Aquapac Questions
How do Aquapacs work?
What do you mean by ‘100% Waterproof’?
How tough are the materials?
What do you mean by ‘UV-stabilized’?
Are there any instructions for looking after the case?
What guarantees and warranties do I get?
Will the Aquapac really float with my stuff inside?
Why would I need desiccant?
Is sound quality affected?
Is picture quality affected?
Can I use my flash?
The Aquaclip is the key to all Aquapacs. An amazing little device which seals the case with a simple twist of a lever.
It has a V-groove in one half and a raised V on the other. When the levers on the male half are turned they run up a ramp on the female half – squeezing the two together. The pressure’s not sufficient to cut the soft plastic case material, but just enough to make a totally hermetic seal.
The two halves are attached to the case by a pair of ‘flexible clips’ in such a way that the whole case stays in one piece, even when open.
Independent Testing
In August 2008 IC Consultants Ltd (part of the Mechanical Engineering Department of Imperial College, London) were commissioned to make an independent assessment of the waterproofness of the Aquapac range. The tests were carried out using a purpose-built pressure chamber (pictured here). All the cases met Aquapac's waterproof claims (see below). Every case sealed with our patented Aquaclip® seal tested 100% waterproof to at least 0.5 bar, which is equivalent to a depth of 16.7 feet (5.1m) of water. Some tested waterproof to 2.0 bar, which is equivalent to 66.9 feet (20.4m) of water.
In-House Testing
During manufacture we batch-test the cases in our own pressure chamber for 5 minutes at 1.0 bar, which is equivalent to 33ft (10.1m) of water. We also do a simple, manual squeeze-in-a-basin test!
How tough are the materials?
1. The Aquaclip seal:
Made of injection-moulded plastics and very tough indeed. Before we introduced our first Aquaclip it was submitted for independent tests by the School of Engineering at Bath University. They certified that it was still waterproof after being opened and closed 10,000 times.
2. The soft case:
The flexible cases are made from a variety of special polymers, and bonded with a technique called high-frequency welding. HF radio waves cause the different layers of material to form a chemical bond, so the joins are as strong as any other part of the material. All our materials are UV-stabilized, so they will not break down or become discoloured through exposure to sunlight.
3. The Flip-Phone Case:
In two separate tests this case survived being flipped open and closed 10,000 times without damage. This testing was conducted by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London.
What do you mean by ‘UV-stabilized’?
Unless specially treated, most plastics will gradually break down from prolonged exposure to sunlight. This is especially true of transparent plastics, which quickly go yellow.All our case materials are UV-Stabilized so they will not break down in sunlight.
Note: Although the material itself is protected, the case will not protect its contents from harmful rays. Electronic equipment should never be left out in bright sunlight - not even in an Aquapac!
Are there any instructions for looking after the case?
A customer care guide is supplied with every case. Here are some extracts:Before using an Aquapac for the first time you need to make sure that it got to you in perfect condition. We ask you to do ‘The Bubble Test’: seal something worthless inside and submerge in a basin. A few air bubbles may escape from the Aquaclip, this is ok, water can get into parts of the clamp without getting inside the case itself. But if a stream of bubbles escapes when you squeeze it there could be a problem, and you should contact us to obtain a replacement.
The Bubble Test is also a good time to check that the case floats.
Before each use you must examine the Aquapac to make sure it’s not visibly damaged – to be safe you should always do The Bubble Test.
Before opening, you must shake any water from the Aquaclip. Otherwise water could get into the case when you open it.
Avoid scratching any of the flexible case materials. Especially the LENZFLEX window on the camera cases. If stowing – for example in a boat or jetski compartment – do so carefully so it won’t be damaged in rough seas.
Wash in soapy water and then rinse with fresh water, especially after regular contact with chlorinated or salt water, or with sun creams. Do not use bleach, alcohol or proprietary cleaners.
The LENZFLEX window on the camera cases may also be cleaned with photographic quality tissues.
Our Guarantee
We stand behind our products.
With the best will in the world, and despite the best QA systems, every manufacturer runs into quality problems from time to time. If there's a problem, Aquapac want to know about it. Fast. They may need to correct it. Aquapac continually to be improving our offering. Their future success depends 100% on winning and retaining repeat customers who are happy to recommend Aquapac to their friends and family. The only way they know to do that is to manufacture the best quality cases, and to offer the very best delivery and after-sales service.Free 3-Year Extended Warranty
Their warranty goes way beyond those offered by most companies:
- "If our product fails because of faulty workmanship Aquapac will compensate you for the contents as well as for the case
and
- "Our warranty lasts for 3 years.
Who decides whether it was faulty workmanship? Ok, we do. But if that makes you think we'll seek to wriggle out of our responsibilities you'd be very much mistaken. How would that help the good reputation on which we depend?
Compensation
If it weren't clear whether or not we were to blame we would tend to err on the side of generosity. It's Aquapac policy and plain good sense that it's better to pay out a little in compensation than to lose a customer. What do I mean by "a little"? Well last year was a bad year for us, because we suffered a moulding failure and had to recall and replace quite a bit of product. This took our warranty returns rate up to 0.05% of cases sold (50 cases out of every 100,000 sold). Worldwide it cost us £9k ($18k) in compensation. A bad year? By our standards yes, very disappointing. But fatal? Hardly.Insurance
We cannot guarantee our cases against accidental damage, or against general wear and tear (they're strong but of course they can still be punctured). So I do recommend that you make sure that your insurance covers the contents.
Why would I need desiccant?
To absorb condensation in humid conditions.In humid climates there will be moisture in the air sealed inside the case. With cameras, this moisture tends to condense inside the lens. Desiccant sachets will absorb any such moisture, keeping the contents completely dry.
Many of our cases come ready supplied with one or more desiccant sachets. We recommend use of desiccant sachets in all Aquapacs in humid climates.
Will the Aquapac really float with my stuff inside?
In almost all instances yes. The Aquaclip creates a hermetic seal – once closed the case is airtight. Most electronic equipment is full of air. So it’s not so much the air round the outside of your phone or camera or whatever, but the air actually inside it that makes it float.If you put lead bars or gold ingots inside a case and carefully squeeze out all the air before sealing, the Aquapac may not float. Sorry.
Is sound quality affected?
You should be able to use your phone or radio handset normally inside an Aquapac. There is very little loss of volume, since sound waves travel straight through the plastic.Is picture quality affected?
It’s a bit like taking a photograph through your window at home. First of all the window needs to be as clean as possible. Even with a clean window you may notice some reflection, but the closer you hold the camera lens to the window, the less the reflection. Similarly our cases give best results with the lens window tight against the camera lens. |
Taking photos underwater
It takes a bit of practice and a little luck to get really good underwater photos – please don’t think that every shot you take is going to make the cover of SportDiver magazine. |
Can I use my flash?
Flash can reflect off the inside of the lens window. Making sure the window is tight against the flash may help. However, flash rarely works underwater. Not because of the Aquapac, but because the flash tends to reflect off particles in the water itself.