Caught in the rain
 

Filmed my daughter this morning, left the camera out. Later in the day we had a major downpour and my GL2 got very wet. I've been drying it with a hair dryer...the only issue I see so far is a flashing green lightning bolt in the bottom of the LCD that I've never seen. What is this?

What does your Manual say on this?

Kyle,

Had my manual near by and scanned it and did not find your green lightening bolt.

Hate to bear bad news, but my Sony was dunked for less than a second and was totally wasted. As it turned out i can use it for a player deck bujt that is all!! Repair people said it wasn't worth repairing!!

Hope you have better luck, but water and these cameras just do not mix!! Sense then I have been deadly careful with my cameras.

on most cameras a green lightning bolt means flash is ready... i think

water and cameras don't usually mix...

Don't power up a wet cam! Remove the battery immediately.
 

Although it's to be avoided, there isn't much in a camcorder that can't take a little exposure to rain water per se if allowed to dry completely--it's mainly turning it on (or a wet, shorted power switch effectively turning it on) while its circuitry is still the least bit wet that can be deadly. That's why cams often have circuity to shut them down when they detect condensation. If one of my cams got rained on, I'd let it dry for a week before I even let a battery come near it.

Saltwater is another story. If I dropped a cam in saltwater I'd pour a couple of gallons of distlled water from the grocery through it, maybe put it in the oven on "warm" with the door open for 4-6 hours, then let it air dry for a week. No guarantees, but that would be my best shot.

Fresh rain water may not kill it. Remove the battery and let it sit for a long time, probably a week or more. Do not turn it on again for that time. If you do this, you will probably save the camera. There are no parts that melt in there, it is just that stray minor voltages can cause problems, wipe out chips etc.. If you have a fan that can circulate the air around it, that would be benificial.

Good Luck---Mike

Wow, Mike, maybe we're siamese tiwns that were separated at birth 8>)

I hope for your sake you are the better looking twin! Ya, saltwater is a killer. Takes only minutes for circuts to go south. But, fresh water, especially fresh rain water can be pretty forgiving. I have salvaged many an item that has gotten wet.

Best of luck----Mike

OOOOH! Hartford! I will be in that area in about a month and a half or so, to follow up on my cancer victim. I was up there about a month ago too, for a cancer walk in Torrington, or really nearby. While there my friend Pat gave me a tour of the area (including Hartford), as she grew up there. Would be good to hook-up with another DVinfo person, when I go back. Got any projects you need help with? I will be bringing, driving, my new "mobile production studio!"

Good Luck----Mike

Keep me posted on that. School may have resumed for me and I could easily dream up a poject I couldn't do by myself, or if it hasn't I may be putting together a video for some kids who have been working over the summer on opening day activities. Even without a project it woud be fun to meet if we could

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wet camcorders
 

Wow! Interesting and very scarey stories....
It makes me re-think my plans to get rid of the rain cover I bought right after buying my GL2....I've never used it but, I think I'll make sure its handy in the bag anytime I do any outdoor shooting....
Len

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Best of luck with the TRV900, Dan. Let us know.

Could we please get back to the main point of my thread?

Does anyone know what the green lightning bolt in the LCD means? I can't find any reference to it in the manual.