Flooded DS 51

[arava12 0]

HI everyone,

 

Last night I went diving with my gear (Ike + Canon 30D + DS51). Everything worked flawlessly (like it did for the last 8 months) till the end of the dive. The strobe did fire once even after the dive, for a portrait of my diving buddy.

When I got home, I noticed that there where some rust comming out of the battery compartment of the strobe and it seemed that it was flooded for no apparent reason.

I removed the batteries immediatly, and they were all messed up. I cleaned the compartment with fresh water and dried it the best I could, but the strobe does not work anymore. What shoud I do ? I am leaving in less than a week for a dive trip... Should I buy another one ? Theses strobes are quite expensive and I really don't even know if I can find one in France before leaving.

Any advice ? Should I try to do something harmless to the strobe so that it could work again ?

Thanks for your inquiries.

 

Anthony

[Cerianthus 55]

I had a similar experience recently, with a DS 50. But this was my fault for not tightening it right, I left it a bit open for the freshly charged batteries to offgas. Ikelite repaired the battery compartment for about 75 dollars, and replaced a broken synch cord at cost. If you call them, maybe they can do a rush job and send the strobe back to your holiday location

 

Gerard

[arava12 0]

Thanks for the answer. I did not manage to have any answer from ikelite, and finally found a DS51 which I had to buy (no other choice, right ?) just before leaving.

Maybe I should try again with Ikelite...

[Cerianthus 55]

Probably the drying wasnt sufficient or quick enough. If there is a short circuit in the battery compartment, the strobe wont charge.

 

I have some strobe issues at the moment as well, and I got an almost imediate answer (I used repair ath the domain ikelite.com). Be sure you give a small description in the subject line, or their spam filter will delete the message.

 

I would try to have them repair it, and then you will have two strobes !!

[arcatus 1]

The battery compartment on the Ikelite SS50/DS50/DS51 strobes is not necessarily waterproof in used strobes. Your problem may be leakage into the strobe proper. Over-tightening of the battery door can cause cracks in the base of the battery compartment, where the center brass rod attaches to the body. Look into the battery compartment with a light. If you see cracks radiating from the base of the brass rod, you likely have flooded the interior.

 

I lost two SS50 strobes on one trip. Each had minor flooding (cause unknown) and each was ruined beyond repair because water got through tiny cracks in the battery compartment.

[rtrski 20]

The battery compartment on the Ikelite SS50/DS50/DS51 strobes is not necessarily waterproof in used strobes. Your problem may be leakage into the strobe proper. Over-tightening of the battery door can cause cracks in the base of the battery compartment, where the center brass rod attaches to the body. Look into the battery compartment with a light. If you see cracks radiating from the base of the brass rod, you likely have flooded the interior.

 

I lost two SS50 strobes on one trip. Each had minor flooding (cause unknown) and each was ruined beyond repair because water got through tiny cracks in the battery compartment.

 

What about leaking around the screw in the door? I'm looking at the used DS50 I just bought and haven't taken underwater yet. The back (inner) side of the battery compartment looks solid, but there's what looks like a small flat more like plastic than rubber o-ring on the screw, that would butt up against the shoulder of the threaded post. I can't tell if there's an o-ring on the outside, nestled under the big thumbscrew head.

 

Is there a replaceable o-ring for this location, or am I making much ado about nothing? The main battery door o-ring looks pristine and is very slightly slick, hence was lubed by the prior owner. I can see some signs of a little wetting inside the compartment, but not enough to think it was flooded, more like just handled wet (the battery polarity labels are a bit faded/runny).

[arcatus 1]

What about leaking around the screw in the door? I'm looking at the used DS50 I just bought and haven't taken underwater yet. The back (inner) side of the battery compartment looks solid, but there's what looks like a small flat more like plastic than rubber o-ring on the screw, that would butt up against the shoulder of the threaded post. I can't tell if there's an o-ring on the outside, nestled under the big thumbscrew head.

 

Is there a replaceable o-ring for this location, or am I making much ado about nothing? The main battery door o-ring looks pristine and is very slightly slick, hence was lubed by the prior owner. I can see some signs of a little wetting inside the compartment, but not enough to think it was flooded, more like just handled wet (the battery polarity labels are a bit faded/runny).

 

There is an O-ring between the battery door hold-down screw and battery door, on the outside of the door, under the knurled knob. I believe you get to it by removing a clip ring from the screw. That O-ring is replacable.

[rtrski 20]

There is an O-ring between the battery door hold-down screw and battery door, on the outside of the door, under the knurled knob. I believe you get to it by removing a clip ring from the screw. That O-ring is replacable.

OK, then I'm probably just looking at the thin plastic clip-ring itself and worrying, but that's not the seal.

 

Thanks!

[bruceterrill 0]

My advice is to leave it alone and send it to Ikelite for repair.

They are more likely to carry out warranty work for you, if you haven't been fiidling with the parts...

 

Bruce

[Cerianthus 55]

the entire battery door is avaiable as a replacement from ikelite for something like 5 dollars.

 

When I broke one, i checked how it worked. the plastic thin bit is just to hold the little screw together with the battery door. The sealing is indeed done with an oring. You cant get that oring separately from ikelite, so i don t think this qualifies as user replacable.

[scorpio_fish 5]

I purchased two DS51 units last fall. They have been on four trips. One flooded on its maiden dive. The other flooded toward the end of the last dive of the trip.

 

I have sworn off these strobes. No more.

[rtrski 20]

I purchased two DS51 units last fall. They have been on four trips. One flooded on its maiden dive. The other flooded toward the end of the last dive of the trip.

 

I have sworn off these strobes. No more.

 

Do you have a preference in a smaller strobe?

[scorpio_fish 5]

Do you have a preference in a smaller strobe?

 

Not yet. I still have one DS125, but got tired of carrying extra because of reliability issues. I now have Inon Z240's. I'm reasonably happy with them. I've also used smaller Sea&Sea units.

 

I can't say I have a ringing endorsement of any strobe at the moment. Each has its pros and cons.

 

I used to be strictly an Ikelite guy, but my latest letter had the file name "Ikelite11.doc". That's just too many Ikelite letters.

[derway 2]

I've used SS50s and DS50s for decades, with never a leak or a flood. I've always found them wonderful.

[Islandbound 1]

My DS 51 flooded today! Whats worse is I know it was tight. I did an entire pre-dive equip check on both strobes, camera case etc and even managed to shoot almost 50 photos with the strobe working. When I was making my way out of the water I found that there was some brown rustlike stains around where the battery "hatch" is and when I took it off the batteries were all messed up.

 

I dont know what to do, the strobe is not even 3 months old and up to now has been a great strobe. Any ideas?

[Cerianthus 55]

http://www.ikelite.com/downloads/instructi...4044.1_DS51.pdf

 

page 11:

 

(the manual) states that you should rinse the compartment with freshwater and dry it with compressed air, then dry it with alcohol.

 

Best off to ship it to ikelite, if it is so new, its bound to be still under warranty. Even without warranty, renewal of the battery compartment is not tht expensive.

 

PS as for the reason it flooded: any debris or damage on the oring, did something bump the strobe during the dive, etc,.

Edited August 30, 2007 by Cerianthus

[Carlos Morais 0]

My DS 51 flooded today!

 

and even managed to shoot almost 50 photos with the strobe working.

 

I dont know what to do, the strobe is not even 3 months old and up to now has been a great strobe. Any ideas?

 

Hello Islandbound,

 

Did you use Ni-MH rechargeable batteries?

 

Did you leave your strobes for a while in fresh water after the dive with the batteries inside?

 

If your answer is yes for both questions I think the flood was because this kind of bateries produces an expansive gas. After the dive is necessary to open the baterie door (just a bit) and then close it. Then you can leave it on fresh water for a while.

[Islandbound 1]

Thanks for the link Cerianthus, I called and talked to someone at Ikelite and was told to ship the strobe in for them to look at. Hopefully it is a repairable issue and I can get the strobe back quickly.

 

Carlos, I was using NiMH batteries at the time. The failure occurred after almost two hours in the water and I hadnt had time to do a freshwater equipment wash.

 

When Ikelite looks at the strobe I hope they will be able to isolate what happened to cause the flooding. During setup I had been careful to inspect the oring for debris and to ensure the battery door was snugly attached. It would be nice to know what went wrong to ensure if I can that I will avoid the same problem in the future.

[scorpio_fish 5]

Hello Islandbound,

 

Did you use Ni-MH rechargeable batteries?

 

Did you leave your strobes for a while in fresh water after the dive with the batteries inside?

 

If your answer is yes for both questions I think the flood was because this kind of bateries produces an expansive gas. After the dive is necessary to open the baterie door (just a bit) and then close it. Then you can leave it on fresh water for a while.

 

 

I don't think so. They do produce an expansive gas when they get wet. They then produce a mess than cannot be cleaned by the previously mentioned cleaning procedure.

 

Islandbound, I do not think you did anything wrong. I've had two floods which I am positive were not caused by human error.

[derway 2]

I've been using first nicads, and then nimhs in several SS-50s, a DS-50 and now a DS-51, and never had a flood, in decades of use, and have not ever "loosened the door, to let expansion gases out".

 

I have always kept the back on, tight, but not too tight. Tighten down to where you can feel the tension start to resist you, and then give it another 1/4-1/2 turn. It does not have to hold against all the pressure deep, but only keep the water out at the surface, and rinse tank..

[Carlos Morais 0]

Hello again,

 

sorry for my english (not my born language)

 

I was not saying it was Islandbound did something wrong. Just trying to share some similar experience I had: once I have flood both of my Ds50.

 

It was after a night dive. Both of them were working great during the dive. It was a long shallow night dive. I must have made over 70 shots. All of them full power. At the end of the dive they were still working. Then I left them inside fresh water for an half an hour while taking care of other equipment. Can you believe it? The two Ds50 had the same problem: some water got inside the battery compartment. I was using NiMH rechargeable betteries...

 

I've sent them to Ikelite USA. They fixed them. No charge but the Mail expenses. Very good service.

[Islandbound 1]

Carlos, my experience while flooding is almost exactly like your dive. I am still perplexed why the strobe flooded. The strobe was sent off yesterday to Ikelite and hopefully it can be fixed.

[rtrski 20]

Sorry for your troubles Islandbound.

 

My used DS50 survived it's maiden voyage. Took it down on 7 out of 10 dives total, swapping batteries every other dive. After reading this thread I was paranoid about leaving it in the rinse bucket, but I didn't have any problems.

 

I did take the following precautions (superstition? or good ideas?)

 

a) I did not put 'freshly charged' (warm) batteries in it, only room temp

 

b ) I only loaded batteries inside, in the AC, rather than out in the humidity on the dive deck

 

c) After each dive I did leave it in the rinse tank for 10-20 minutes while gearing down, but then collected it, blew it off with compressed air, and reverified flash operation with the turn on, let charge, turn off trick.

 

d) After the dives where I did NOT swap the batteries, I did loosen the battery door (again, in AC, inside) just in case battery heating 'pushed out' some air past the o-ring, so I wasn't pulling a partial vacuum at the surface before the next dive. This does of course open up the possibility of an "oh, f***" moment if I forget to re-tighten before using!

 

e) I did bubble-test in the dip bucket before each dive.

 

f) After diving I removed batteries and left the door 'loose' so as not to be compressing the o-ring during storage between trips.

 

I noticed also that I lost the plastic 'clip-ring' that holds the battery compartment cover screw in - not that it seems to want to come out. But with that gone I was able to see the inner face of that screw is just flat - no embedded o-ring. So the 'seal' for the screw hole is just the flat face of the screw to the exterior face of the battery door??? Surprising, but as I said it did work.

Edited September 6, 2007 by rtrski

[JimG 26]

My buddy's brand new DS51 flooded via the battery compartment on its first dive on our recent trip to Bali. Cleaned it up OK and it worked fine. Second dive it flooded again. On very close examination, the battery door appeared to be slightly warped. This was subsequently confirmed by the Ikelite distributor who sorted it out when we got back. I really don't understand how stuff like that gets out of the factory.

[Gorji 0]

I am late to the "funeral" for this strobe.

 

My strobe DS51 flooded. This is the second time the strobe has flooded. Once about 10 years ago in Bonaire and now today in FLorida. In both cases, I cannot figure out why. I'd like to take blame for it but until I figure it out cannot as there is no obvious reason. I meticulously clean and inspect my stuff.

 

I wish the strobe manufacturers would make their equipment with double or even triple "O" rings. Its redundancy.

 

Thanks folks.