Help - Stuck cap on TC-14e

[gregory_fischer]

<p>I have a TC-14e version II that I only use occasionally. The last time I used it I put the light colored cap on it without lining up the little (almost invisible) dot on the cap with the dot on the TCE. It engaged and sealed tightly. But when I twisted the cap to release it today, something was not lining up and I could not remove the cap. That was when I realized that I must not have lined up the dots the last time I used the extender. Is there a safe way to remove this cap or do I need to send it to Nikon? Thanks for your help - Greg</p>

[Andrew Garrard]

<p>I'd guess the plastic on the body cap (the light-coloured one) has just deformed a bit and got wedged. If you don't have a good enough grip to free it, try a rubber band around it? If that doesn't work, perhaps a mechanical jam-jar opener? (That's likely to mangle the cap, but they're not very expensive to replace.)<br />

<br />

I'd have thought it unlikely that the TC-14E itself has bent - the mount is pretty solid metal, and the plastic cap isn't. But I could be wrong.</p>

[jonb]

<p>This has happened to me a few times. Wiggling the cap around while twisting it back and forth and pulling on it has always gotten it loose for me with no apparent damage to either the TC or the cap.</p>

<p>Eventually, I got a marker pen and marked the area of the little dot on the cap for easier visibility.</p>

 

[erik_christensen3]

<p>Gregory thank you for warning I have never noticed the 'almost invisible' dot on the cap,<br>

so now it is marked clearly on both my TCEs.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Erik, check out this thread: <a href="/nikon-camera-forum/00TsNw">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00TsNw</a></p>

 

<img src="http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00T/00TsYu-152513584.jpg">

[erik_christensen3]

<p>Shun thank you very much. I have missed this thread at that time, when I had a Kenko TC -:(</p>

[gregory_fischer]

<p>Thanks for these comments. I wish I had read the old thread that Shun linked to. I might have avoided the problem. At least it made me feel a little better to see that I was not alone. The light gray dot is a classic example of a bad "interface." And it is easy to put the cap on the wrong way. But hard to get it off.<br>

Jonathan's marker pen idea is a simple solution that should reduce the problem. (A cap that will only go on the right way would be even better!) </p>

 

[randall_born]

<p>Try heating the cap with a hair dryer, it should both soften and expand the plastic somewhat.</p>

[Michael R Freeman]

<blockquote>

<p><em>I'd guess the plastic on the body cap (the light-coloured one) has just deformed a bit and got wedged.</em><br /> <em>-</em><br /> <em>Try heating the cap with a hair dryer...</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>As Shun's posts in the July 2009 linked thread indicated, the problem is not that the cap has deformed or somehow changed, but the different sized female F-mount lugs on the TC-xxE converters compared to "normal" F-mounts means that the TC caps have one and only one correct attachment point if they are to come off easily when twisted fully clockwise to the "open and off" position.</p>

<p>If your cap is still stuck all is not lost and a trip to Nikon service is unnecessary. The cap should come off fairly easily. You just need to find the exact position to lift it off, i.e. the exact position you used to initially attach it. Twist it fully clockwise in the "open" direction until it stops, then slowly back it off counter-clockwise while gently pulling outward on the cap. You should find a point somewhere in mid-rotation where it will (reluctantly) release.</p>

<p>Good luck! :-)</p>