Weird fogging on H51w

[plaguem]

Hi guys

Need some help here. I've been doing some runtests on my H51w. Ran it for about an hour on max (170+ lumens i think) and when i switched it off, i saw this.

You can see something that looks like fogging on where the hotspot of the beam would be. Image on the far left is right after switching off (light was HOT), next is after about a min, and the 3rd is after about 5 mins. Gets smaller then disappears.

Any idea what this is? I never saw this on my quark even after 2 hour runtests.

 

[rojos]

If the fogging is on the inside of the lens, then you have water in the head.

You should remove the battery immediately, leave the cap off and put the light some place warm and dry to dry out for a few days. Or in an air tight container with some silica gel desiccant.

Sorry to say, you might have a leaky unit.

 

[Norm]

Or in an air tight container with some silica gel desiccant.

If you don't have silica gel, uncooked rice works well.

Norm

 

[plaguem]

Ok. Sigh. This unit is brand new. Got it last Friday. I didn't submerge it in any water, only rinsed it through water a couple of times. If this came like this, I'm leaning more towards not fixing it, but rather get a replacement.

I'm also wondering if this is a manufacturing defect or a distributor storage issue. I didn't get it online but rather from a local store.

Anyone here experienced this before with ZLs or any other lights for that matter?


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[AnAppleSnail]

This also happens if you install batteries when it's humid.

 

[plaguem]

This also happens if you install batteries when it's humid.

I suppose it's possible. I live in a perpetually humid place.


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[Tumbleweed48]

I live in a very dry climate and I've noticed that exact phenomenon with two or three different new XM-L flashlights.

Moisture is the only explanation I can think of, but I wonder if they aren't perhaps 'roasting off' something while getting good and warm for the first time. Mine looked exactly like yours.

 

[rojos]

I suppose it's possible. I live in a perpetually humid place.

You mentioned that your Quarks don't have this problem, so it might not be humidity. It sounds like the problem is specific to the Zebralight.

 

[plaguem]

I live in a very dry climate and I've noticed that exact phenomenon with two or three different new XM-L flashlights.

Moisture is the only explanation I can think of, but I wonder if they aren't perhaps 'roasting off' something while getting good and warm for the first time. Mine looked exactly like yours.

I've been pondering that roast off theory too. I thought maybe there's a chemical in the an adhesive compound used in the head that needs to set and the heat does that. If that's true, then it should disappear after a few hours of runtime. I'll keep doing the runtimes and see if it helps.

You mentioned that your Quarks don't have this problem, so it might not be humidity. It sounds like the problem is specific to the Zebralight.

yeah :mecry:. I think I'll try running the light under water for a bit. If it gets worse, then I'd know there's a leak.

 

[plaguem]

I live in a very dry climate and I've noticed that exact phenomenon with two or three different new XM-L flashlights.

Moisture is the only explanation I can think of, but I wonder if they aren't perhaps 'roasting off' something while getting good and warm for the first time. Mine looked exactly like yours.

I forgot to ask, did the problem go away after your roast offs? Or are they still happening...

 

[Stefano]

I H51w happened to me the same thing. I realized this after a few seconds the lamp washed with water.
Holding on, the problem goes away after a while of operation
But I'm not sure it is a water infiltration my house is very humid. But with H502 or H600 I Has this ever happened.

Translated with Google translator

 

[Tumbleweed48]

Hi, sorry for the slow response. I just heated up the two that I recall doing it; this time there was no fogging. Whatever caused it is apparently now absent.
Just like yours, mine initially showed the 'fog' as a spot in the center of the lens after shutdown. That presumably would be the coolest part. While it's most likely water vapor, I suppose it could be related to a new battery or chemistry related to adhesives. As long as it's not persistent or an operating problem, I'm choosing to ignore it.