Help, wind transducer in the water

[Roberto]

Hello,
I was bringing up the mast my newly serviced wind transducer and it fell in the water. A diver is coming to try and find it, not too deep here.
Is there any chance of resuscitating it or it's good for the bin anyway?
TIA

 

[jamie N]

You could be lucky. With ROV bits that have had water in them that shouldn't have been, we'd dismantle it, dry it, clean it, test it and refit it.
I'm aware that your item might be very difficult to disassemble without damaging it, so that mightn't be an option, so my only way of fixing it would be to submerge it in a very light oil, say WD40 and wiggle it about, then let it dry out for a day.
It might not work, and you've lost a couple of days before buying another one, or it will work and you'll feel happy.
I've salvaged underwater cameras which have lots of gears and motors in them after they've been submerged for days. The good thing is that the item's not had power on it, unless it's a bluetooth jobby, in which case you're probably screwed.

 

[Roberto]

Thank you! It's the typical raymarine arm, st50, I changes cups +vane and opened it to change the bearings and o-rings, the electronics appear to be very basic components.
Nearing HW now, if the diver does not come today, tomorrow LW means at my berth I'll have 2-ish meters I might as well try it myself.

 

[johnalison]

Is it still the advice for dunked electrics to flush with fresh water and wash this out with methylated spirit, because this is what my limited knowledge would lead me to do?

 

[jamie N]

Yup, fresh water works as well, and is very advisable on stuff that goes underwater to prevent any possibility of having oil under pressure. The most common and mandatory sign on much diving equipment is "Siebe Gorman- USE NO OIL!"
However, on something that goes to the top of the mast, WD40's a goto juice!

 

[davidej]

Yup, fresh water works as well, and is very advisable on stuff that goes underwater to prevent any possibility of having oil under pressure. The most common and mandatory sign on much diving equipment is "Siebe Gorman- USE NO OIL!"
However, on something that goes to the top of the mast, WD40's a goto juice!
View attachment 136068

I think it is because Siebe Gorman knew that oil and oxygen are an explosive mixture!

 

[Roberto]

Feedback
I had to dive myself as all pro divers were seemingly busy in recovering other people's bits fallen in the water, none available for days.
I found exactly under the point where I last saw it fall. Took it onboard, put in a bucket of fresh water, opened it (again) while keeping everything in the water. Took out piece by piece and washed again with distilled water, dried as much as I could with ear cotton sticks, then washed with isopropilic alcohol and put in front of the air heating.
I had to remove as well the 5-pin plug as there was water inside the slanted metal tube. New bearings in the lower part, I only had two spares and I reckon the feather vane is less sensitive to friction.
New trip up the mast, instruments on: yep it can be done We'll see how long it will last.