Removing foggy dashcam image

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Removing foggy dashcam image

Gordy7

gordy7
2001 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 505

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#251303 18-Jun-2019 11:59

My old dashcam (Jaycar 720pixel GPS dashcam > 5 years old) is now displaying foggy images.

Glare from street lights, car lights and even bright sky blurs the image.

The camera spends most of its time in a cold campervan and maybe used once per month.

I had thought of opening up the camera, and placing it in a warm place for a while to perhaps drive out any moisture trapped between the lens and the sensors.

Brainwave this morning: Put the camera in a vacuum seal bag and leave in a warm place for a while. After an hour I tested the camera again... still fogged.

Perhaps the camera is simply and permanently 'fogged'.

Does anyone have any better ideas?

TIA

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

wally22

504 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 128

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2260174 18-Jun-2019 12:35

I would suggest a hot water cupboard not sealed so any moisture can migrate out, for several days/weeks. That method certainly helped with my Audi's Engine ECU when it got submerged (stupid design location for ECU!)

Senecio

2851 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3159

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2260188 18-Jun-2019 13:03

Put a handful of uncooked rice in the vaccuum bag.

tehgerbil

1110 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 884

ID Verified

Subscriber

#2260194 18-Jun-2019 13:16

I have the same issue with a micro drone camera I've got. I've taken the front glass out, cleaned the lens and glass to a mirror perfect finish still no luck.

Actually, do you have canned air? Maybe a blast from that might help?

Or Isopropyl alcohol swab on your lens might help?

SirHumphreyAppleby

2938 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1860

#2260195 18-Jun-2019 13:19

Could be fungus. Keeping the lens in a low humidity environment may help prevent it forming, but that won't clean the lens if it's already present.

You want lower relative humidity and air flow, and to be patient. Days, not hours.

xpd

Geek of Coastguard
14115 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4574

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2260199 18-Jun-2019 13:28

wally22:

I would suggest a hot water cupboard not sealed so any moisture can migrate out, for several days/weeks. That method certainly helped with my Audi's Engine ECU when it got submerged (stupid design location for ECU!)

Errr... generally any car ECU will have issues being submerged - solution - dont submerge the car :D

XPD / Gavin

LinkTree

RunningMan

9184 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4833

#2260265 18-Jun-2019 14:47

Gordy7:[snip] Put the camera in a vacuum seal bag and leave in a warm place for a while.

If it's in a sealed bag, then the moisture can't get out - needs to be warm, dry, and a bit of air movement.

Samsung

Shop now on Samsung phones, tablets, TVs and more (affiliate link).

Gordy7

gordy7
2001 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 505

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2260270 18-Jun-2019 15:06

RunningMan:

Gordy7:[snip] Put the camera in a vacuum seal bag and leave in a warm place for a while.

If it's in a sealed bag, then the moisture can't get out - needs to be warm, dry, and a bit of air movement.

Before vacuum evacuation and sealing, the camera had been in a warm dry place for 24 hours.

While the camera is in a vacuum (or at low pressure) within the bag, the small amount of moisture (if any) between the lens and sensor will become distributed around the whole camera (hopefully and given enough time).

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

Gordy7

gordy7
2001 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 505

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2261245 20-Jun-2019 09:34

I have pretty much concluded the lens contains some moisture and is not repairable.

I took the lens out of the camera and can see what looks like water condensate inside.

Here are a few thumbnails that can be enlarged.

The the outside of the lens assembly:

Rear of the lens assembly showing some sort of filter:

I attached a jewellers eyeglass to my camera for a closer look and can just see the grey condensate:

Next I sat the lens on a heated resistor for 24 horrs to try and drive out the moisture:

A close up with a strong light behind the lens clearly shows droplets inside the lens... All I have done is moved the moisture about:

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

Ge0rge

2114 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2060

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2261370 20-Jun-2019 11:21

Where are you located? I have the ability to vacuum purge with a dessicator/dryer and also cycle purge with zero grade nitrogen if you want to try that.

Gordy7

gordy7
2001 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 505

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2261385 20-Jun-2019 11:39

Ge0rge: Where are you located? I have the ability to vacuum purge with a dessicator/dryer and also cycle purge with zero grade nitrogen if you want to try that.

Thanks for the offer. Reads like you have all the gear to repair expensive optics in high quality products.

The dashcam is well over 5 years old and is only 720pixels resolution.

Might be a good excuse to upgrade my dashcam. :-)

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.