Gates Underwater Products, Inc
5111 Santa Fe Street, Suite H • San Diego, CA • 92109 • 858.272.2501 • 800.875.1052 • 858.272-1208
[email protected] • www.GatesHousings.com
2
07/29/04
Housing Care and Maintenance
Congratulations
on your new ownership of a Gates housing, the worlds most reliable
underwater housing! It is manufactured from “bulletproof” machined aluminum, given a
type III “hard” anodized coating for durability, and then finished with a dichromate or
clear sealing process to lock out corrosion. Reliable mechanical controls, preferred by
the pros, are standard. Positive locking safety latches hold the mating halves securely in
place, too, so your equipment stays protected and dry. You can get virtually a lifetime of
memories from your Gates housing.
It is important to understand that while your housing is very durable, designed to
withstand the rigors of diving operations and the harsh salt-water environment,
it is your
responsibility
to care and maintain your Gates housing and protect your investment. A
few easy, common sense steps are outlined here to guide you in appropriate care.
Regular attention will assure continued proper operation of your Gates housing, and
indeed is
required by the warranty agreement
. Failure to take proper care of a Gates
housing voids this agreement, so be sure to read through this entire section prior to
operating your new Gates housing.
First Time Use
Every Gates housing is pressure tested before leaving the factory to assure a watertight
seal. As a precaution, however, it’s a good idea to first use the housing
without
your
camera inside. Rough or abusive handling during shipment could have caused
unnoticed damage after leaving the factory. In addition, you can get a good feel for the
use of an underwater housing without worrying about getting a good shot. You can
simply concentrate on the technique of holding a camera in position while fine tuning
your buoyancy.
Follow all the guidelines
as described below to prepare, execute and finish a dive.
Then, dry the outside of the housing; open it up, and then look for any leakage. Water
that has seeped in is usually quite visible. Also feel the inside for any moisture by
running you finger across interior surfaces near the port openings, windows and housing
mating surfaces. If you feel or observe any water that has penetrated, contact your
Gates reseller or Gates directly.
Preparing to Dive
Each time you prepare to enter the water with your Gates housing there are several
important checks to make.
•
Install the camcorder/camera
inside the housing per the instructions you received
with the housing. Make sure it is secured firmly to the housing and will not move
around during use.
•
Check all the o-rings
. Follow the guide called “O-Ring Care and Maintenance” from
Gates that was included with your housing.
•
Move all the controls
. They should rotate freely without binding or roughness.
