Internel Lens condensation

[batman]

Hi all,

My Surefire E2E / E2O has the ubiquitously well known issue of fogging up in humid environments whenever turned on more than a few seconds... the reflector condenses over then dries within a minute or so after turning the light off.

However, in really harsh humidty even the lens fogs up on the inside. Can repeated fogging over and drying out like this eventually lead to deposits or residue building up on the lens/reflector? (Yes I know several methods to fix the humidty issue but don't have the equipment/time right now).

If it is bad for the lens, that's a bit crap IMO bc there is no way to clean the inside surface of an E2E lens,.and you definately NEVER touch a SF reflector.

Hope to hear from some optics/photography experts on the effect of condensation on these surfaces.

Batman

 

[jh333233]

Do you use it in extreme temperature?
Ive been using my E-series without problem, temperature over here never falls below 0
Lets get an analog
In winter i used to keep my room warm with heat source like oven, morning of next day, about 6-7,the inside of my window is heavily fogged and i can swipe quite a lot of water with my palm
Maybe its the same phenomena?

 

[batman]

I've used this light in Oklahome, Vermont (both USA) and Hanoi, Vietnam. The humidity in Oklahoma is a hellish nightmare, the poor little E2E was designed in southern califonia which is as dry as the vacuum of space, ..so Surefire R & D had no idea the light was going to fail in humid envirnonments.(I say humid,..actually just about anywhere is more humid than southern cali.).
Vermont is not as bad as Oklahoma..the winter time is just plain stupid though. Don't like it and I ain't gonna get used to it.
Vietnam is even worse than Oklahoma as far as humidity. I was born and raised in Oklahoma and the humidity here devistates even my immune system in the summer. VIETNAM is when I noticed this little light crapping out and fogging up on the inside surface of the reflector.

 

[jh333233]

It could cause a problem if repeated for a long term
Water condense on reflector, dust gets "dissolved" by water, water evaporates, dusts stay.
Once or twice doesnt matter, but when it comes to hundred or thousands of times w/o cleaning, simple result isnt it
Unless you displace the air inside the reflector with clean sources like clean compressed gas, pumping out the dusts hopefully and then put the bulb back on time, "sealing" the chamber

 

[batman]

Yeah...that makes sense. I'll keep using it and just enjoy the light for what it is. Its my favorite form factor in a surefire.