Underwater use of the BR switch

Blue Robotics Products Watertight Enclosures
1

Hi!

We are making a watertight enclosure that needs to be interacted with while underwater - we need a waterproof switch of some kind that is operable underwater (for instance by a diver). It’s always a possibility to go for a reed switch setup, but I thought that the BR switch would be a simpler product to use in this case, if it works.

I am wondering if anyone has any experience actually using this switch with the setup being submerged? The switch plug could be turned out (off) by default and then turned in while underwater. The risk I see in turning it in like so is that it may transport some water inside as the O-rings move. Perhaps there is a minimum length that the switch can be turned out and still be considered waterproof and safe to operate underwater.

I will be experimenting and testing this a bit, but if anyone has any bad or good experiences I would love to hear about it!

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Hi @UltraFred,

Our switch should be safely operable under water, but the rotating plug is a screw that’s not limited / fixed in place, so if you unscrew it too much it will come out completely, and the water will go past it and bear directly against the internal button (which is not designed to be watertight or pressure rated).

If this is for an application where it’s obvious when the switch has been turned off then that should be fine (because you can stop turning as soon as it’s off), but if the application gives no sign when the switch is or isn’t connected then there’s a bit more risk of accidentally unscrewing it too much (although that should still be pretty hard to do unintentionally / without realising).

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