Fenix T1 Abuse-Wits' End. Freeze it, Bake it, Spike it

Wits' End

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Another review in the, Fenix-Store, 4sevens, Fenix T1 Abuse saga.
I'll post a link to a web album with captioned pictures so you can understand what I am writing about. Picasa Album T1 Abuse I'm adding pictures as I write, dial-up.
I started with something easy. I put the T1 in a 5 gallon bucket of water. Left it outside in the mild 10-25 F temperature for several days to get it frozen solid. A little hot water on the outside of the bucket to drop out the block. You can see the light in the block. I took a hatchet and chopped a little at the block to access the tailcap. While still in the ice I was able to turn it on, I wanted to wait till night so I could get a better picture of the block glowing, but I wanted to get it done also :). A couple whacks with a splitting maul and the light is free. The only injury seems to be a small piece I took off with the hatchet. That sort of surprised me, I was trying to be gentle and careful :)

Next we bake it. Anyone can put a light in an oven so I decided to take it to my shop and bake it in bread. First, actually second, I removed the batteries first, my daughter rolls it up in some "Eric's Graham Bread" dough. Then into a pan. Then into the proofer, at about 100 degrees F. The yeast really begins to grow now, I'll be interested to see if it affects the finish at all :). Now the bread is risen and it goes into the oven, at about 350 F. Now out of the oven to cool. Which loaf was it in? My daughters, brilliant progeny that they are, put a cut across the top of the loaf so it was easy to spot. Now we cut it open, with a knife, the bread slicer probably wouldn't have handled the T1. Now cut open one end, a little knife scrape and it looks like the bezel end is there, well covered in bread. Now the other end, a little more grating from the knife, there is the tail cap. Looks like the switch cover is probably silicone :) , no melting. Now take off the tailcap-OUCH :ohgeez: still too hot-well cut a slice off apply butter, bread still tastes good :) . Can't say it is any lighter for the addition :shakehead: for the pun. Now I can touch it, undo the tailcap with a little difficulty and drop the batteries in. Push the switch and LIGHT, I'm impressed. Even though the temperature in the loaf probably didn't get up to 350, it was hot. Remove the light and it is coated with bread. A little dish soap and scrubbing and a little more and some water and a little more scrubbing-note to Fenix a teflon coating would be good :) -. It is clean, high and low light levels work, no damage that I can see to finish. Happy but a little disappointed :shrug: It looks like we'll have to get tougher. In two weeks or less I'll let a logger friend loose on it with his timber harvester. similar to this First plan is to send it through the spiked wheels used to roll the log back and forth through the delimbing blades. Maybe roll over it a few times with the whole machine. More then.
 

greenLED

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If you add some LED's to whipped cream, does it make it lighter? :crackup:

It is clean, high and low light levels work, no damage that I can see to finish. Happy but a little disappointed :shrug: It looks like we'll have to get tougher. In two weeks or less I'll let a logger friend loose on it with his timber harvester. similar to this First plan is to send it through the spiked wheels used to roll the log back and forth through the delimbing blades. Maybe roll over it a few times with the whole machine. More then.

I think that'll be good. I just finished running it over with my car "a few times", and the finish is not any worse than after the 500+ drops.
 
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xevious

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How about a pavement scuttle test? Tie a super tough cord to the clip, affix it to the back of a bicycle, then take a ride down some streets. I expect the light will get some good grazing but also pop up and slam back down on the pavement a number of times. The lens is sure to crack/shatter, but it'll be interesting to see if the switch and circuit board survive.
 

greenLED

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How about a pavement scuttle test? ... The lens is sure to crack/shatter, but it'll be interesting to see if the switch and circuit board survive.
Don't think so. I dropped it onto concrete more than 600 times from 2m height and the window is still intact.
 

datiLED

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How about a pavement scuttle test? Tie a super tough cord to the clip, affix it to the back of a bicycle, then take a ride down some streets. I expect the light will get some good grazing but also pop up and slam back down on the pavement a number of times. The lens is sure to crack/shatter, but it'll be interesting to see if the switch and circuit board survive.

I did some serious "scuttle" testing, and the light was fine on all accounts, except the switch. The window didn't break until I threw it against a concrete wall and had it ricochet onto the concrete below. (Oops. :devil:) Even then, it took a few tosses.

Like greenLED said, the T1 can handle a lot of shock to the head.

I believe that the only reason that I broke the window, was that I didn't catch that the bezel was unscrewing until it was damaged. By that point, the aluminum head was being slightly distorted. I tightened the bezel back by hand, but there was a slight gap where I previously had none.
 

xevious

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Ah, OK -- I saw in one test that the glass broke from a drop, but then it might've been a fluke of the light landing just the right way. Or perhaps as datiLED said, the bezel might've come loose and weakened the support for the lens.

Looks to me like the only real fault was the tail cap fins design/composition... improve that and the switch may survive a heck of a lot more abuse.
 

1 what

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I'll have 2 loaves thanks but please don't slice them. Great review.
Has anyone noticed that some of us seem to be becoming obsessed with cooking and food in association with the T1? Was there some subliminal message that I missed? :thinking:.
 

The_LED_Museum

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These are tests I am simply not equipped to perform, as I do not ride a bicycle, don't have access to freezing conditions (or a bucket for that matter), and don't bake. So your tests are greatly appreciated!!! :)
 

Wits' End

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Led to an interesting discussion when I dropped it off. Regarding firefighting lights and police/Mil-spec lights.
My friend said "I have a 40 ton machine, I can flatten it"
I asked him to do some normal torture tests and then do his worst. I also asked him to remove batteries before doing his worst as David specified no caustics left on light. I assume 123's split open are caustic?
 

zipplet

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Well, if theres anything to convince me to get the new T1, it's these torture tests. Some insane stuff (I've seen some other T1 abuse threads too, like GreenLEDs), I'm very impressed with how the T1 holds up. And so what if the switch is easily (relatively speaking ofcourse, it's still tough) damaged? That's a cheap part to replace and surefire lights are not immune to switch failure either!

Silly me, as I just ordered a premium Q5 P1D-CE and RB100 L2D-CE from Fenix-store on thursday night. I should have put down a T1 too ^_^. I didn't get it right away because the premium Q5 is in short supply and I really wanted an upgrade to my L2D-CE that still used ordinary (AA) batteries. Looks like there will be another order incoming ;)

Split open 123's are highly caustic so yes removing the batteries is a must. Possibly send it to him without the batteries incase he can't resist the temptation ;)

Nice to know it will survive if I leave it in the big walk-in freezer at work, drop it down the stairs, stand on it, and then accidentally drop it outside. Unlike a certain E0 that only survived a foot fall :(

Can't wait for newer T models! I hope this line is continued.
 

JimmyM

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BTW, my daughter says the interior of the loaf was about 290 F :bow: . She did ask about the batteries not being in it. She wondered if someone would remove the batteries in everyday use. I said no, but if the batteries blew the light up, I wasn't inclined to clean up the mess :p .
WOW. I'm surprised the solder on the electronics didn't reflow. It's really close at those temps.
 
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