Just would like to get some ideas as to what sort of tests you guys would feel really demonstrates how tough and durable a light is. I've seen lights dropped, grilled, boiled, frozen, runover, etc. Anything ideas for realistic demos (ie. shooting a light with a rifle, not so realistic...) that would be impressive and really showcase the ability of a light to stand up to anything?
Torture Test - How would you impress?
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Marduke
Flashaholic
greenLED
Flashaholic
I guess we went a little overboard shooting those Fenix lights...
Realistically (in my
mind, at least), dropping the lights from "every day" heights (fire towers don't count) and dunking them in water are the most common situations that lights would undergo in regular use.I'd setup drops from different heights, and dunk at different depths and different times, repeat a few times.
Dances with Flashlight
Flashlight Enthusiast
Very interesting question. The many posted reviews and beta testing reports reflect many different thoughts related to this issue, and there are ad hoc tests throughout this forum. But what's the most realistic and at the same time torturous and impressive? To impress me, and mainly because I'm always dropping lights with LiIons, it would have to showcase these two qualities: resistance to damage from both dropping and heat,
Waterproof: dunking to a certain depth, for real situations like dropping lights into pools, rivers or even tub of water indoors. Insert light into a bottle filled with light and vigorously shake it. Or tie the light and use it as a fishing bait.
Drop: most common abuse, IMO. For the accidental OOPS in our daily usage. Higher the better of course, but reasonably a 3 - 10 meters drop is sufficient. For lights like Zebralights, probably greater heights should be tested.
Heat: Most times we can't control the temperature of the situation the lights are used in, be it a hot summer night or if the light is left out in the sun or in the extreme heat of the glove compartment, can the light still function perfectly? Probably boiling it is a sure way to test it and for waterproofing too. Or maybe wrap it in aluminum foil and throw it in a fire pit. :laughing:
Cold: For friends living up north or during winter, this is a vital test to gauge the dependability of the light. Popular test is using the freezer, which will also get you laughs from your wife.
Drop: most common abuse, IMO. For the accidental OOPS in our daily usage. Higher the better of course, but reasonably a 3 - 10 meters drop is sufficient. For lights like Zebralights, probably greater heights should be tested.
Heat: Most times we can't control the temperature of the situation the lights are used in, be it a hot summer night or if the light is left out in the sun or in the extreme heat of the glove compartment, can the light still function perfectly? Probably boiling it is a sure way to test it and for waterproofing too. Or maybe wrap it in aluminum foil and throw it in a fire pit. :laughing:
Cold: For friends living up north or during winter, this is a vital test to gauge the dependability of the light. Popular test is using the freezer, which will also get you laughs from your wife.
woodrow
Flashlight Enthusiast
I agree with greenLED. I think just 5-6 falls from 3', 6, and 15' would show normal abuse a light might take from falling off a table, ladder or roof. (onto concrete of course)
I also like water resistance a few 30 minutes tests in a few feet of water and I am good.
Of course if anyone has a Extra Polarion HID they want to lend me for a extended 2-3 year low humidity in the desert test...I am game!
I also like water resistance a few 30 minutes tests in a few feet of water and I am good.
Of course if anyone has a Extra Polarion HID they want to lend me for a extended 2-3 year low humidity in the desert test...I am game!
Steve K
Flashlight Enthusiast
maybe turn on the light, stick it in a glass of water, and then freeze the water. It would look impressive, but I'm not sure how likely it might be to damage the light. Might crack the lens??
for more realistic tests, vibration testing and thermal cycling are pretty standard. Thermal shock is common too. Might even go for a chemical resistance test (i.e. how does it survive exposure to the various chemicals that it may be exposed to. This might be limited to diet coke, coffee, maple syrup, and salsa, in some cases).
An endurance test of the switch might be useful too. This is a little tougher to set up.
For reference, I'm involved with electronics development for construction equipment, and previously designed 'tronics for military aircraft and spacecraft, so I've seen some pretty tough tests.
Steve K.
for more realistic tests, vibration testing and thermal cycling are pretty standard. Thermal shock is common too. Might even go for a chemical resistance test (i.e. how does it survive exposure to the various chemicals that it may be exposed to. This might be limited to diet coke, coffee, maple syrup, and salsa, in some cases).
An endurance test of the switch might be useful too. This is a little tougher to set up.
For reference, I'm involved with electronics development for construction equipment, and previously designed 'tronics for military aircraft and spacecraft, so I've seen some pretty tough tests.
Steve K.
Drops to concrete, I suppose. Can't think of anything more potentially damaging than heavy impact on a hard surface.
The most impressive test(at least of the lens and bulb filament) I've had was when my Z3 with M2 bezel fell from my pocket at work, bounced off a stair and out past a handrail, and fell 20ft. to concrete, landing flat on the side of the bezel.
The Wolf-Eyes 9V D26 lamp assembly's reflector(which I'd always assumed was metal having never looked at them closely) actually shattered, but the bulb still worked fine, the lens was unharmed, and the bezel just got yet another small gouge. Amazingly the beam wasn't affected much, since most of the reflector was still in place, just spiderwebbed with cracks, with a few unattached chunks moving around freely in there.
I suppose you could freeze it, boil it.
Throw it in the deep end of a swimming pool for an hour<<I did that with a pair of the old Steiner Military/Marine 8x30 binoculars I used to have to prove to a friend that they were indeed "rainproof" as claimed.
The most impressive test(at least of the lens and bulb filament) I've had was when my Z3 with M2 bezel fell from my pocket at work, bounced off a stair and out past a handrail, and fell 20ft. to concrete, landing flat on the side of the bezel.
The Wolf-Eyes 9V D26 lamp assembly's reflector(which I'd always assumed was metal having never looked at them closely) actually shattered, but the bulb still worked fine, the lens was unharmed, and the bezel just got yet another small gouge. Amazingly the beam wasn't affected much, since most of the reflector was still in place, just spiderwebbed with cracks, with a few unattached chunks moving around freely in there.
I suppose you could freeze it, boil it.
Throw it in the deep end of a swimming pool for an hour<<I did that with a pair of the old Steiner Military/Marine 8x30 binoculars I used to have to prove to a friend that they were indeed "rainproof" as claimed.
kramer5150
Flashaholic
4 words come to mind.... Marduke - will it crush?
In the early 90s (WAY before CPF addiction) I used to go water skiing with my buddies. On warmer nights we'd sleep out on the ski boat. We'd find a place to drop anchor somewhat near shore by turning ON my old Fulton MX/991U and tie it to the end of the anchor rope and drop it down to the bottom of the lake. The rope was (I guess) 30-40 feet. That fulton survived every time. FWIW it was modded with a glass lens, radio shack halogen PR lamp and I lubed the gaskets regularly with vegetable oil... LOL. The lens holder would flood out but the light host was very water tight.
In the early 90s (WAY before CPF addiction) I used to go water skiing with my buddies. On warmer nights we'd sleep out on the ski boat. We'd find a place to drop anchor somewhat near shore by turning ON my old Fulton MX/991U and tie it to the end of the anchor rope and drop it down to the bottom of the lake. The rope was (I guess) 30-40 feet. That fulton survived every time. FWIW it was modded with a glass lens, radio shack halogen PR lamp and I lubed the gaskets regularly with vegetable oil... LOL. The lens holder would flood out but the light host was very water tight.
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Sgt. LED
Flashaholic
Send it to me for some sledgehammer workout sessions.How many whacks does it take to get to the center of your lights...........?
Microwave it!
Bake it in the oven till failure. Vent the bad gasses!
Toss it in the washer and dryer noting the number of cycles till it expires.
Give it to a rough kid for a week or two.
Run over it with a lawnmower.
Fire it from a cannon.
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Waterproof: Well IPX-8 seems to be a good standard. I would love to see something I can maybe take to the bottom of 13 foot pool in a diving class pool or something but otherwise more hasle and cost for no reason.
Drop: I like think the tipical drop is 6 to 10 feet which should be about the normal drop but the catwalk at work here is 50 feet up and I would like to see if my PD20 or TK10 could bounce off the floor and still work. To afraid to knock an Aiplane so I won't try it here.
Heat: I think you probably don't need to get them much beyond 50C for most applications as the average user will not encounter temps beyond this in daily use.
Cold: Altought the freezer will give you a good idea most freezers will only go to -4C to -10C as they only need to keep stuff frozen a good test specially for us northen guys would be -25C as my lights will ride out the winter in the car and well this can get them down to -30C when I go camping and leave the car un-attended for a few days.
Drop: I like think the tipical drop is 6 to 10 feet which should be about the normal drop but the catwalk at work here is 50 feet up and I would like to see if my PD20 or TK10 could bounce off the floor and still work. To afraid to knock an Aiplane so I won't try it here.
Heat: I think you probably don't need to get them much beyond 50C for most applications as the average user will not encounter temps beyond this in daily use.
Cold: Altought the freezer will give you a good idea most freezers will only go to -4C to -10C as they only need to keep stuff frozen a good test specially for us northen guys would be -25C as my lights will ride out the winter in the car and well this can get them down to -30C when I go camping and leave the car un-attended for a few days.
That one's been done with the NDI and it survived! Try googling 'defender infinity freeze'.
How many whacks does it take to get to the center of your lights...........?
Microwave it!
Bake it in the oven till failure. Vent the bad gasses!
Toss it in the washer and dryer noting the number of cycles till it expires.
Give it to a rough kid for a week or two.
Run over it with a lawnmower.
Fire it from a cannon.
LOL... speaking of heat survival, any other firefighters out there take any of their lights into the burn building?
Dances with Flashlight
Flashlight Enthusiast
That I would pay to see!
SGT. LED Remind me NEVER to loan you any of my lights! Although the dryer idea would be feasable. And the Lawn mower deal has been done before on accident
Although the dryer idea would be feasable. And the Lawn mower deal has been done before on accident
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tab665
Flashlight Enthusiast
just get a few buddies over and start drinking. im sure MANY torture tests will pop into your heads. i can allready tell you my horseshoe pit could be the site of about 5 torture tests.
thermal guy
Flashaholic
15 minutes with my twins! If it survives that you can bet your life on it.
Ryanrpm
Enlightened
The Ultimate Torture Test:
Blendtec Blender. Period.
Blendtec Blender. Period.
Interesting... http://www.pinnacleflashlights.com/...ility-test-nitecore-defender-infinity-freeze/
Well I sure as heck wouldn't be alive in a block of ice, but at least my flashlight will be! Haha...
I would be impressed, if someone makes a "test" with a very cheap DX light - something considered Crap by most.
* Have it run though 5-10 sets of rechargeables
* if it survives this, it can be considered as "working"
and now start the real test:
* do whatever comes in mind with the light + the person holding it.
if the person survives anything the light survives, he/she can be considered "rugged"
(and I would be impressed)
... there is no need to over-super-exaggerate with ruggedness
* Have it run though 5-10 sets of rechargeables
* if it survives this, it can be considered as "working"
and now start the real test:
* do whatever comes in mind with the light + the person holding it.
if the person survives anything the light survives, he/she can be considered "rugged"
(and I would be impressed)
... there is no need to over-super-exaggerate with ruggedness
