SF vs. a washing machine...?

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AlexGT

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 15, 2001
Messages
3,651
City & State/Province
Houston, Texas
Hi guys, I just got my Arc out of the washer, clean and shiny, and still works with no leaks, Thanks Peter! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

However a frightening tought cross my mind, if I accidentally toss an E2,E2e to the washer, I know the finish wouldn`t mind at all and it may leak, but would the bulb survive the centrifugal force of the drying spin cycle?, would it misalign the beam or completely break the filament?

Has anybody accidentally washed their E2? How did it went?

Alex
 
I'd be very interested in seeing the results of this experiment...

Who's first? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Not me... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Quite frankly, the thought of my M6 twirling around a metal machine, dunked in detergent and banging itself into oblivion is daunting, not just for the SureFire, but because I then might have to fix up that laundry machine... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I don't own an E2e, but I do have a G2 I'm willing to wash it with the rest of my laundry tomorrow... all in the interest of science of course.

Stay tuned.

(I'm not always drunk and stupid, but always stupid).
 
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[ QUOTE ]
yclo said:
Well at least take the batteries out...

[/ QUOTE ]

WHAT?!?! For a real test you need to turn it on and THEN toss it into the washer..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif
 
Hmmm... no E2 or E2e, but I do have that new, old style 6P that I have up for sale. Maybe if it doesn't sell I can do a "washer test" with it and get some results on something similar to a E2. Thinking of the 6P in the washer reminds me of the 6PNs (I think) with the shock isolate bezel. I wonder if one of these (being water proof and shock isolated) would survive? Any thoughts?

-Mike
 
I will be very interested to read about it, thnx!, Hey! I turned on the ARC AAA inside another wash load (On purpose/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif)and it looked cool! Lighted washers? hmmm... the spin cycle is a must see! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif

Alex
 
SureFires that are not waterproof can have their water-resistance maximised by screwing the TailCap on tight.

SureFires are not depth rated in hot water. Rapid changes in temperature may reduce water-resistance.

Al
 
My washer almost always has money in it after a load Sometimes coins sometimes bills. On occasion you can find pens, a pager, snacks from the kid's clothes, rocks. Lots of rocks. I always check pockets first so I have no idea where these things come from.
 
LOL, this thread made me laugh and as good a place as any to make my first post.

Hi All. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Just last week, the wifey washed my cargo trowsers and inside was an E1E w/KL1. The original O ring had gone and I'd temporarily replaced it with an ill fitting O ring from a mini mag. The whole lot got washed on a hot wash and spun. When I finally retrieved my poor old E1E, there was a little drop of water visible through the front lens. The battery compartment and 123a seemed dry to me. Anyway, the acid test - it lit up with no apparent damage - phew! I took the head off and left it to dry out, there does not seem to be any ill effects whatsoever. I guess that was a pretty good test. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
hrmm i don't mind using my C2 for a test but i'm not sure if the g forces would make the filament go out of focus.
 
I've sent CMG Infinitys through the wash, but I don't think I'll volunteer to send my E2. Maybe this is a good real-world test. I'm much more likely to send the E2 on spin than I am to dive to 100 feet.
 
For a quick look at G-forces in washing machines, see my post in this thread.

Here's the quote:
[ QUOTE ]
LEDmodMan said:
...careful those Duets can really lay down the G-force law! The Whirlpool version spins at 1,100 rpm, and the Kenmore version (I have these) spins at 1,200 rpm! Assuming a radius of 1 foot on the inside of the barrel (pretty close), at 1,100 rpm this equates to about 115 feet per second. Also given the 1 foot radius, and since a=v^2/r, then you get 13269.1 ft/s^2 centripetal acceleration. Divide this by the acceleration of gravity, you get approximately 412 G's (490 G's in the Kenmore)!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif Multiply that by the weight of the Arc AAA at .75 ounces, you get a weight of just over 19 pounds (23 lbs in the Kenmore)! Just FYI.

[/ QUOTE ]

Keep in mind standard washing machines don't achieve anywhere near these kinds of speeds, so the G-forces are significantly less. Anyone want to run through the calculation for a standar washer and a surefire?
 
OK, I'm bored so here goes...

A surefire E2e weighs in at 3.2 ounces. A "conventional" washer spins at about 600 rpm. So we'll use 700 rpm for good measure. Again, we'll assume a radius of 1 foot for the washer barrel. Here are the numbers...

Angular velocity at outside of barrel = 73.3 fps
Centripetal Accel. = 5373.4 ft/s^2
G-force = 166.9 G's (still up there!)
Apparent mass of E2e at this speed = 33.4 pounds.

And you all thought the washing machine was just good for clothes... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif
 
Well, I don't know about Surefires, but my Ring Mini Cybalite has been through the wash more times than I can remember (usually clip it to the belt hoop or pocket clip - and inevitably forget to remove it). So far, other than a couple of dings around the bezel, it's escaped unscathed - leak free, and very clean. Makes on heck fo a noise in there though! (And that's just a keychain sized flashlight). Switched itself on in there a couple of times, usually near enough hypnotising me.
 
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