e2e condensation

[bray]

my poor e2e developed a haze on the reflector when on. The longer its on, the worse the haze is, till the beam seems yellow and not as bright. The question is "how common is this? do many of you guys experience this?" is there an easy fix? ive had the light for quite a while and its had plenty of use, never had this issue till now. From what i can tell its condensation, but its a sealed system, so im confused.

 

[this_is_nascar]

You may want to try a new bulb if it's yellow even with new cells. As far as the condensation, how long is it on prior to the occurring? I've done runtime tests on these lights a few years ago and unlike the A2, after 45 minutes or so of constant on, the bezel gets hazed, but dissipates after cooling.

The E2E is pretty easy to take apart. Heat it up, use a couple strap wenches and crank it open. If you do this and the haze does not go away, let me know and I may have a spare replacement lens I can send to you at no charge. They're left-over (assuming I still have them. I have to check) from when I was doing the bezels mods.

 

[bray]

the condensation starts about 2 minutes after being on. i just talked to a surefire representative and he told me they will send me a new bezel. i really appreciate the offer tho, very kind of you. i really wonder how the condensation gets in!? the reflector clouds and then after a few, little drops of water appear and roll down the reflector onto the lens. ah depressing because its such a kick*ss light

 

[js]

bray,

My E2e does this as well. It's probably from the orange peel undercoating on the reflector. SF will warrantee this (as you have just found out). I should probably do the same as you and get a new E2e head also.

 

[js]

Just wanted to post that when I called SF CS about my exploded MN20 and ruined turbo head, I mentioned this E2e problem, and the rep just said he'd send me out a new one right away, no questions asked, no need for me to return the old one. Nice.

 

[brunt_sp]

I experienced condensation in the head of my 9P. Nothing would stop it happening until I read a thread a long time ago which advised separating the head, lamp assembly, body and tailcap. Put all the parts in the airing cupboard for several days and then reassemble. It worked for me.

 

[Illum]

could this "condensation" be the AR coating boiling off and recondensing?

I figured this was how my A2 developed "regional condensation." it was running forawhile, a drop of water landed on the pyrex, by the time I got to it and wiped the water droplet off, there was this teardrop "condensation" under the lens. though I managed to remove it by separating the bezel and using a hairdryer. I find it relatively easy to reproduce the effect, which makes me wonder:thinking:

also, on my P1-CE it has the same affect, only its irreversible....I was originally thinking of using water and its properties of surface viscosity to replicate a aspheric lens...but this caused a uniform fog over the lens and yes, it gets worse the longer you run it

 

[js]

I experienced condensation in the head of my 9P. Nothing would stop it happening until I read a thread a long time ago which advised separating the head, lamp assembly, body and tailcap. Put all the parts in the airing cupboard for several days and then reassemble. It worked for me.

I might have been the one who recommended this. I certainly have posted this fix before. But, sadly, it only worked on one of my E2e's, which I gave to a friend as a present. I've tried drying out the one I own now on more than one occasion, and no joy.

 

[js]

could this "condensation" be the AR coating boiling off and recondensing?

I figured this was how my A2 developed "regional condensation." it was running forawhile, a drop of water landed on the pyrex, by the time I got to it and wiped the water droplet off, there was this teardrop "condensation" under the lens. though I managed to remove it by separating the bezel and using a hairdryer. I find it relatively easy to reproduce the effect, which makes me wonder:thinking:

also, on my P1-CE it has the same affect, only its irreversible....I was originally thinking of using water and its properties of surface viscosity to replicate a aspheric lens...but this caused a uniform fog over the lens and yes, it gets worse the longer you run it

It's almost certainly NOT the AR coating. And I'm pretty sure it has to do with the undercoating on the reflector. An orange peeled or stippled (or smooth for that matter) reflector has a surface between the vacuum deposited aluminum and the machined aluminum reflector. In some cases, that can be done improperly and will give off water or some other liquid when heated up. I know it's happened to some of the Carley reflectors, so it's reasonable to suppose that that's the issue with the SF ones as well.

 

[Illum]

apologies....I wasn't smart enough to think that theres more than one coating under the lens

 

[js]

Smart has nothing to do with it, Illum!

My knowledge comes from painful experience with Carley Lamps and their plant in Mexico. What a nightmare that company is. The stories I could tell . . .

Point is that you can buy machined RF1940's direct from CL in CA. But if you want them undercoated and aluminized, they go to a plant in Mexico, then back to CL, then to you.

Oh, and I forgot, there is one more clear coating on top of the vacuum deposited AL to prevent it from oxidizing, or to help prevent it from doing so.