Why do mags even have an O-ring?

I know many of you don't care for them much, but I really love my mag. (with an Everled) I was in an accident last week, and I didn't climb out of my wreck without my mag. It was pouring down rain...I knew I couldn't take the mag diving with me, but it should be fine in the rain! Now my everled is flickering, the spring in the tailcap is all corroded, even the batteries are corroded! Why do they even bother putting an O-ring in there?! Why doesn't it work? Has anybody been successful in actually waterproofing a mag?
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
(Even after I just totaled my car and was standing there in the freezing, pouring rain, I couldn't help but notice my mag was brighter than the cops... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif)

Did you maintain the o-ring on your Mag?

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Skyline said:
Did you maintain the o-ring on your Mag?

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No...but this particular mag is only about 2 weeks old.

Possible that it didn't come properly lubricated...

Where do you guys get the solution to lubricate and how often do you lubricate the o-ring?

There are lot of options available for lubricant. I use Brinkmann o-ring lube. Lots of people use Nye Lube ($$). Some just use silicone lubes, others use di-electric gels.

If you do a search, you can find scores of posts on this subject.

Non petroleum silicone lube will be the cheapest and works just the same. You can find it in the plumbing section, auto/hardware stores.

Maybe you could have better luck with a different thickness ring?

I think they changed something. From the parts list and picture on Mag's web site I see an o-ring on each side of the lense but all the ones I have bought don't have the outer o-ring. I've been meaning to e-mail them and ask about it.

Is mag good about the liftime warranty the offer? I'd rather not remove all the corrosion myself... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

Maybe the problem wasn't the o-rings. Maybe the batteries simply leaked and damaged the Everled. Somehow I don't think that water leaking in did this, especially if it's only 2 weeks old. My bet, it's the batteries fault. I, too have many Mags, and love them all. I think my favorite one is a 3-C with an Everled.

Oh, yeah, as for lubing the o-rings, I emailed Maglite a few months back, asking what I should use. They told me to use petroleum jelly.

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Big_Ed said:
Maybe the problem wasn't the o-rings. Maybe the batteries simply leaked and damaged the Everled. Somehow I don't think that water leaking in did this, especially if it's only 2 weeks old. My bet, it's the batteries fault. I, too have many Mags, and love them all. I think my favorite one is a 3-C with an Everled.

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No, it definately wasn't the batteries. There was water inside...I first noticed condensation on the lens.

I went swimming once with a couple flashlights I thought were submissible.
Water got in them and the batteries leaked.

O-rings get used in applications where they are there more of a glide than a seal. They provide the right kind of friction for smooth rotation and preventing acidentally turning it on in a back pack. Sometimes I think Maglites are after this feature more than being water tight.

I left my Mag 3D in the shower once... it got all wet (lense facing upwards) but no water went in. I also lube the threads and o-ring with some petroleum lube that I got from my old workplace.

I left my Space Needle II (modded 2D mag)
outside in my canoe when it was raining, but
the light didn't get direct rain on it.
Next evening i hit the switch and it was only
as bright as three 5mm LEDs, because the lens was
completely fogged.
I disassembled it and poured at least 10ml of water out!
No idea how it got in there.
Then i did some testing and found out that the lubed
O-rings didn't leak!
In my case the switch cover wasn't lubed at all and let
the water in.

After al lot of grease it is now able to sit in one meter deep water for an hour without leaking.
Maybe longer and deeper, but that was the only test and it works well for my purposes so far.

I have a couple of sandwich-modified minimags that I know are waterproof to at least 3 feet. I took them in a pool once for some interesting lighting effects. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif After I was done I disassembled both and did not see a trace of water inside. I used silicone grease on all of the O-rings (two in the head, one on the body, one on the tail cap). Never gotten my OAD lights wet, though.