Are Flashlights Sensitive Electronic Devices ?

Lou Minescence · Oct 2, 2011

With all the advances in flashlight technology, we may be creating sensitive electronic devices instead of making a more durable flashlight.
I have dropped 3 different brand LED lights over the years and had them screw up. The two I dropped from 8 feet were junk. The other dropped recently from just over 3 feet and was screwed up until I tapped it hard on my desk. It was rated for a 1m fall ANSI. The fall was within spec. Not a single mark on the light. It was also a 'tactical' model.
So far when I read a flashlight review, the build quality and feel are discussed. My latest dropped light looks and feels flawless with its build.
I would like to see a reviewer perform 'drop tests' when a light is reviewed. The tests could be performed to their rated ANSI spec at different angles. They should also be drop tested at higher measurements. Drop testing would add value to a review. I think any manufacturer should warranty their light to the reviewer who drop tested it at ANSI rated levels. A water resistance test in a review would also be a plus.

Please do not turn this post into my brand your brand, or made here or there.

Would anyone else like to see a "durability" evaluation of a light included in a review from one of CPF's reviewers ?

StarHalo · Oct 2, 2011

It's usually a solder point that fails when a light is dropped; there's no way to solder every light exactly the same way, so I'm not sure how a drop test would help..

Roger999 · Oct 2, 2011

Surefire 6P + Malkoff = durable. Potted electronics, hard for the switch to fail since it functions with one piece of metal touching another piece of metal, there's very few things to go wrong.

flatline · Oct 2, 2011

If this is a major concern of yours, look for lights that have potted electronics and springs on both ends of the battery.

--flatline

Cypher_Aod · Oct 2, 2011

Roger999 said:
Surefire 6P + Malkoff = durable. Potted electronics, hard for the switch to fail since it functions with one piece of metal touching another piece of metal, there's very few things to go wrong.

Probably the most reliable lighting device in existence apart from perhaps a glowstick

Burgess · Oct 3, 2011

Here on CPF, a while back, we discussed a Torture-Test.

We came up with a Paint-Can-Shaker device.

If one were to stick a flashlight(s) inside an empty 1-gallon steel paint can(s),
you could just run 'em for a minute or two, and see if it (they) were still shining.

Continue this process, until only 1 remains -- The Winner !

So, does anyone here work at a Hardware Store, or Paint Store ? ? ?

_

Bullzeyebill · Oct 3, 2011

Lou Minescence said:
Please do not turn this post into my brand your brand, or made here or there.

Would anyone else like to see a "durability" evaluation of a light included in a review from one of CPF's reviewers ?

Keep on track.

Bill

ZMZ67 · Oct 3, 2011

LED Museum used to do limited testing by whacking lights against a hard surface and dunking them in a sink IIRC but I don't think anyone else is doing that on a regular basis.For such tests to be valid the method has to be consistent and include at least 3 examples of the same light IMHO.Since it seems that most reviewers only get one or two lights and are reluctant to abuse them I don't think any such testing is going to happen.Modern LED lights have more potential failure points than thier simple incan predecessors but I don't think they are as bad as most portable electronic devices in reputable brands.One of the reasons I still like PR base drop-ins is because I have little faith in most low cost LED lights.I would rather place a PR base LED in a reliable incan body than go with a cheap purpose built LED light.

firefly99 · Oct 3, 2011

Lou Minescence said:
With all the advances in flashlight technology, we may be creating sensitive electronic devices instead of making a more durable flashlight.
I have dropped 3 different brand LED lights over the years and had them screw up. The two I dropped from 8 feet were junk. The other dropped recently from just over 3 feet and was screwed up until I tapped it hard on my desk. It was rated for a 1m fall ANSI. The fall was within spec. Not a single mark on the light. It was also a 'tactical' model.
So far when I read a flashlight review, the build quality and feel are discussed. My latest dropped light looks and feels flawless with its build.
I would like to see a reviewer perform 'drop tests' when a light is reviewed. The tests could be performed to their rated ANSI spec at different angles. They should also be drop tested at higher measurements. Drop testing would add value to a review. I think any manufacturer should warranty their light to the reviewer who drop tested it at ANSI rated levels. A water resistance test in a review would also be a plus.

Please do not turn this post into my brand your brand, or made here or there.

Would anyone else like to see a "durability" evaluation of a light included in a review from one of CPF's reviewers ?

By the way, what is the brand & model of the 3 light that fallen and failed ?

I had a Glo Toob that rolled off the writing table and stop working due to damaged switch.

Max_Power · Oct 3, 2011

I have about 10 Malkoff lights and some Malkoff drop-ins in other hosts (several SureFire 6P, fivemega 3xAA, Mag 5D). So far no permanent damage from being dropped, other than cosmetic nicks and scratches. I have seen some minor issues (flicker and intermittent operation) caused by my own failure to torque down the hi-low ring properly, but that was easily resolved.

Does it count as a flaw when the light turns on while in your pocket or holster? The Judco switch has a tendency to do this. The newer McClicky is more recessed and harder to activate unintentionally.

Malkoffs are definitely weapons-grade lighting.

Lou Minescence · Oct 3, 2011

Burgess said:
Here on CPF, a while back, we discussed a Torture-Test.

We came up with a Paint-Can-Shaker device.

If one were to stick a flashlight(s) inside an empty 1-gallon steel paint can(s),
you could just run 'em for a minute or two, and see if it (they) were still shining.

Continue this process, until only 1 remains -- The Winner !

So, does anyone here work at a Hardware Store, or Paint Store ? ? ?

_

The paint shaker test would be great! Maybe testing along the lines of a flashlights ratings would be objective. ANSI says 1 Meter -- Then drops at 1 meter is the test. Currently when a flashlight is tested by a reviewer, the lumen and lux output are measured and then compared to spec. We as CPFers have come to expect these tests and for the light to meet the ratings of ANSI and the manufacturer. We have found some lights do not live up to spec. Maybe we would be surprised to see some lights not make the ' Drop Test '. As far as the reviewer, I guess his compensation for the review is a free light. I have noticed Selfbuilt has a way to donate to his battery fund. Maybe certain lights can be put forward for drop or torture tests and the reviewer is compensated from donations. Manufacturers should donate a light for extreme testing once in a while. I love seeing some torture tests of lights I have found on you tube.

LEDAdd1ct · Oct 3, 2011

The toilet smack test was always my favorite! Craig's reviews are always funny to read.

I wouldn't mind seeing a durability review test. Only three things stick out:

1) What will the test be?

2) If the light being reviewed is a loaner, the company might not want the reviewer to beat the snot out of it.

3) If the light being reviewed belongs to the reviewer, the reviewer might not want the snot beaten out of it.

Regardless, a light should not fail from a simple drop.

flatline · Oct 3, 2011

If you carry two lights, you'll never be in the dark after dropping just one of them.

But it's always nice if the dropped light still works.

--flatline

Lou Minescence · Oct 3, 2011

flatline said:
If you carry two lights, you'll never be in the dark after dropping just one of them.

But it's always nice if the dropped light still works.

--flatline

The first 2 lights I dropped that failed were within 5 minutes of each other. I was in my basement working on a pipe in the floor joists. Probably a full 8ft drop. One had an emitter and the other had a Nicha style led. I guess I should carry 3 or more to be safe!

fyrstormer · Oct 3, 2011

One night I was pulling my McGizmo Haiku out of my pocket, and in a moment of total clumsiness, I ended up tossing the Haiku in the air over my head and it landed head-down on the asphalt. So that's a drop of ~6-7ft, onto a surface essentially made of sharp pointy rocks. The titanium bezel had a few tiny dings, and the light worked perfectly. Recently I finally got around to polishing the surface with some Dremel polishing rouge and a paper towel, to round-off the peaks on the ding-marks. Still works like the day I bought it, but if for some reason it had stopped working, I could've bought a replacement light engine and not had to replace the shell of the light.

There are certainly crap lights out there at every price point, but I think the durability of any light with more than one mode drops sharply when the price gets below ~$100. A certain amount of overbuilding is necessary for any device to withstand unforeseen events without needing repairs afterwards, and overbuilding costs more money.

Coop57 · Oct 3, 2011

In the end times it will be candles again.

kts · Oct 3, 2011

I just got a Fenix E21, it says in the specs that its "impact resistant" from 1.5 meters, I have not seen other lights with this...

Just saw this...it also features..• Toughened ultra-clear double glass lens..

Its also the first light I have heard of with double glass lens, it should really be a TK model, seems tougher built than my TK20.

carrot · Oct 3, 2011

The lights I rely on regularly are the same lights that I have carried and used extensively. While there is nothing to say that your light will not succumb to old age (stress fractures, component burn-out, etc) after having carried something long enough without problems you tend to rightly feel confident in its ability to continue lighting in the near future.

One such light I have carried for 5 years, and although it is no longer a popular light here it is still a great light for my uses, and another such light I have carried for 3 years, and although it is no longer made, it is also incredibly well-suited for my needs.

I suspect that with flashlights, as with most things designed to hopefully last, you will either see a problem when in service when it is brand new, or a problem when it is rather old, and quite rarely in-between.

baterija · Oct 3, 2011

Lou Minescence said:
Would anyone else like to see a "durability" evaluation of a light included in a review from one of CPF's reviewers ?

Not I. Quite frankly it would be meaningless to me because of the absolutely tiny sample sizes. Statistical significance is lacking to compare the 1 failure in 10k drops light with the 1 in a million failure.

fyrstormer · Oct 3, 2011

baterija said:
Not I. Quite frankly it would be meaningless to me because of the absolutely tiny sample sizes. Statistical significance is lacking to compare the 1 failure in 10k drops light with the 1 in a million failure.

+1

Are Flashlights Sensitive Electronic Devices ?

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashaholic

Enlightened

Flashlight Enthusiast

Enlightened

Flashaholic

Flashaholic

Flashlight Enthusiast

Enlightened

Enlightened

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashlight Enthusiast

Banned

Enlightened

Enlightened

Flashaholic

Flashlight Enthusiast

Banned

Similar threads