Sharp DEW Problem

Many VL-Z series (1,3,5,7) cameras show a DEW message and shut down
even when there is no excess moisture - Sharp's recommendations don't
work and the camera is useless till repaired. Commercial are
expensive and often more than a new camera would cost. There may be a
simpler and less expensive way.

After posting on a few evaluation sites, I have had hundreds of
requests for the message below.
====================================

A FIX FOR THE SHARP VL-Z DEW MESSAGE

Go to: http://ataplow.googlepages.com/sharpdew.jpg for a picture
from the perspective of the tape cover being at the top of the
picture and the rest of the camera at the bottom. The dew sensor will
be on your left.

(If clicking on the link doesn't work, just copy and paste it into
your browser)
Get a real slim soldering iron with a fine point. Open the tape cover
and take the tape out. Get a strong light to shine down into the mechanism.

If your camera is like mine was, you may see a brownish material on
or around the solder joint - if you do, this is flux used in
soldering which was applied too heavily, and not heated long enough
to burn off. Not all cameras have excess flux, but if you are
getting a DEW message when there is not excess humidity in the area,
the chances are that the solder joints don't quite connect the dew
sensor to the terminal post - depending upon heat/cold ambient
conditions, sometimes it makes contact and sometimes it doesn't .

Before you start, remove the two batteries - the main battery and the
little CR2016 battery located under a small plastic slide at the
upper right of the battery compartment.

If your eyes happen to be elderly like mine, I put on one of those
magnifying head-bands (not absolutely necessary if your eyes are
normal.) Heat up the soldering iron - make certain the point is
tinned (has a thin film of solder on it). Carefully just touch each
solder joint for a couple of seconds - just enough for it to melt,
and then quickly remove the soldering iron. You don't want to leave
the iron in contact with the solder too long or it may melt other
insulation around the terminal. You are just touching each joint
separately, don't solder them together. This all probably sounds more
complicated than it really is - but it's actually just a 5 minute
operation.

The following useful soldering tip was posted on a review site (by someone code named Deadsharp.) " Because the soldering job is a bit tricky, even with a dedicated circuit board soldering iron I made a temporary extension by wrapping a short length (about two inches) of #12 copper wire around the tip. This tip extension can be inserted past the tape carriage with no danger of hitting the delicate plastic bits. Worked like a charm."

If you've not done much soldering, and feel uncomfortable
about trying it, you may want to take it to a radio, tv or computer
repair shop and ask them to do it for you. Of course, reinsert the
batteries when your done.

Here are a number of TEMPORARY fixes which have been reported:

1. A couple of people reported that they were not secure about taking
a soldering iron to their camera, so just poked the contacts with an
ice pick or screw driver, and it began working again. Try this when
you are away from home and suddenly the DEW Message comes on. Remove
the batteries, poke the contacts, & reinsert the batteries.

2. Sometimes just removing the small CR1216 battery which keeps the
time display, will get it working again, though most report it only
works for a little while. When you remove the main battery, this
little battery is located under a small plastic slide at the upper
right of the compartment.

3. One person reported that out of desperation he put the camera in
the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours and that it began working again. My
experience is that there is a better connection when the camera is
cold than on hot days, however this too, is probably not a permanent fix.

4. Another said: I wrapped aluminum foil around the contacts in order
to lower the resistance and it worked. I haven't tried this myself,
so would appreciate feedback from those who have found it successful.

5. And finally, another person reported cleaning the contacts with a
cotton swab soaked with alcohol (mineral spirits) , got his camera
working again.

You may want to try some of these other reported fixes, however
re-melting the solder joints are more likely 'the long term fix.'

What I've put above is just my experience and that of others.

A disclaimer - this worked for me & I have reports that it has worked
for many others. Like me you will be trying it at your own risk - I'm
certain I voided Sharp's warranty, if they have any. Of course your
camera isn't working now, so there isn't much to lose, is there?

Good luck and let me know how it worked out for you.

Peace,
Alan ataplow@vtlink.net

I know this topic is quite old but i would just like to say thank you for your help. Yes i also had problems with my little Sharp VL... and yes i tried to contact Sharp regarding the problem with Dew. After being told that its not there problem, being quoted hundreds of pounds to repair (the camcorder only.. only cost me £400, i thought i would give your soldering idea a go. Now i`m no electronic wizard but only using a very old soldering iron i`ve just found in my shed and taking less than 30 secounds my little old Sharp is working absulutly fine again with no DEW report in sight!

Thank you once again!

Jim
in the UK

Thank you!! Thank you!!
Our Sharp VLZ started having this DEW problem a year ago, after we brought it for two years. In the begining, the DEW problem came and went away. But since the begining of 2006, the DEW indicator just won't go away at all. We have tried all the "novice" fix methods, and none of them works. Tech support just told us to send it back and let them have a look.(God knows how much they are going to charge us on this one)

So, I asked my colleague(HW enginner) today to perform your soldering idea. Wala...the DEW problem is now gone and the device is now fully functional again.

It took me awhile to find this "super helpful" post, I hope others who need help will be able to find it here.

Matt from USA

I too was frustrate since day 1 with my Sharp Viewcam VL-Z7. I spent a lot of money on this camera and it was consistently on the shelf with the Dew message when I needed it. My local Sharp repair shop wanted $120 just to look at the camera with no promise to fix the problem. The claimed they were not aware of this particular issue, which made me nervous. I just went to my local Radio Shack, purchased a $6.99 soldering iron, soldered the connections according to the pricture provided by ATAPLOW and the Dew message immediately went away. I hope this is a permanent fix, not just a short term fix? I had removed the timer battery in the past and this did get rid of the Dew message temporarily. Thanks so much ATAPLOW, this is great. Sharp claims to completely oblivious to this problem and still believes the camera got wet somehow. My camera has not been out of my house for months (because we could not count on it working) and has sat for hours with the tape door open in a futile attempt to dry the sensor.

I purchased a sharp viewcam Z (VL-Z100) two and a half years ago in singapore. I used it extensively in the far east before returning to humid bermuda. I used it there for the last two years without incident as well. I recently moved to tasmania where the air is very dry and began getting a dew reading on the camera for a few seconds before an automatic shutdown occured. I aired it out and the first time it worked but ever since it has not functioned at all. Sharp is not helpfull and I would have bought a different camera if I had known this would happen. Imagine my dissapointment after having brought it to fiji and after hiking for hours up a mountain whipping it out only to find a F****ng dew warning and shutdown. Even without a tape and connected with firewire it shuts off. I know for fact that it is an internal flaw, and I want to fix it but cannot see the photo of where to operate. I have been thrilled by the camera in the past but now I havent used it for 2 months and wanted it to work this morning on christmas. no luck so far lol
So in my humble opinion Don't buy a sharp unless you throw it out after a year or two, or are prepared to operate on it voiding the "worthless" warranty!

Thank you very much for your post. I finally located the picture and was very encouraged. [Perhaps it might be best to describe in words where the dew sensor is located: Open the tape bay. Bottom front -- just above the green circuit board. --- seems to be located on top of a little motor

sensor||||____| <--solder or push here
"""""""'||||____| <--solder or push here ]

Before I tried soldering in such a tight space I decided to take a small screwdriver and just push on the leads connected to the dew sensor -- figuring that even some mechanical stress on the leads might solve the problem. Low and behold it did!!!! I guess I can always go back and solder them if need be, but at least I have it working for now.

Thanks again!!!!!!

HERE'S THE SOLDING PICTURE.
http://ic3.deviantart.com/fs15/f/20..._by_ferah11.jpg
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation...&qh=sort%3Atime

The re-solder the dew sensor solution solved an intermittent "dew" problem on my VL-Z3 that has bedeviled me for six months. The camcorder is great except for the "dew" flaw. However, the re-soldering fix only worked for a few weeks at a time before I found I had to redo it, after which it worked fine again for a while. Since I was sure I had done a good soldering job each time I began to suspect that the battery powering the memory circuit (the dime-sized battery located in the small compartment above the main battery) might be failing, causing the failure loop. Upon checking it I found that the battery was good, but I cleaned it and the battery case and tightened the battery clips before reinserting it. I haven't had a problem since.

Because the soldering job is a bit tricky, even with a dedicated circuit board soldering iron I made a temporary extension by wrapping a short length (about two inches) of #12 copper wire around the tip. This tip extension can be inserted past the tape carriage with no danger of hitting the delicate plastic bits. Worked like a charm.

I just would like to say thanks to Alan to post a very helpful resolution to the probolem. I got my SHARP VL-Z5 camcorder fixed for the same "DEW" issue by removing and re-installing the small CR1216 battery. Its working fine for me about a week now.

cheers
Deepak

I bought the Sharp Cam 3 years ago . It worked well inside but when I went outside or to an arena to my Grandchildrens Speed skating comp. it would stop working because it said it had Dew do. No matter what I did the cam refused to operate.
It was very frustrating so I bought another Camera.

I decided to look at this one so, on going on line I found the info provided by Ferah and Kumade and I replaced the battery but that made no difference I saw the picture of the dew cell location and was able to use the small wire trick and LOW and BEHOLD it now seems to be working How long ,Time and use will tell.
I had decided the dew cell was the problem but wasnt sure where to start so all the online help was sure great and having paid $800.00 . Having a company that would not even suggest a repair or help made me very unhappy Thanks agn to those who sent in their fixes.
Hamman

Thank you very much. I visited the shop where I bought my videocamera and they started to ask what the problem was.
Their reaction was to ask me if it was a sharp?! Then they told me that the cost would be 150 to 250 euro's to repair. I even could better buy a new one, than keeping these sharp.
Because they recognized the problem I decided to look at google. The 10th hit already reached this forum!
Thank you again, after 20 minutes I had fixed the problem!

Greetings