Caught in the rain at DVinfo.net

Kyle Field · July 22nd, 2006, 07:56 PM

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?

Graham Bernard · July 22nd, 2006, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyle Field

...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?

Dale Guthormsen · July 22nd, 2006, 11:31 PM

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.

Tim Johnson · July 23rd, 2006, 08:51 AM

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

water and cameras don't usually mix...

David Ennis · July 23rd, 2006, 09:47 AM

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.

Mike Teutsch · July 23rd, 2006, 09:54 AM

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

David Ennis · July 23rd, 2006, 10:00 AM

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

Mike Teutsch · July 23rd, 2006, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Retread

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

Mike Teutsch · July 23rd, 2006, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Retread

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

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

David Ennis · July 23rd, 2006, 11:37 AM

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

Dan Robinson · July 23rd, 2006, 04:02 PM

.........................

Len Imbery · July 23rd, 2006, 04:19 PM

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

Dan Robinson · July 23rd, 2006, 04:37 PM

...................

David Ennis · July 23rd, 2006, 07:38 PM

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

Kyle Field · July 24th, 2006, 07:00 AM

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.

July 22nd, 2006, 07:56 PM	#1
Kyle Field New Boot Join Date: May 2004 Location: houston Posts: 16	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?

July 22nd, 2006, 11:31 PM	#3
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	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. __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

July 23rd, 2006, 08:51 AM	#4
Tim Johnson Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: London, England Posts: 101	on most cameras a green lightning bolt means flash is ready... i think water and cameras don't usually mix... __________________ (Wishes to be more informative and helpful than a nuisance)

July 23rd, 2006, 09:47 AM	#5
David Ennis Fred Retread Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hartford, CT Posts: 1,227	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. __________________ "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence..." - Calvin Coolidge "My brain is wired to want to know how other things are wired." - Me

July 23rd, 2006, 09:54 AM	#6
Mike Teutsch Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida Posts: 2,614	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 __________________ Chapter one, line one. The BH.

July 23rd, 2006, 10:00 AM	#7
David Ennis Fred Retread Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hartford, CT Posts: 1,227	Wow, Mike, maybe we're siamese tiwns that were separated at birth 8>) __________________ "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence..." - Calvin Coolidge "My brain is wired to want to know how other things are wired." - Me

July 23rd, 2006, 11:37 AM	#10
David Ennis Fred Retread Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hartford, CT Posts: 1,227	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 __________________ "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence..." - Calvin Coolidge "My brain is wired to want to know how other things are wired." - Me

July 23rd, 2006, 04:02 PM	#11
Dan Robinson Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Charleston, West Virginia Posts: 131	......................... Last edited by Dan Robinson; July 24th, 2006 at 09:17 AM.

July 23rd, 2006, 04:19 PM	#12
Len Imbery Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Nanaimo, BC, Canada Posts: 106	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

July 23rd, 2006, 04:37 PM	#13
Dan Robinson Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Charleston, West Virginia Posts: 131	................... Last edited by Dan Robinson; July 24th, 2006 at 09:17 AM.

July 23rd, 2006, 07:38 PM	#14
David Ennis Fred Retread Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hartford, CT Posts: 1,227	Best of luck with the TRV900, Dan. Let us know. __________________ "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence..." - Calvin Coolidge "My brain is wired to want to know how other things are wired." - Me

July 24th, 2006, 07:00 AM	#15
Kyle Field New Boot Join Date: May 2004 Location: houston Posts: 16	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.