LX2 Really Is Waterproof

11 year old daughter playing with my LX2 in the hot-tub at the motel we were staying at this weekend because she heard me say it was waterproof. I think surefire advertises, what, 20 minutes at 3 meters? True.

LOL. Thats' good to know....

Not that I am doubting Surefire's claims but unlike you, I wouldn't be letting my 11 years old daughter play with any of my lights in the hot bath. The last thing I want happening is for a short circuit to happen which may result in a nasty explosion. She may even loose her hands for goodness sake. Who would let their own daughter play with something loaded with lithium batteries in the water be it Surefire or not?

pjandyho said:

Not that I am doubting Surefire's claims but unlike you, I wouldn't be letting my 11 years old daughter play with any of my lights in the hot bath. The last thing I want happening is for a short circuit to happen which may result in a nasty explosion. She may even loose her hands for goodness sake. Who would let their own daughter play with something loaded with lithium batteries in the water be it Surefire or not?

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You're assuming he let her do this. I didn't quite see him write that, maybe I missed it?

From what I read, she could have done this without his knowing. Maybe the wife was watching the hot-tubing?

Maybe you are right. I guess I assumed. By apologies.

UPDATE: Well, one, I stopped her use of the light and took it out of the hot-tub immediately. And two, I was not aware two lithium batteries of that size could cause an explosion of that magnitude.

Being in Huntsville, AL (NASA), I asked one of the electrical engineers we know who fools with batteries, and he got a good laugh when I asked if an explosion from two of those lithium batteries could be strong enough to cause someone to lose their hand. Next time I work a wreck in the pouring rain, I'll hold my LX2 with a bomb disposal glove.

I've seen sub-C NiMH batteries explode with enough force to blow out the back of a metal case they were thrown into when they started hissing.

scary thoughts,

maybe i will use alkalines only until lithiums are safer?

i have fully charged 18650s everywhere.oo:

All bets are off in hot water:thinking:
chances are, if it does get unscrewed the circuit will be open when water floods the chambers, and unless there's Epsom salt in the tub its not going to short but then your light may short out if its not allowed to dry out before being operated again.

Either way, if its not distilled water, you can expect some residue to accumulate or sedimentation occurring on contacting metal, especially if there's is soap or whatever suspended in the water.

One of those reasons why I test the waterproofness of my lights in the toilet's cistern [cistern is NOT the bowl]. The water that comes in is drinkable, tub water isn't. I won't put my lights in something that I have never tried to drink

dwever said:

UPDATE: Well, one, I stopped her use of the light and took it out of the hot-tub immediately. And two, I was not aware two lithium batteries of that size could cause an explosion of that magnitude.

Being in Huntsville, AL (NASA), I asked one of the electrical engineers we know who fools with batteries, and he got a good laugh when I asked if an explosion from two of those lithium batteries could be strong enough to cause someone to lose their hand. Next time I work a wreck in the pouring rain, I'll hold my LX2 with a bomb disposal glove.

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Work a wreck in Huntsville, AL?

You and me might work at the same place. If its HPD, I am currently C29.

dwever said:

UPDATE: Well, one, I stopped her use of the light and took it out of the hot-tub immediately. And two, I was not aware two lithium batteries of that size could cause an explosion of that magnitude.

Being in Huntsville, AL (NASA), I asked one of the electrical engineers we know who fools with batteries, and he got a good laugh when I asked if an explosion from two of those lithium batteries could be strong enough to cause someone to lose their hand. Next time I work a wreck in the pouring rain, I'll hold my LX2 with a bomb disposal glove.

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I would not claim to be the expert here but being in CPF long enough I have read and seen some people with exploded lights, caused by the batteries. One particular instance I recalled was that the light was sitting in a cupboard when it exploded. The tailcap sort of blasted a hole on the door IIRC. Do a search, it happened about 2 or 3 years ago.

What I am trying to say is this, even though some tailcaps are made with gas vents to allow gases to escape in the event the batteries should explode, there is always a chance the water that 'clotted' the vent could slow down the rate at which the gases escape which would then result in the whole tube exploding, especially so if it is submerged in hot water. And we all know how volatile lithium batteries could be, especially so for lithium ion rechargeables. That is the reason why most of us would rather buy the protected version if given the choice.

And I do apologize for jumping to conclusion in my earlier post.

lwt210, wow, small world, I am BR133 with B Troop

dwever said:

lwt210, wow, small world, I am BR133 with B Troop

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Uh, not familiar with that.

HPD Ranger?

dwever said:

I asked one of the electrical engineers we know who fools with batteries, and he got a good laugh when I asked if an explosion from two of those lithium batteries could be strong enough to cause someone to lose their hand.

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well if those batteries were out in the open, probably not..
now.. if sealed aluminum tube like that got too pressurized.. well.. you get hurt, from the shrapnel.

the main thing to be concerned about if the battery goes pop would be from the hydrofluoric acid that comes from those batteries when they vent. contact poison, and since your daughter is 11,(smaller body mass) I would assume it would allot worse than what happened in this incident:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/120888
This is a very long read.. lunarmodule details how sick he gets a few pages later.

I swear, I certainly will never start a thread extolling the waterproofness of one of my CR123 lights, cause the thread will immediately go astray with comments about how dangerous it is to get your CR123 light wet. Is there a way to get this thread back on track and talk about the waterproofness of the LX2, or other lights, for that matter?

Bill

If I remember correctly somebody did a torture test on a Fenix TK40. This included boiling it, and freezing it for a predetermined amount of time and it survived both, not to mention other forms of torture. It was also dropped several times from different heights and even ran over with a car!

Found it: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/233856

Bullzeyebill said:

I swear, I certainly will never start a thread extolling the waterproofness of one of my CR123 lights, cause the thread will immediately go astray with comments about how dangerous it is to get your CR123 light wet. Is there a way to get this thread back on track and talk about the waterproofness of the LX2, or other lights, for that matter?

Bill

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Thank YOU!!


pjandyho, those incidents happened under very specific circumstances, namely:

1. unevenly discharged cells
2. high current draws
3. older gen cells

If you're aware of this, and control against it, there's nothing inherently dangerous with letting anyone play with a 123-based light.

Let's not blow this (pun intended) out of proportion, and feel free to continue playing with lights in the tub (we're all kids inside).



dwever, my now 5 yr-old has been my VP of Testing since he could sit in the tub. I have the cutest pics of him playing with lights while taking a bath. If I want to test the durability of a light, I hand it to him for a while. He's even had a got at my HD45 (it'll survive anything, based on his tests).

lwt210 said:

Uh, not familiar with that.

HPD Ranger?

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No sir, AL D.P.S.

dwever said:

UPDATE: Well, one, I stopped her use of the light and took it out of the hot-tub immediately. And two, I was not aware two lithium batteries of that size could cause an explosion of that magnitude.

Being in Huntsville, AL (NASA), I asked one of the electrical engineers we know who fools with batteries, and he got a good laugh when I asked if an explosion from two of those lithium batteries could be strong enough to cause someone to lose their hand. Next time I work a wreck in the pouring rain, I'll hold my LX2 with a bomb disposal glove.

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Those NASA guys were on top of that O-ring issue back in '86

funkymonkey1111 said:

Those NASA guys were on top of that O-ring issue back in '86

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someone just had to bring that up... and in a thread started in Huntsville too. They have a better record on waterproofing than flame-proofing, at least. (What would the IP rating be to indicate resistance to 3,300°C for 30 minutes?)