Howto: Open HFW series bullet camera when having condensation problem

Guys, I think I know what the problem is. I think the gasket on the front housing is too short. Upon closer inspection, when I try to close the cover, it goes "clank". That tells me that the gasket isn't making a good seal between two metal pieces. The body and the cover. I've worked on automobiles and changed a lot of gaskets and I know that gaskets are supposed to provide a water and oil proof seal. When you mate two surfaces together like a valve cover, oil pan cover, or some other housing to a engine block, it shouldn't go clank. In my case, the camera goes clank when I re-assemble it.

The gasket they use "sinks" into the grooves of the body of the camera. That is fine but the problem is there isn't enough gasket material thickness for the two surfaces to mate properly, so this could result in an improper seal, causing vapor to get in. When the two pieces come together, it should be a nice soft thud... instead I get clank.

I'm going to have to do the silicone method of sealing this housing...an eliminating the gasket altogether and I'll post back tomorrow. There is no point of me testing this camera tomorrow in the rain again since I'm confident the gasket will fail to do its job.

(Red arrow pointing to the very, very thin gasket material protruding)

MakeItRain said:

Do you guys think the factory assemble these in zero humidity vacuum?

Click to expand...

No, they're not.
Perhaps low humidity, but no vacuum...besides you would want positive pressure (inside more than the outer atmosphere) to discourage ingress. And you would want an inert gas that would not support oxidation or hold moisture. If done, this would increase unit cost tremendously.

MakeItRain said:

Also, nothing leads me to believe these things are hermetically sealed.

Click to expand...

No, they're not.
Which is why they come apart at the seams relatively easy. Standard gaskets are used.

MakeItRain said:

I'm contemplating about buying some GE silicone sealant from HD and then using that to seal this camera instead of using the provided rubber gasket.

Click to expand...

As I suggested in the link in my post #6 above. And I would not replace the existing gasket unless damaged; I would augment it with the sealant. FWIW, in that link I bring up all of the above.

Bench tested it in direct outdoor rain sitting on my juliet balcony. Water would get on the exterior of the lens from the time to time. But after overnight rain till now, no visible condensation from the inside as far as I can tell. Looks like the method I used appears to be working. It has been raining heavily today as well.

1. Bring your camera, tools, and silicone into your car. Start the engine and turn on AC and set heat to max. Set system to recirculate. Wait 5 minutes until air becomes dry and dehumidifies.

2. Put 3-4 silica gel packets into the camera. The more the better right? I bought these on Amazon, 3 gram packets. I think any bigger and it will be difficult to fit.

3. Seal the face cover with UV-resistant outdoor grade GE 100% silicone. Get this for $5 at Home Depot. You don't need too much but you need to squeeze enough around the edge where the housing body and face plate will mate together.

4. Wait 15 minutes for silicone to harden and about 12 hours for silicone to fully cure before putting it in rain.

One of my cameras wasn't effected by rain; I had it on the ground facing up through several rain storms this past spring.
But condensation appeared inside the glass one day after a relatively fast few days of temperature & humidity (and I assume barometric pressure) shifts up and down.
I'm going to pull it apart and try out the silicone too though.