DIY fiber optic writeup with parts

[chrisdarke 3]

Hi there!

So I have a bit of a weird situation with my current set up, in that I have an Aquatica housing with LED flash trigger, and a YS-D1, and a YS-D2. As has been documented in various forum threads, the YS-D2 is not very sensitive, and so doesn't trigger from most LED flash triggers. That means that the solution I came up with is to trigger the YS-D1, and have the output of the D1 trigger the D2.

That means running a fiber optic from the housing to the left (D1) strobe, and another fiber optic from the left strobe ALL the way to the right (D2). This was not possible with the length of the arms and my usual fiber optic cables so I ordered a long Sea & Sea cable which cost over $80, and still was not long enough. So I am building my own.

 

For this after a few measurements I guesstimated that these parts would work:

 

25 feet of TosLink fiber optic (already tested with some Toslink to make sure it triggered): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005LJQPE0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Some rubber grommet thingys that would fit snugly in the Sea & Sea FO hole: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XBG5U82/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Some o-rings that would fit snugly over the grommets: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MTO0US6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

So.. on to the build

 

Cut the fiber optic on a hard surface

 

Measure out the length by running it along the whole setup as if its being installed

 

Trim back the rubber from the outside of the fiber, exposing the still coated core

 

 

Trim the little ridge on the rubber grommet, so that the o-ring can fit in the groove

 

Place o-ring, this should now fit snugly in the FiberOptic hole

 

Trim the rubber on the fiber optic back to where when slide inside the grommet, it just peeks out the other end. The fit with this brand of fiber optic was nigh on perfect!

 

You should only need a bit of rubber cement to hold the fiber in place..

 

Thats pretty much it!! I now have over 2 foot of fiber optic for about $3! Pretty happy with the results. Obviously it doesn't have the coiling functionality of the branded fiber optic but I am going to be using some clips to hold it along the arms.

Edited August 31, 2017 by chrisdarke

[chrisdarke 3]

Final Product:

 

[trimix125 70]

Hi,
nice done.
Have the same problem with a Hugyfot housing and D500...
Sometimes the trigger is ok, sometime not. Testet Aquatica and Turtle.
So i had the same idea:
Triggering one YS 250 pro, from there the next,....
I have longer cables, but still too short.
So i have used a piece of plastik, with a hole that fits tight enought for the plugs, and put the kables in from both sides.
Works fine, if the trigger does...
Today i will try to pimp omne of the cables.
If it works, will be documented ;-))

Regards,
Wolfgang

[Kraken de Mabini 50]

Excellent!

 

Commercial fiberoptic cables, such as the Sea&Sea's are grossly overpriced and damage easily.

Now they have braided the fiberoptic cable to make them stronger, but the price gouging is at least 30 times

the true cost. Us UW photographers are being ripped off!

 

Using eBay or Amazon fiberoptic audio cable is the solution.

 

I particularly lke your use of the Amazon grommets, thank you for the suggestion.

 

I too have been using Toslink audio cable for my fiberoptics, since 2014, with no problems.

The cables connect my Subal ND800 to 2 Sea&Sea YS-D2 strobes. I thread my cables through the

openings in the arms, or wrap them around.

 

Please tell us about your other DIY solutions. DIY is fun and pays for itself !

[SMY 15]

Sounds great! Any idea to connect this to a Nauticam housing?

 

Sascha

Edited February 14, 2018 by SMY

[bvanant 144]

Use these bits. http://reefphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=135_68_48&products_id=3932

 

I dislike Toslink cable, just get some 1 mm end glow fiber (it plugs right into these plugs).

Bill

[SMY 15]

Thanks Bill! This seem to work with sea G sea...,but how to use them with Nauticsm housing?

 

Sascha

Edited February 15, 2018 by SMY

[bvanant 144]

Which housing. All of my Nauticam housings have the S&S connector

Bill

[SMY 15]

D850....

[bvanant 144]

Then you need the adapter from these guys

http://www.reefwreckandcritter.com/fiber-optic-connectors--cables.html

or the adapter from

XIT440.

 

Cheers

Bill

[SMY 15]

Thanks Bill!

 

Sascha

[aussie_bubbles 1]

I'm about to try this, but read somewhere that cutting fibre optic cables can be tricky and you could crush the glass - causing problems. What did you use to cut the cable?

[bvanant 144]

Single edge razor blade

Bill

[Undertow 31]

Sharp wire cutters. Just flame polish the end after. Super easy.

[Architeuthis 47]

This tool for cutting may be for perfectionists (I dont have it, but it looks nice):

https://www.unterwasserkamera.at/shop/catalog/en/product_info.php?info=p5975_d-d-slavekabel---fiber-optic-cable-schneide-werkzeug.html

 

@bvanant: I guess the "end glow fiber" is this type of cable with many optical filaments inside, as opposed to the single fiber in TosLink cables? Can you post a good source where one can buy few meters at reasonable price??

 

Thanks, Wolfgang

[Mr. Grouper 2]

I had made this DIY cable project shared in this post and it did work, but the connectors will come lose sometimes during the dive and I missed a couple of good shots here and there. Not a biggie, just annoying, but for the price most of us can live with that. (Or not). Perhaps I failed to built it correctly.

 

Fiber Optic products Inc. in U.S.A. They sell different types of fiber optic cables. The End Glow solid core seems to be a better option than the multiple strands. I have had used the 7 mm solid core for DIY snoot, any sharp blade can be use to cut it.. I used an Exacto knife with out problems. They sell different diameters, but if you are planing to coil the cable better to use smaller diameter. Different diameter of side glow fiber optic cable can be purchased on Amazon or E-Bay sites. They sell coils of different lengths and diameters for cheap. This side glow can be tightly wrapped with tape and it will do the trick as well. It will work with out wrapping it but the entire cable will be illuminated every time the flash fires.

Cheers!

[temas 0]

Different diameter of side glow fiber optic cable can be purchased on Amazon or E-Bay sites. They sell coils of different lengths and diameters for cheap. This side glow can be tightly wrapped with tape and it will do the trick as well. It will work with out wrapping it but the entire cable will be illuminated every time the flash fires.

Cheers!

 

Can you please post some links on Amazon or Ebay? I tried to find but stumbled on a confusing variety of products been sold. Thx.

[johnohuk 3]

This thread helped me a lot when creating cables for an Oly PT-EP08 housing & Inon strobes, I purchased the following:

 

sourcingmap® 50Pcs 7mm x 1mm Nitrile Rubber O Ring FKM Heat Resistant Sealing Grommets Green

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01MTO0US6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

2.0mm Diameter Solid Core End Glow Fibre optic Cable

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-0mm-Diameter-Solid-Core-End-Glow-Fibre-optic-Cable/253875787484?hash=item3b1c2d16dc:g:b7UAAOSwu4BVv6nT

 

20pcs 27mmx7mmx4mm Micro Strain Relief Cord Boot Protector

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00XBG5U82/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I found that for the Oly housing you need to cut the length of the boot protectors in half approx... the rubber o ring was not required as the boot protector squeezes into the Oly enclosure quite tightly.

 

The fibre optic cable is quite loose inside the protector so, to get round this, I used a small blob of polymorph to hold it all in place. I just cut the fibre optics with a carpet cutter with a new blade.

 

They have survived 30+ dives fine.

 

Looks like this:

 

https://imgur.com/9quYUUN

 

For the other end I was a little stuck trying to find the inon plugs, so made some out of 1/4" locline, polymorph and bungy, use a soldering iron to create the holes in the locline, like this:

 

https://imgur.com/zOmuliU

Edited November 5, 2018 by johnohuk

[bvanant 144]

The fiber I use is from Industrial Fiber Optics, part number GH4001 1 mm fiber with PE jacket. It is $1.55 per meter. Works with both of the Inon plugs (the straight and the 90 degree) and with Inon strobes will easily trigger with the Nauticam LED trigger. If you want to get really fancy, you can get from them the 217 core stuff for $6/meter. The 613 core (what Inon/S&S and others use) is $7.50 per meter. This will trigger the S&S strobes from the LED trigger.

 

You can also get this from them for $25 or so. makes nicer cuts then doing it by hand.

BVA

[bvanant 144]

Coiling of fiber cables can be a pain in the butt. After many attempts (stubborn SOB), i found that if you take a piece of wooden dowel (about 8 or 9 mm or 5/16 inch in diameter) and drill two holes that are the diameter of your fiber through the dowel as far apart as you want your coil. I drilled them 90 degrees offset from each other but that doesn't matter. Push about 25 mm or inch through the first hole, then wind the fiber tightly around the dowel til you get to the other hole then push another 25 mm through the second hole. Place the dowel and fiber in a pan of cold water, then heat the water til just boiling, then turn off the heat. The important part is to now let the water sit til it cools. Push the straight pieces back through the hole, and voila a perfectly coiled fiber optic cable. I had previously taken the coil out of the hot water and cooled it rapidly but letting it cool slowly is the magic.

 

Cheers and enjoy

 

Bill

[echo2600 10]

This is a great thread! After losing 2 Sea&Sea cables in the last two trips, I need a robust, yet economical alternative to spending $85.00 on almost every trip... Interestingly, Ive an old skinny S&S cable thats 9 years old and its never given me any issues... I think the newer fiber cable is just a bit too rigid/brittle...

 

Thanks, to everyone, for all of the great info!

[bvanant 144]

I just ordered some of the same multi-fiber material that S&S and Nauticam use, I will see if it can be coiled. BUT using standard 1 mm fiber, my new coiled cables can trigger YS-D1 strobes from the Nauticam LED trigger.

Cheers

BIll

[Maumatus 0]

Hi, You can use a disposable wood sushi stick to roll up the wire, without breaking it, then dip it in boiling water. When cooling, the plastic covering the cable will be wavy.

Edited December 13, 2018 by Maumatus

[Kraken de Mabini 50]

For my Nauticam fiber optic cables, instead of wasting $160 or more for two commercial cables, I made my own for under $10 following the suggestions described in this post, using fiber optic Toslink cable, scissors, rubber or ABS glue, and a new one-edge razor.

 

The cable connects to the housing’s bulkheads with a cap made from concentric rubber and vinyl tubes, fitted into each other and held together by pressure.

The rubber tube’s inner diameter is 9 mm, 20 mm long; it fits snugly on the strobe’s threaded bulkheads. The inner two vinyl tubes are 8 mm long.

 

 

The cable connects to the strobe with rubber grommet fitted with a 1 x 5 mm O ring.

 

I have dived for two weeks using these cables and had no problems; they remained securely attached to the housing. Had I needed a tighter fit I could have used a small cable tie to tighten the rubber tube.

 

The fiberoptic Toslink cable I used is 3 mm diam. The cable now available on eBay is about 4 mm diam.: To fit its tip inside the rubber grommet, I shaved the cable coating with a razor, like one sharpens a pencil, until it fit tightly and stuck out a bit from the free end. Then I pulled the cable out of the grommet, dipped it in ABS plumbers (or rubber) glue, and re-plugged it. Once dry, I hand trimmed the free end of the grommet + cable with a new single edge razor, as described in the preceding comments.

 

Note: eBay sells thin and thick fiberoptic cable (Toslink); I prefer the thicker cable as it is tougher, and as the fiberoptic cable itself appears to have a larger diameter (1 mm vs about 2 mm diameter to my uneducated eye) and conducts more light.

Part suppliers: Amazon: rubber grommets, eBay: Toslink fiberoptic cable, Home Depot: glue and razors, and O Ring Store (1x5 mm O rings).

Edited January 10, 2019 by Kraken de Mabini

[Kraken de Mabini 50]

Fiberoptic cable for an Inon strobe can be made from the thin 2 mm Toslink cable and Inon compatible FIT terminals sold by Fun-In Underwater Photo in Taiwan.

 

The cable can be force bent into the fitting, or it can first be softened in boiling water as described above by Maumatus (the cable can also be coiled) so it bends easily. The free end of the cable should stick out a little from each fitting, so it can be trimmed with a sharp razor.

 

 

http://www.fun-in.com.tw/oc/index.php?route=product/product&path=58_137&product_id=1139

Edited January 11, 2019 by Kraken de Mabini