How waterproof is Lumapower Incendio V3

[GunnarGG]

When I changed the clickyboot yesterday on my Incendio V3 I wondered how good its waterproofness is. Water can pass in through the small slots for the clip/lanyardring. I think the boot will keep it tight to the clickyswitch itself but water can probably pass between the clicky and the body of the light. My clicky wasn't tightened but a little loose.

In the specs it says waterresistent but nothing like IPX-8.

I put some PTFE-tape around the clicky and screwed it in again, the tape goes down so it is between the clicky and the body were they meet when the clicky "bottoms". I think this will make it more watertight.

Is there any amount of heat produced in the clicky that I now prevent pass to the body?

I think it is a great light that I have recomended to others so it would be good to know if anybody have any knowledge / experience about this question.

 

[Novanet]

Well, I don't have a very scientific or super detailed answer for you, but mine has been through the Heavy Duty wash cycle (15+ minutes at high agitation) on the warm/cold setting (with Tide liquid detergent, if you're interested) on multiple occasions (3 to be exact) with no ill effects...

...other than the minor heart-attack I suffered the first time I discovered it in the bottom of the washer!

After the first time w/ no ill effects, I didn't really sweat the other two.

BTY, I checked after all 3 instances, and the inside of the light was COMPLETELY dry. I think the clip slots may not be the weak spot you anticipate it to be...

 

[GunnarGG]

Thank you Novanet,
that sounds reassuring that your light could take a machinewash without harm. The light looks and feels like high quality and it should be able to take a dunk I think.

But,
I am however pretty sure that water can get in underneath the retainingring trough the slots.

Look at pic 1 you se a photo taken in ambient illumination, it just looks dark in the slots.

In pic 2 I shined a flashlight on the light also. The Incendio is very close to the lens so I had to hold the light from the side. Now you se it's light in the slots. The light actually came in trough the upper slot and illuminates the white, plastic spacer rring inside witch you then se in the lower slot.

I'm sure water easily pass in here.

As I said in my first post I don't think it will get in under the clickyboot but the boot and the spacerring is smaller in diameter than the inside of the body so it will reach and maybe penetrate through the thread between the clicky and the body if that is not tight. My clicky wasn't fully tightened but now it is + sealed (I hope) with PTFE-tape (plumbers tape I think it is called)

Especially if you drop the light in a little deeper water or the light is warm and rapidly cools off in the water so you get a pressure gradient between the inside and outside I think there could be a leakage.

So,
my advice to all owners of an Incendio is to check so your clicky is tightened in the body.

The pics:

 

[GunnarGG]

I finally managed to add the photos...

 

[LotusDarkrose]

Well, one way you could easily help the water through the clip issue..although I'm sure you thought of it, and involves silicone sealant or the likes :laughing:.

I can't wait til mine comes in the mail. Maybe we can think of an easy fix.

Also, do the holes on the switch that lock the clip in place go all the way through?

 

[GunnarGG]

The holes doesn't go through, they are just deep enough to let you grip with a forceps. It wouldn´t matter anyway since the slots will let water in. The important thing is that water doesn't reach 1: through the thread into the batterychamber, 2: under the boot to the clicky itself.

I didn't say it in my earlier posts but I also put some silicon grease where the boot meets with the clicky so I think it's waterproof now.

 

[LotusDarkrose]

Yeah, should be good to go then. As long as I can make my Incendio able to drop into a puddle for max of 15 seconds (worst case normal-situation scenario), then I'll be happy.

 

[kdaq]

Just a note - mine did not survive a machine washing unscathed. Water got in and corroded the battery. At this point, I had never disassembled the head, but I had removed the tail retaining ring to try the clip (and subsequently wasted no time returning it back to stock config ).

After the washer run, I quickly cleaned the IncenDio out and disassembled the head to let the electronics and reflector air-dry. Works great again, thankfully!

 

[GunnarGG]

I'm glad your light works after that incident.

It's strange I think that the Incendio V3 is so well constructed regarding threads and o-rings and seems really waterproof if you look at the front end but then it has this weak spot where the clip / lanyardring attaches. :shrug:

(Well, the clip itself is also a weak point but I don't use it anyway so it doesn't matter to me)