Your flashlights and humidity

[akula88]

Hi,

Through the years, I've been able to accumulate a number of flashlights. I leave in a tropical country, and in a semi-urban area, and not really directly on the beach. I don't use Alkaline batteries, and are mostly Li-Ion rechargeable or lithium primaries.

I've store some of my unused (or less used) lights and accessories on a number of plastic fishing accessory boxes and regular tool and accessories bins. Some lights are in near-ready condition stored with batteries.

Somebody brought up to me about concerns on humidity and it's effect on reflectors, metallic parts, etc.

What I know is that most of our lights are finished to fight corrosion and normal (or even extreme) weather conditions. Some are even rated for at least IPX4, IPX8. Sometimes water droplets do accumulate or builds on the lens during cold weather. Plus, we do maintain the o-rings and grease threads regularly.

Does this really have to be a 'great' concern, that necessitates storing or placing lights inside tight sealed containers with dehumidifying gels?

Doesn't this defeats the purpose of having them in near-ready condition, especially when preparing for emergency conditions?

 

[fulee9999]

if you're having them in "near-ready condition", so you can use it anytime, then I wouldn't worry about humidity, just keep it assembled so the original water-sealing can keep most of the air/humidity out

if you plan on long term storage, remove the power source, put it in an airtight container with some silica gel and you're good to go for another 10-20 years

 

[vicv]

Most lights are plastic or anodized aluminum. Neither is damaged from moisture. Same with reflectors. And plastic or glass lenses. I've seen one lamp assembly get some rust on it, a lumens factory EO4, but that's the only instance so it's very rare

 

[bykfixer]

If they are stored in a climate controlled home, no need to be concerned as heaters and air conditioners control humidity enough to not be an issue.

You can stash a light in a ziplock baggie with some uncooked rice or silica packs for quick deploy, and for long term storage wrap an adult diaper around the container(s) you store the lights in.

 

[Jean-Luc Descarte]

I live in the tropics and neither dry nor rainy seasons have any effect on my waterproof torches. If there's any moisture buildup such as in the lens, I disassemble the part in question and give it a scrub with a dry cloth. Nothing to it.

 

[sween1911]

Whenever you buy luggage or cases or clothing or shoes or whatever that contains those little silica gel packets, hold onto them. They go great in storage containers, lockboxes or whatever to keep your gear free from rust and corrosion.

 

[CanAm]

For really long-term storage or if you're a collector it could be something to worry about.
I have always lived in humid climates and never had trouble with corrosion except on EXTREMELY cheap, low-quality lights or those that have been submerged fully and/or flooded from heavy rain. This does include an IPX4 light that was flooded from a fall into a river. Subsequently developed rusty contacts and had the batteries (alkalines) explode when I put it back in my hiking pack without realizing.

But I've also had a big variety of flashlights, headlamps, and bike lights, not all of them good ones, out in the rain over the years. Some of them then stored in garages and work trucks without climate control. I never put anything away knowing it had water inside or while absolutely soaking wet, and I've never had any issues with corrosion.

 

[bykfixer]

I have a near 100 year old railroad Rayovac that arrived without batteries. I stuck in 3 batteries and it worked fine.