my battery changing regime. I always try to get the strobe or camera housing super dry with a towel before even opening it.
26 minutes ago, Pomacentridae said:
Okay, I think I may be overly cautious with my battery changing regime. I always try to get the strobe or camera housing super dry with a towel before even opening it.
Understandable for sure!
Like Barmaglot, I wipe the surface of the battery compartment end of the strobe, then turn it face down. When you unscrew the battery cover, the batteries drop out (catch them!) and any possible drips will just head downwards away from the battery compartment.
I usually then do a wipe around the open compartment, install new batteries and put the cover back. A wet/damp neoprene cover has no significant impact.
8 hours ago, Pomacentridae said:
Okay, I think I may be overly cautious with my battery changing regime. I always try to get the strobe or camera housing super dry with a towel before even opening it.
INON Z330s retain water under the cap, a few drops. Wipe the housing off or blow it dry , I hold the flash horizontal, watch as you unscrew, when the o-ring is just exposed the water will drip out. Finish unscrewing then move flash to sit upright. Shake the water out of the cap, remove the o-ring which will be covered in water drops and shake it dry. Wipe the o-ring groove with absorbent tissue to dry it. Shake the cap and dry it out. Don't use tissue on the cap as it has lube on it from the o-ring. Now you can swap batteries.
I find the water drops to be the biggest issue and always pop the o-ring off to dry, the water on the cap will end up inside otherwise.
