Miner backup light

I am looking for a backup for a miner's headlamp. Too many times has my father been in a distant part of a coal mine and has broken the glass lens on his caplamp. On this style headlamp, the glass holds in the spring loaded bulb, so if the glass breaks, the bulb will simply pop out and fall into the mud. Many times he has held the bulb in with his fingers holding the caplamp in his hands while walking back out to safety. I want get him a backup so this hazard isn't so dangerous. The normal solution is to carry an MSHA approved Pelican if you are often out by yourself, but he's already weighed down with so much else that a 3-C light is a bit much. Plus, being miles out from the work area checking pumps and for methane gas isn't his everyday job (but he has to do it when others aren't doing their jobs) and he isn't issued a backup.

Now, this is what I'm looking for:
-Small pocket-sized LED
-Direct drive (no circuitry to muck up)
-4 hour battery life (only really needs to be 2, but safety factor if being used on old, partially discharged battery)
-brightness not important. you don't need much in complete darkness to see your way out
-waterproof to 8 feet
-can withstand prolonged exposure to emulsified water with excessive particulates (this will disintegrate many o-rings, and lock up most twisties and fine threads)
-MSHA approved a plus, but not necessary (kept in pocket most of it's life, so no one will know about it)
-reasonably impact resistant
-switch that is not easy to activate accidently, as nothing would be worse than to ignore this light for several years, just to find that when you needed it, the battery was drained from being left on in the past. Also has to be very dirt resistant switch, which makes me lean towards switches like on the Nightstar CS, Energizer Hard Case, and Dorcy Gelbrite (all sealed)
-switch also has to be easy enough to use when getting the light out of where you have it stored, removing any attachments that kept it where it was, removing any extra waterproofing, and turning the thing on while blindfolded (yes, I want to have my cake and eat it too!)
-cost not more than $20 ($30 if it's "uber cool" and ultra-durable), because there is a high risk of it falling out of whatever pocket it's kept in and being lost in a mud hole. He goes through about 2 dollar store pairs of reading glasses a month for this reason.
-preferable no bigger than something the size of the Inova X1, all the way down to a fauxton-size light.
-already alluded to, but needs to be a forget-me-light. meaning, load it with lithium AA, AAA, or medical-grade (20 year shelf life) coin cells, and forget about it until needed. no need to check on it for 5 years.

What I have been considering thus far:
-Maglite Solitare with red LED mod, but worried that years of neglect (in a harsh environment) would make the twist head lock up when needed.
-Inova X1, but I've had the tailcap twist or press on in my bags before, so worried about a drained battery.
-a Dorcy keychain light, but I have had this type of plastic head crush and crack on me before.
-a photon or fauxton or Inova Microlight wrapped up in a ziploc bag for waterproofing, then placed in an old mint container for protection, similar to this (sliding lid, small size)
-Fenix E0, but worried about the emulsified water and particulates reeking havoc on the inner workings and locking up the threads. plus, it's a mighty nice light to worry about loosing down a mud hole

Well, I may add other thoughts or criteria as some ideas and opinions come in. Thanks for all the research you guys about to help me do

CMG Infinity, place a WTB ad in the CPFM.

Would a couple of cyalume light sticks do the job? Maybe with strings for hands free use? They would need a rigid case, like a cigar tube. Is there any tougher kind of glass (Borosilicate? or perhaps Lexan?) that you could retrofit into his headlamp?

Ken_McE said:

Would a couple of cyalume light sticks do the job? Maybe with strings for hands free use? They would need a rigid case, like a cigar tube. Is there any tougher kind of glass (Borosilicate? or perhaps Lexan?) that you could retrofit into his headlamp?

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Most light sticks don't have that good of a shelf life (1-4 years), and seem rather bulky for all the more light they put out. Ideally, I am looking for something as small as possible. My father is already carrying around 50 pounds of equipment, and I don't want to add more weight or bulky items. That CMG Infinity looks interesting, but I'm leary of twisties locking up in all the dirt and grime. Part of the risk of the glass in the headlamps is knocking it out. The other is methane explosions. If caught in one, it is common for the shock wave to totally disable the headlamps.

I'm curious, you say it has to be reasonably cheap because `there's a high risk of losing it', yet it has to be 100% dependable...?


My first choice would be an http://www.arcflashlight.com/Arc-P, probably on a neck lanyard or carabiner. Not the brightest anymore, but arguably one of the most reliable/tough, with 5hrs to 50% brightness.

Twisties like the CMG and the Arc are very reliable. If you want to further seal them from the outside environment, you can add an o-ring to the "neck" of the light (between the base of the head and the top of the battery tube). Sort of what I have on my ArcAAA, but with a thicker o-ring to really cover the gap (the pic doesn't show it but the glo-ring doesn't seal the gap completely):

Biggoggs said:

I'm curious, you say it has to be reasonably cheap because `there's a high risk of losing it', yet it has to be 100% dependable...?

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Well, I'm sure I could find 100% reliable, and probably spend $200 on it. But if he knew how much I paid for it, he would cry when he inevitably loses it. Honestly, I would like 99% reliable for around $19.99.... LOL
If it's even cheaper, and smaller, like several coin cell lights waterproofed, I can bag several of them up and put them in a mint tin and be satisfied. But this is pretty much my backup plan if I can't decide on something better.

greenLED said:

Twisties like the CMG and the Arc are very reliable. If you want to further seal them from the outside environment, you can add an o-ring to the "neck" of the light (between the base of the head and the top of the battery tube). Sort of what I have on my ArcAAA, but with a thicker o-ring to really cover the gap (the pic doesn't show it but the glo-ring doesn't seal the gap completely):

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I love the idea of a fat, but rather squishy o-ring to seal that gap, I've never seen or heard of that. Great ideas so far, keep them coming!!

I would be surprised if they would allow him to bring a non-rated flashlight into a mine with methane and other gases present...

The UK 4AA eLED family should be nice... I would think that a Class 1 Division 2 rated light would be OK with his job (I don't know the rating system at all)--but you should check. You can also get helmet clips for the light too. There is a right angle version available too.

Here is the family of UK 4AA eLED lights--generally good for 5-10 hours (1/2 watt and 1 watt switchable levels). Around $45 to $60 (if you can find the original UK 4AA eLED (no Zoom, no focusing lens--I like that much better and it used to sell for $20-$25 each--perhaps if you call around, you might find some old stock--was 1/2 watt good for 10-12 hours on 4AA Alkaline batteries). Reasonably bright, reliable and rugged. Is water proof and includes venting to prevent overpressure events.

-Bill

<< checking pumps and for methane gas isn't his everyday job (but he has to do it when others aren't doing their jobs) >>

If there is even a remote chance that he may need his backup while in an explosive environment that I would strongly recommend sticking with the properly rated safety lights, not just for his safety, but for the safety of everyone else in that mine. I also have some of the UK eLED lights and would second the motion to use them if they meet the safety requirements. Surprisingly durable with decent output and run time.

I would recommend the Streamlight Propoly 4AA Luxeon. Except for it's size it would be perfect. It's even safety rated.

One of the main purposes for the safety rating is to protect against the the degassing of hydrogen gas from the batteries when they are exposed to something like saline water, which is common in many deep mines from ancient saltwater seabeds. This is primarily a problem with alkaline, and the safety rated lights usually have a small tablet that absorbs or neutralizes hydrogen gas. That issue is easily solved with the use of lithium primaries. As for keeping any methane out, any decent waterproof light will do that. I am now also considering the Petzl e+lite because it comes with a case, and could be taped inside the top of a helmet, between the helmet liner and helmet.

The tablet is a platinum catalyst (combines the hydrogen gas with oxygen in the air to prevent explosions--IIRC).

Alkaline batteries can generate hydrogen gas just with use, does not need any exposure to salt water or otherwise.

I don't see how any problem is solved with lithium primaries... If the lithium is ever exposed to water--watch out. And just search CPF and look for my "Flashlight Explodes" to see how often an otherwise normally operating flashlight, with lithium cells, has exploded. The batteries can also catch fire in this situation.

I would not ever suggest using an un-rated lithium light in a hazardous area like a mine or in explosive atmospheres (lithium batteries are also severely restricted in aircraft because of the possibility of fire too).

-Bill

is not another issue "sparking", like may occur with some switch contacts?

there are ways to deal with such, but perhaps a light that is designed to deal with such (and other) issues is the best choice.

Let me put this a different way: risk of ignition is not an issue. They routinely use other devices which are much more likely to produce an ignition, such as acetylene cutting torches, arc welders, high voltage equipment which can produce very large arcs, internal combustion engines, etc. The digging equipment produces sparks when they hit rock (which sometimes go for a second).

The safety rating is so that a product can be used in a known high gas area, which you don't want to go into usually. Non-rated equipment can and is used in areas with no danger, such as just about any power tool off the shelf that you can think of. The practice is that you can use non-rated items where it's safe, but if the situation arises and you need to go into a high risk area, you use only rated equipment.

Sources of ignition are almost always things out of your control, and not because of what you were doing. Last several my father has been around were caused by lightening strikes on the surface following down borehole liners and igniting methane in portions of the mine where people don't even go. Last time this happened, several miners were stranded and panicked because the shock wave blew out their headlamps. So, the backup is only for instances where his headlamp goes out, and not in gas areas. Also, he carries a gas meter, so no risk of him strolling into a gas pocket without knowing.

So, is an Arc taped to the inside top of the helmet sound practical?

Marduke said:

Let me put this a different way: risk of ignition is not an issue. They routinely use other devices which are much more likely to produce an ignition, such as acetylene cutting torches, arc welders, high voltage equipment which can produce very large arcs, internal combustion engines, etc. The digging equipment produces sparks when they hit rock (which sometimes go for a second).

The safety rating is so that a product can be used in a known high gas area, which you don't want to go into usually. Non-rated equipment can and is used in areas with no danger, such as just about any power tool off the shelf that you can think of. The practice is that you can use non-rated items where it's safe, but if the situation arises and you need to go into a high risk area, you use only rated equipment.

Sources of ignition are almost always things out of your control, and not because of what you were doing. Last several my father has been around were caused by lightening strikes on the surface following down borehole liners and igniting methane in portions of the mine where people don't even go. Last time this happened, several miners were stranded and panicked because the shock wave blew out their headlamps. So, the backup is only for instances where his headlamp goes out, and not in gas areas. Also, he carries a gas meter, so no risk of him strolling into a gas pocket without knowing.

So, is an Arc taped to the inside top of the helmet sound practical?

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sounds like you've dotted all the "i's" and crossed all the "t's" concerning safety aspects. good for you!

Your confusing the reactive ellement lithium with sealed lithium batteries. It is a different chemistry cobination alltogether. Sealed lith cells aren't dangerous but you do need know to use them.
Yes, they can't be abused like alkys but alkys can't get the extended storage (say, ten years) with full power availability that throwaway liths can.

I would say the inova X5, a member here did a runtime test of a few lights and the X5 was still on with usable light for over a week.

If it's just for emergencies I think I'd stick with the e+lite idea. You can fit extra batteries wrapped in cling wrap etc for waterproofness (is that a word?) in the case, and the case has a strap slot for attaching to whatever. It would be there when he needed it and that seems to be the main concern. Campmor has 'em on sale for 23 bucks.

Here is a good thread about "exploding" Lithium CR123a Cells... There is even video of cells under test failing.

Reasons for failures are numerous (bad cell+good cell, dropped, overheated, dented, etc.). Chances of it happing to his flashlight is rare--but possible even if the flashlight is never turned on.

-Bill

Among the choices you've listed, I'd definitely go with a Photon. I have quite a bit of experience with the Photon II model. Easily the most reliable coin cell light I have ever owned. Blows the others right out of the water!