How water proof is the Lumamax series?

Lightingguy321

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Oct 5, 2006
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After reading a short thread about how the Lumamax series from surefire contains circuit boards that are conformally coated to repel liquids, I am beginning to wonder how water proof the L7 is. This is really a size 15's/ surefire expert question.
 
Re: How water proof is the L7?

Just like SureFire states: "Weatherproof".
However, in the case of the L7 (and the 8AX & 8NX, 9AN, 10X) these are not submersible. They feature a small vent hole usually plugged with a hydrogen absorbing pellet (it's white). This is to help prevent an excess of hydrogen and other gases building up from the NiCad cells in the event they off-gas.

As a result in the case of the L7/8NX/8AX/9AN/10X the "weatherproof" term from SureFire really does mean 'do not deliberately submerge me - I am sealed against wet weather, quick accidental dunkings and dust etc but I'm not designed, nor intended to handle water pressure.'
 
Well, surefire rates all thier lights to be waterproof to at least 30feet....

EDIT: After reading what size15s says, but flashlightreviews.com says that sure fire depth rated all thier lights? :thinking:

Crenshaw
 
I helped my friend take apart his 10x's battery. The push button has no seal at all, it's basically a cap that pushes the battery upward.

If you dung it into water....the whole tube will get flooded. :poof:
 
SureFires, unless specifically stated on the specific individual packaging, specs sheet or manual, are rated "weather proof". X200/X300 are rated waterproof to 20 metres as standard I believe.

However, and this is where it gets complicated, Most classic (standard body) SureFires are capable of being tested and rated waterproof by SureFire on an individual basis as waterproof to 33 metres (which is depth required by the US Navy specifications). Tested individual lights with have the suffix "N" such as 6PN.

Modern products, such as those that use the two-stage push button pressure switch are less likely to handle being submerged due to wear-through-use that the o-ring is seeing due to the increased number of rotations etc these TailCaps see.
Clickie TailCaps that see hardly any rotation are the ones most likely to maintain good o-ring seal.

SureFires are designed to handle being flooded (and as long as washed through with pure water to remove any salts/deposits etc) should be able to recover from being flooded after being slowly dried.

Bottom line:
SureFire does not make divelights. Most will handle an occasional dunking.

Some SureFires can lead good lives as divelights but the user has the primary responsibility for ensuring the seals are kept in good order and sufficiently lubricated etc.

Whether your individual SureFire is waterproof is something you can find out for yourself and will be responsible for maintaining if you so wish.

I hope this helps?
 
Thank you size 15s (sorry for the late reply, CPF and my internet connection have not gotten along to well for the last few hours)
 
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