Leaving a flashlight in a hot car

I want to leave my fenix L2D in the glovebox of my car for emergencies. However living in Australia, sometimes the inside of the car gets pretty hot during summer.

Just wondering if the heat would affect the flashlight at all, maybe degrading the rubber switch and o-rings quicker? Can it reduce the lifespan of the LED? I plan on putting a few Lithium primaries in it, hopefully they should withstand the heat right?

Lithium primaries are indeed the best bet for hot weather. Make sure your light remains in your glovebox or any other completely dark area of your car, don't leave it where it'll be open to sunlight.

The rubber bits of your light are mostly affected by dirt and dryness, make sure you lube the relevant bits at least yearly, more if your light gets dirty often. Don't fret over it too much, o-rings are like windshield wiper blades, you're supposed to change them after a while.

If its only for emergency use you may want to keep a spare set of batteries somewhere (not in the torch) incase the primaries become drained via parasitic drain of the light accidentally turning on somehow.

I keep a Fenix in my car glovebox, and its always fine (i just use re-chargables though, which mean I have to remember to check they are charged every couple of months). I keep 1 set of batteries in the torch, and another set loose in the glovebox.

If lithium primaries wherent so expensive I would use them.

AusKipper said:

i just use re-chargables though

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I would recommend against rechargeables, as they have a peak storage temp of 120F; a glovebox on a hot day will nudge 140F. You may be seriously damaging your cells.

If you have no other option, store your flashlight in the trunk, which is the coolest place in the car.

Under the seat also works. And leave your windows cracked; it'll keep it a good 20F cooler at least.

yeah lithium primaries are really expensive here. But if i just keep a few around for emergency use it should be ok.

I use rechargeable for daily use but I always have some primaries in my pocket just in case.

Keeping em in the car is a little dangerous though, weather can get a little too hot. I tend to keep em on me most of the time.

deusexaethera said:

Under the seat also works.

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Great advice! That's where I keep my flashlights. I lay them between the seat mount and the door sill. They feel cool to the touch when you handle them in the heat of the summer day. If you don't have a sheath for them, you might consider sliding them into foam pipe insulation so they don't get beat up rolling around. I started doing that when I carried a D cell Mag.

I find a shiny mylar windshield shade really keeps my car cool during the summer. I don't trust keeping the windows cracked when I can't see my car, so I always have them rolled up tight.

I keep a Eagletac P100C2 with primaries in my glove box all the time. It has seen cold and hot days. No problems with the batteries, they are made to handle the extremes. Just like the others are saying, shy away from rechargeables in a vehicle; or you just might get....

cool, now that I'll retire my L2D to the glove box of the car... its time to look for a new flashlight

Hi Hazna,
I live in Qld and have had an Inova T3 in my glovebox since they were first released (about 3 years?). It still has its first set of lithium 123 primaries and they work just fine. No problems with the heat considering my car spends 5 days per week parked in full sunlight. You'll find the 123's are very much less expensive if you buy them from Fenix Shop or Battrey Junction etc.

thanks, that provides me with peace of mind. I live in QLD too

Thee was a recommendation a few tears back to store the torch in a box underneath the front PASSENGER seat where it is coolest.
Do NOT store under the driver's seat as the box might slide forward and jam the brakes or accelerator pedal.

I had also been worried about leaving any flashlight in my car here in AZ. When it's 100+ outside, the temperature inside the car gets pretty extreme.

I keep a Rebel mini MagLED in the pocket of the drivers door and a Rayovac Sportsman Xtreme in the glove box.

Both lights have Energizer Lithium AAs (L91) in them, with two spare sets of batteries in the glovebox.

With our vehicle, storing lights under the seats is not really an option.
There is a lip on the floor that pevents access from the front of the seat. We'd have to get out, open the back door and reach under the seats....not very practical in our case.

Some time ago, in a similar thread, I read a great suggestion. Someone (sorry I do not remember who) suggested placing the light and spare cells in a small cooler along with some bottled water. The cooler maintains lower temps, and the water helps keep the temp inside the cooler down (extra mass).

I don't do this with lights on a regular basis but have used this trick to protect a camera and gps while I was on a float trip. Left the stuff in the trunk--it was cool when we came back. We were gone 5 hours on a 90+ degree day.

Again, this is not my idea so don't give me credit. If I could remember who suggested it, I'd tell you. it works for me!

Cars get pretty hot around here in the summer. I just use cheap alkalines in my car lights and have never had a problem. Just check them regularly.

Geoff

My 2D MagLEd has sat between seat and door here in CA for years and the alkaline batteries are still fine (I check them for power/leakage every month or so). I believe floor is cooler than glove-box. In fact the glove box is probably one of the hotter places in a car due to being so close to the dash, which gets the full force of the sun all day (unless you use a sun-shade).

We have a house in Palm Desert, California. Next to Death Valley this is the hottest place in North America.

Hear this: DO NOT WORRY!

Never once had a problem! Not one.

Next thread please.

Oh ya, it was 99 today on our patio!

using a water bottle to regulate the temp is such a good idea!