Making tactical lights waterproof?

[lightemup]

I agree with everything said here: I would think it is christmas again if surefire came out and gave us a 'provisional' rating i.e. although not guaranteed, it has been typically shown that....

Paulr imho I don't know if tactical radios are a good comparison to surefires in this instance, I have a pair of standard 40 channel Unidens that I keep in waterproof bags just in case I fall in the drink on hikes (i do not intend to use them underwater though /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif ). Because of the microphone and speakers, I think it would be nearly impossible to make a radio anywhere near as water resistant as you could a torch. What i'm getting at is that a operating flashlight is more necessary for working in the water than radios or phones. But I do know some people that can would try to talk under water /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Just my 2 cents worth.

Seriously though, (like doug, I presume weather resistance) I want to know that if for some it does go in the drink, that it will hold its seals and still work! I don't think that is too much to ask for (surely the legal rammifications can be minimised somehow) from surefire considering their excellent flashlights and company outlook

Cam

 

[JasonC8301]

Ziploc bags /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

On a serious note if I want a waterproof light, I get a dive light (UK, Princeton Tec, etc. etc.)

 

[brightnorm]

Here are some threads about this subject:


FILLED WITH WATER, [email="E@E"]E@E[/email] SHINES MERRILY


PELICAN M6 WATERPROOF TESTS


Finally, this fascinating look at a real winner:

BEST NEW PELICAN, WATERPROOF & AMAZING RANGE

Brightnorm

 

[kalieaire]

All my E series lights worked well under water (at least to the bottom of a pool).

My friends and I used to play games and I'd toss my light into the bottom of the water with either a red or blue filter on (sometimes one on each!).

They'd all dive down and race to grab them.

I believe that the E series are the best at being "water proof" compared to say the 9P or 6P or others of that series for the fact that the button is the tightest.

All you have to do is screw it on before you jump in and there should be enough pressure squishing the o-rings tight.

For dive lighs that I've had experience with, there are a lot of threads and there are multiple o-rings(at least 3), and the resistance to tighten is much greater than what you'd experience with some of the surefire flashlights i have. Divelights being plastic I think is also another plus to waterproofing, plastic can deform and go back to its original shape, so when you torque down the head tightly you put pressure on all the threads.

With metal, if you over tighten, you can say goodbye to your threads and any sealing capacity they have.

I mean who's worked on a water heater before? you ought to know how difficult to make it not leak on its nipples. they're always leaking.

 

[chiphead]

I use some good-ole fashion silicon grease on my E1E and 6P.

chiphead

 

[Rail]

I realize I'm a bit late on this one, please forgive me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

I think a water resistance rating is a perfectly reasonable expectation, especially since these are not inexpensive lights and marketed for the tactical market. Although he used the term "waterproof", I understood fivebyfive's initial post to mean more along the lines of a water resistance rating. If I've misunderstood, please let me know.

I find Joe's posts to be right on. There are many examples of light manufacturers offering a basic water resistance rating and their products holding up under testing.

Inova X5Ts ($30, "water resistant to 150ft.")
UK 4AA ($16, water resistant to 10ft.)
PT Aurora ($14-$22, "waterproof" 3-10ft.)
Eternalite Marine, EliteMax
($44-$100, water resistant to 200ft.)

I chose these specifically because they are not "Dive" lights. In fact, I know several of these specifically list "not a dive light" on their packaging. Depending on your tastes, some, or all of these lights are not "tactical", yet they all maintain a warranty backed waterproof or water resistance rating. I would also point out that the price range is even if not much less than that of SFs.

As far as manufacturing is concerned, machining and plastic molding/injection is pretty generic. G2s are made out of plastic, so is the majority of UK, PT, and Pelican products, most of which offer some degree of waterproofness. The Inova X5T is almost identical to aluminum SFs in form and function. Maybe the answer lies in SFs quality control, rather than placing blame with the basics of manufacturing.

As far as water resistant cell phones, I seldom think of them as a rugged or tactical piece of gear or field equipment. I agree, they tend to be an essential EDC, but the structure of the industry doesn't make introducing a rugged alternative an easy task. Perhaps if all the major carriers had a standard, such as VoiceStream/T-Mobile, and I believe Cingular's smartchips, which would make any phone that uses these chips user swappable.

Flashlights, however, almost define the category of rugged field gear, along with packs, knives and multi-tools. Some radio and GPS systems can be classified as field gear, and again, Magellan and Garmin manage to be waterproof. I believe it's more than reasonable to expect a basic level of ruggedness and dependability in any piece of gear that's meant for hard or tactical applications. As such, they should have no problem in heavy rain, mud, snow or puddles. Water resistance is as basic as you can get, and since SF doesn't have a policy backing it's products on this issue, I don't carry them in situations where I expect more from my gear. The UK 4AA and Inova X5T while costing much less, have inspired every bit of confidence...

and aren't dive lights.

 

[chamenos]

rail: i agree. after owning many surefires i've come to the conclusion that they are designed to be water resistant, but its their quality control that lets them down. for the record i've had an E2e and M2 leak. both leaked through the bezel lens seal, which IMHO is the weakest link in a surefire and where they leak through most often.

surefire's customer service was excellent when it came to solving the problem (sending me new bezels), but having paid that much for those lights i'd rather they got to me without the defects in the first place. however, all the surefires i've owned recently (G2, G2Z, M3, E1e, A2) have not leaked so perhaps they've gotten the QC issues ironed out /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[Size15's]

The current lens o-ring is trapezoid on models such as the M2. I wonder if you know whether your M2 had the current design?

Al