The many kind and supporting mails about GPS waterproblems have let me to look into the standards and the result leaves little room for optimism regarding gps and vhf equipment. The best was found in the following quote: " USCG CFR-46 refers to the Coast Guard definition for waterproof, this is not a Coast Guard requirement. The Coast Guard definition is found in 46 CFR 110.15-1(b)19, which states that a "Waterproof machine means a totally enclosed machine so constructed that a stream of water from a hose with a nozzle one inch in diameter that delivers at least 65 gallons per minute can be played on the machine from any direction from a distance of about 10 feet for a period of not less than 5 minutes without leakage...". A similar description applied to watertight. International Maritime Organization (IMO) Resolution A.605(15), referring to VHF hand-helds used in survival craft, describes water-tight requirements as "The equipment should be watertight to a depth of 1 meter for at least 5 minutes", and that it should "maintain watertightness when subjected to a thermal shock of 45 degrees C under conditions of immersion." " yet in http://www.captfklanier.com/articles/art7.htm (about USCG 46 CFR), Frank Lanier explains that even the above "standard" is not valid now. The comments and the many mails from paddlers demonstrate that there is an ocean between the users and the manufacturers and that the ocean sometimes may be kept inside the manufacturers watertight products. Something like: my watch is watertight. Once inside the water will never leave it. A closer look at the JIS7/IPX7, JIS8/IPX8 and IEC 529 shows very much the same: they are not applicable for equipment at sea where waterpressure gives a much different situation from a cautious immersion into a bathtub. There seems to be no appropriate standard in use that covers our situation. The manufacturers can apparently not be expected to establish new ways of specification that relates to real life since that could render most of their product a classification as not recommendable. It is not that I blame the manufacturers. I just hope they can find a proper way to handle problems like condensation, pressure equalization/resistance and heating from sun and internal circuitry. Our bags and boxes are emergency measures and such greenhouses are certainly not optimal solutions. I once sold instruments where leather cases were used to withstand waterhosing on sensitive spots. At sea we need genuine submarines that float! optimistically Jens Viggo Moesmand Denmark *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Feb 12 2004 - 06:16:14 PST
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