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R50vn - Best 26650 Light

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Wendee said:
This is strange. I was just reading a thread about a Zebralight with the same problem. I thought it must be a really rare problem but someone posted links to other threads, all different lights/manufacturers, all having condensation issues (under the lens). I don't understand how this can happen with so many lights. Aren't they all supposed to be "waterproof" to IPX8? How is water getting in, or mist/fog/humidity? Very strange. I hope it goes away and that your light is ok.
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Yeah Wendee it is a strange thing. It's the only light I have had that does this but I have also read of all different lights randomly having the same issue.
 
I'm guessing it's humidity that gets in the light when they are opened at the battery end. I have had a few different lights do this, but it does go away, it's just a little frustrating thinking about moisture in the light.
 
Just coincidently used it outside in the rain and checked after some turbo use, small spot appeared then soon went. After some more use it will go completely if the odd other light it's happened with , is anything to go off. No effect to the beam anyway.......probably a lot of the time it would go unnoticed unless it's checked after use(I usually don't look at the led or lens after using anyway)..

Will post a pic later as on the iPad now and Photobucket does not like posting pics, until I presume a required update........
 
It happened to you too, Ven? I just checked Olight's website. The R50 is "Waterproof up to 2 meters". I've never had this happen to me but it still bothers me to read that this happens to expensive lights (including Zebralight, Eagletac, Surefire, Olight and other brands). These aren't cheap $10.00 xxxFire flashlights. If it ever happens to me the manufacturer will hear from me because it would really bother me:tsk:. Maybe I have OCD or something :duh2:
 
ven said:
Just coincidently used it outside in the rain and checked after some turbo use, small spot appeared then soon went. After some more use it will go completely if the odd other light it's happened with , is anything to go off. No effect to the beam anyway.......probably a lot of the time it would go unnoticed unless it's checked after use(I usually don't look at the led or lens after using anyway)..

Will post a pic later as on the iPad now and Photobucket does not like posting pics, until I presume a required update........
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That's funny cause now that you mention it I almost never look at the lens either while using lights I just happened to when playing with it.
 
NICSAK said:
Has anyone noticed a fogged up lens on this light when it starts to get warm/hot (about a minute and thirty seconds on turbo)? Mine gets a small fogged area about the size of a dime. I have tried to put silicone packs in batt tube and in a bag of rice.
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Only have the stock R50, but yes. Though noticed it only when I cooled the light at the same time and there's airflow running across the head and lens.

4aZmfZH.jpg
 
Here we go, from last night after some use outside(not that it would matter).


Once it has had a good bit of high output use amassed, i know it will go.............No effect on beam in anyway.
 
I don't know, but it has never stopped me from having an opinion before! [emoji38]

I very much doubt that condensation on the lens is from water ingress during operation. Almost certainly from changes in relative humidity caused by temperature change within the light. Just opening the tail cap to change the battery causes water ingress as there is water in the air. Then the seals that keep water out also serve to keep water in. There's no way around it. Apart from being slightly irritating ( or very depending upon your level of OCD [emoji6] ) it should not affect light performance at all or damage the light unless it looks like your swimming goggles when they fill up with water. [emoji3]
 
Wendee said:
It happened to you too, Ven? I just checked Olight's website. The R50 is "Waterproof up to 2 meters". I've never had this happen to me but it still bothers me to read that this happens to expensive lights (including Zebralight, Eagletac, Surefire, Olight and other brands). These aren't cheap $10.00 xxxFire flashlights. If it ever happens to me the manufacturer will hear from me because it would really bother me:tsk:. Maybe I have OCD or something :duh2:
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It can effect different lights wendee but does not stop them being water proof. When together and all locked up, you have a water proof light, now imagine unscrewing the tail cap and filling it with water...........now there would be a good chance it is not water proof and water will get into the head. So in different climates or from the factory(could be to do with the thermal paste heating up at first as a guess), maybe these could be the cause rather than actual water. Humidity or down to it being new and something inside it from production causes the little spot(some lights HUGE spot) . I dont see water drops or anything like that, a slight fogging and found over time it does go. Of the top of my head, the rc40 and tk75 and iirc the k60 or k70 at 1st had it.............now no more.

I am confident in saying the external integrity is not compromised :)
 
ven said:
It can effect different lights wendee but does not stop them being water proof. When together and all locked up, you have a water proof light, now imagine unscrewing the tail cap and filling it with water...........now there would be a good chance it is not water proof and water will get into the head. So in different climates or from the factory(could be to do with the thermal paste heating up at first as a guess), maybe these could be the cause rather than actual water. Humidity or down to it being new and something inside it from production causes the little spot(some lights HUGE spot) . I dont see water drops or anything like that, a slight fogging and found over time it does go. Of the top of my head, the rc40 and tk75 and iirc the k60 or k70 at 1st had it.............now no more.

I am confident in saying the external integrity is not compromised :)
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So it goes away forever? I had read in other threads that it went away after using the light but came back again when the light was left sitting. If it went away and never came back I wouldn't mind but if I saw that spot every time I went to use the light, I would return it. Funny because some things that bother other people don't bother me (like artifacts, misaligned logos, bad threads, etc) but this particular thing does. I think because I can see the condensation but can't wipe it off, like so close and yet so far. I'd want to take the light apart, clean the lens, then put it back together. Maybe it's a chick thing. :ohgeez:
As long as all of your lights are ok, that's what matters.

I was actually glad that I waited to buy the EC60vn because after seeing Vinh's comparison video, I think the R50vn would be a better fit with the lights I already own (I don't have a floody light, except a headlamp). The R50 Pro is coming out now too, which will be interesting to see as well! :)
 
The r50vn has a real nice usable beam, enough throw for most tasks yet decent wide spill to make it a good option for an all rounder type light. Real comfy in hand too the 26650 format, just fits perfect.

Presumption here, maybe the possibility of the head being opened increases the chance, i am not 100% convinced it is just humidity . Many heads are not sealed, so swapping out cells in humid conditions could always bring the misting issue.................to most lights i would have thought. Could it be to do with the manufacturing, humidity? could it be any type of paste used inside for the LED? I dont know. I do have that OCD thing going as well, but for some reason and probably down to knowing it will go and does not effect the beam........i just accept it short term.
When i used to fire the Q70 up at 1st, the lens would get a large spot, crazy bit is it really does kick out some heat. By that, even your hand 1 foot away gets burned , it runs that hot OTF!!!!! Now when i 1st used it a few times, the spot would grow with the heat, if moisture then surely it would have dried up quick, not grow! Could it be the heat reacting with the lens coating? could be this.......and until run in(so to speak) you get this fog type spot......just thoughts.
 
Now the physics. If you open a relatively cold light in a warm air it immediately gets invisible to an eye condensation on its internal surfaces (micrograms -- no danger at all). Then you close it. Then you turn it on. Internal heat builds up and condensed water evaporates, but! The lens is still cold and you get secondary condensation on it, now it is visible. A moment later lens temperature rises and the condensation spot evaporates again.

All you need is to open a warm light for some 15 seconds and to close it again while it is still warm.

When ambient air humidity drops the problem will be cured itself :)

P.S.: A good advice -- if you live in hot and humid climate, reload your lights at night :)
 
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Hey Wendy,
As I mentioned in the Zebralight thread, one of their techs explained to me that the factory that produces the lights are on the waterfront, so very high humidity can cause this. They state in real world use the impact is negligible but if someone is having a problem they "fix it". He did not say this statement but what he implied is that the light gets sent to Texas, opened, dried and resealed-back to the customer in one week. I have read of others(Cap I think) who have said a silica packet in the battery tube accomplishes the same thing. The Zebralight tech also said that we all know moisture and electronics are a bad mix, they have never had a light come in for repair due to moisture causing corrosion (excepting lights that were submerged while battery tube open, lens cracked, etc. out of all my lights, the Zebralight was the only one I personally have had moisture in. Vinh lives is Washington(hi humidity state) and Ven is in the UK(also moist)-I live in the desert and that may be the difference. I am moving next week to area with seasons-I will let you know if that changes anything...
 
Where you off to eddie?, i thought you had moved a bit back..................GL with it all, hope it goes smoothly.............i love seasons too. Shame here in the UK these years it seems to be warm rain and cold rain!
 
While I have not checked either of my r50vn's for this I can tell you my tn36utvn has the condensation spot....and that light will ignite paper.
 
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