Why does my ROP "Sweat"?

[kramer5150]

Why do I get moisture collecting on the reflector of my ROP? Its not just a little mind you... a LOT, in total about 3-4 drops worth of clear liquid. It looks like water, but it has a funky smell so I don't think its water at all.

Parts are as follows:
-2D mag
-3853 / 3854 bulbs
-Battery space 2x26650, big orange ones
-KD smooth reflector with cam
-Lighthound mag lens
-PVC spacer tube

Anyone else notice this ????? Heres a pic of the water stain.

My 3D mag 1185, using similar parts and a 9xEneloop AA pack does not do this at all.

 

[The Dane]

So the difference is LiIon cells?
Have you tried to drive it om 18650's?
Me thinks it's the oranges thats overripe and sweats some sort of acid.

My $0.02

 

[RichS]

I thought I had read before that moisture from the potting in the bulb will sometimes cause fog on the lens of a ROP. But I thought that only caused a little steam on the lens, not this amount of moisture accumulating on the reflector.

 

[lctorana]

It's pure, distilled flashohol.

 

[TorchBoy]

Is there any silicon rubber (eg, an o-ring) in it that's reverting to nature?

 

[abarth_1200]

Try lighting up the torch without the head, so that the bulb is bare to the air around it and leave it on for a few seconds pointing away from, see if you notice any smoke coming off the bulb. Also is the bulb envelope still clear or has it gone a funny blue lava colour.

You could even just try a new bulb, remember to 'burn in' before screwing the head back on to eliminate any burnt residue forming on your reflector and lens.

 

[apete2]

When you get new ROP bulbs I found you need to burn them for a good 20-30 mins with the head off to stop the outgassing of the potting material. After that it should be fine.

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

You need to exorcize your ROP, it is possessed by evil anti-incandescent Flashaholic Entities. The best day to perform the dispossession ritual is on Saint Incand's Day. Good luck!

Cheers.

 

[Dioni]

You need to exorcize your ROP, it is possessed by evil anti-incandescent Flashaholic Entities. The best day to perform the dispossession ritual is on Saint Incand's Day. Good luck!

Cheers.

hahaha

 

[Zeruel]

Was there a lot of heat? Vapor moisture + funky smell might sound like it's overdriven. :shrug:

 

[kramer5150]

Was there a lot of heat? Vapor moisture + funky smell might sound like it's overdriven. :shrug:

Yes, the glass lens was like a cup of scalding hot coffee, probably even hotter than that. I had run it for a few minutes straight with a 3854-H bulb, with minimal air circulation. I think it may have been slightly over-driven, I was using 2x26650 cells that probably had been depleted by ~%15.

 

[ANDREAS FERRARI]

When you get new ROP bulbs I found you need to burn them for a good 20-30 mins with the head off to stop the outgassing of the potting material. After that it should be fine.

I've always had problems with fogging of the lens with my ROP's.

As suggested try running each new bulb for 30 mins(with a fan pointed at the bulb) to remove moisture.

At one point I was tempted to put a couple of those little desiccate packs in the head to absorb the moisture.I was afraid that the heat might ignite them.

 

[Fulgeo]

+1 on one of the reasons I do not like the ROP lamp. There was much discussion in previous threads on this subject a while back. General consensus is that there was moisture or some liquid present in the potting compound used to mount the lamp. I have carefully pealed the lamp out of the compound and mounted it in a bi-pin socket and the phenomenon disappears. Also one CPFer said he bakes his pelicans in an oven to remove moisture. You could also just run it a bit with the head of the flashlight removed but the oven baking would be better since you would not be waisting precious filament life.

 

[kramer5150]

Great feedback!! thanks gents

Time to go cook up a batch of PR lamps!!:twothumbs

 

[ANDREAS FERRARI]

....one CPFer said he bakes his pelicans in an oven to remove moisture....

"Honey I'm home.What's for dinner"

"Baked Pelican bulbs with deep fried battered Maglite O-rings on the side"

"Mmmm-my favorite"

 

[Mjolnir]

I have been running my 3854H for some time now with those cells and I have never had any moisture collecting on the reflector. If the head is exposed to cold (such as very cold water), then I will get some condensation on the inside, but I have never had anything condense on the reflector.