Camera. Water. Bad.

[katzurki 0]

Yesterday was great fun and cost a lot of bucks. I butt-swooped my brand new freefly suit through a puddle of mud, and then accidentally dunked my PC 109 camera in said puddle. I took it out. I very stupidly turned it on a bit later that day thinking it maybe was ok. It worked for about 30 seconds, then said: Dirty cleaning head, reinsert cassette. I did. It stopped working altogether. Doesn't turn on at all now. Anything I can do to salvage it right now? Sony repair facility is not an option at where I am, unfortunately.

[bmason81 0]

dunked my pc109 in the ocean last week, outcome not good hope you have better luck than i did.

pull low, fly fast, PLF!

[velocityphoto 0]

Get a gallon of distilled water ,dunk your camera in it wash it real good with that ,this should wash all the sediments from it, then immediately wash it the same way with isopropyl alcohol this will disperse the moisture from it .I'd let it dry for a few days then see how that works . But you need to do this asap because the sediments will corrode the inside of it .I have seen a few go in the drink at bridge day every year..
:)

A friend will bail you out of jail , a REAL friend will be sitting next to you in the cell slapping your hand saying "DUDE THAT WAS AWSUM " ................

[katzurki 0]

Quote

Get a gallon of distilled water ,dunk your camera in it wash it real good with that ,this should wash all the sediments from it, then immediately wash it the same way with isopropyl alcohol this will disperse the moisture from it .I'd let it dry for a few days then see how that works . But you need to do this asap because the sediments will corrode the inside of it .I have seen a few go in the drink at bridge day every year..
:)

Did I get that right? Actually rinse the camera in water? Then in alcohol?

[velocityphoto 0]

yes distilled water 1st then the alcohol walmart has all this stuff.
Let me know how it works ? Hope it helps save it , ive seen it done before..

A friend will bail you out of jail , a REAL friend will be sitting next to you in the cell slapping your hand saying "DUDE THAT WAS AWSUM " ................

[shogo 0]

I would do the same. Better than not trying. I have actually done this with my $100 calculator when I spilled red wine (more like dumped whole glass over it) on the face of it. The wine dried and got sticky. I used the same method and dried the calculator on a radiator for a day. Amazingly it worked. But use isopropanol/isopropyl alcohol at 99%. The rubbing alcohol is 30% water and 70% isopropanol.

[katzurki 0]

Ahh thanks Lonnie & Shogo!
(Your Safire is still flying great by the way)

Can't the water/alcohol get through the lens and moisten it from inside, thereby ruining it?

The idea feels totally alien, but I will try anyway of course, since there is little to lose.

[PhreeZone 16]

The lens is'nt sealed so liquid will get in it, but it also can evaporate out of it.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[shogo 0]

Here, we are using the isopropanol as a carrier solvent to vaporize the water with the alcohol. If you use enough isopropanol, you may end up not having much water left at all before drying, so it will dry quicker. I am not sure if it works with a camcorder, but it did work with my sophisticated graphing calculator. Like I said, better than not trying. Acetone (nail polish remover, etc) will dissolve plastic, so do not use that. Though it even dries quicker.
I hope some DZ's are letting you do intentional cutaway with the Safire.

[Mickochet 0]

Obviously you need to make sure you remove the battery before you try this. I got my Pc-120 wet shortly after I got it, all i did was let it dry for a couple of weeks and it is still working so far. That was 3 years ago.

If you never fall down you aren't trying hard enough.

[katzurki 0]

Disassembled the camera, skipped the distilled water bath, poured a litre of isopropyl over it, swirled and sloshed it around, let it dry, put it together back again. So far appears fine except that there is a big blotch on LCD screen.

Thanks for all the advice!

[shogo 0]

So is it working? Except for the LCD... That was the problem with my calculator, too. But if you completely dry it, the blotch might go away.

[NoPush 0]

The “blotch” is trapped liquid in the glass that covers the LCD element. It’s like a sandwich with very little tolerance between surfaces. Remove the cover on the back of the LCD screen with the battery removed (there are two screws … see attached) rinse the screen assembly again with 90% isopropyl. It has to be H2O trapped because alcohol would have evaporated by now. But do it soon so you don't get a hard water stain.

If you’re up to it you can remove the screws that hold down the LCD assembly, but make sure you don’t touch the circuit board unless you are well grounded (ie no static electricity) (see attached as well)

Most pond swooper’s cameras that I fix end with the same issue as well as some trapped grit.

If the LCD is hosed, the LCD assembly for the 109 is pretty cheap …. And easy to replace ...

If you get wet again ……. Only rinse a camera in water immediately after immersed in salt water and with the battery removed … otherwise always use 90% isopropyl and have a beer and cross your fingers while it dries

Cheers,

Jim

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

If the LCD is hosed, the LCD assembly for the 109 is pretty cheap …. And easy to replace ...

Another great reason to buy the insurance when purchasing the camera in the first place. I've already used mine, sending it in for cleaning. They'll replace it if I drop it as well (even from 12,500 feet).
ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[NoPush 0]

Thanks Lori ..... good advice....... most of the jumpers I fix cameras for can only afford beer! …… great point camera fliers …… pay the extra beans for insurance……course if you have coverage ….it will never break … lol