Hey everyone,

Discovering water drops inside your dive rig can be stressful, but there is no reason to panic. If you suspect a leak, you can easily locate its exact source right on the dive boat, at home, or in your hotel room.

Step 1: The VPS-100 Water Bucket Test

If you purchased the optional VPS-100 system, it can help you quickly find the leak. The vacuum created inside the housing simulates a dive to an approximate depth of 10 meters.

Assemble your empty Salted Line waterproof housing without a camera. Pump the vacuum with your VPS-100 until you see the green light, and securely screw the top cap of the VPS valve back on. Submerge the housing in a bucket of fresh water for a short time. Observe through the rear LCD glass or port to see exactly where the water enters the housing.

Note: The VPS-100 valve cannot be used underwater during an actual dive; it is strictly a pre-dive testing tool.

Keep in mind that this test does not always reveal O-ring damage, as the depth simulation might be insufficient, or the vacuum might compress the damaged O-ring tight, masking the leak. However, such a test will always reveal if there is physical damage to the housing body itself.

Step 2: The Surface Blow Test

If you do not have a VPS-100, or if the vacuum method did not reveal anything, perform the following blow test. This technique relies on creating excess positive pressure inside the housing.

Open the vacuum valve cap and submerge the empty Salted Line camera housing in the water so that the open valve remains above the surface. Press your lips directly to the open port and blow air into it as hard as you can.

Please ignore a small amount of individual bubbles escaping from the housing external operational holes; this is simply trapped air escaping. Instead, look closely for a continuous stream of bubbles escaping from the housing, which will pinpoint the exact location of the leak.

Keep in mind that this test does not always reveal O-ring damage. However, such a test will always reveal if there is physical damage to the housing body itself.

Step 3: The Empty Housing Test Dive

If surface tests did not help and the leak only appears under deep-water pressure, dedicate one dive specifically to finding it.

Take your empty Salted Line underwater housing on a dive, and be sure to bring a dive flashlight with you. Descend to the maximum depth available to you. Press each button systematically while carefully illuminating the camera housing from the inside with the flashlight to inspect the internal space for the presence of leaks.

Once you find the exact spot of the leak, please let us know, and we will provide you with the correct solution.

Conclusion

If none of these three methods-the VPS test, the blow test, or the empty test dive-reveals a leak, you can be confident that your underwater housing has no physical damage. In almost all such cases, the previous leak was simply caused by a user error during assembly. A pinched O-ring or a piece of debris trapped in the seal are the most common culprits.

Have questions about maintaining your Salted Line camera housing or need advice on underwater photography? Feel free to email us at support@saltedline.com or message us on social media. We’re always happy to help.

Stay safe, stay dry, and happy shooting!

- The Salted Line Team

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