Grrr - life ring lights

[Twister_Ken]

So, bought a new light at the beginning of the season. One piece moulding - only way in is through the dome lens at the business end. It's got double O rings to keep out H2O. Put in four of the very finest Duracells, filled the thread on the lens with waterproof grease, screwed it firmly home - and it still managed to get a teaspoon of water inside by the end of the season. How do you keep the damn things dry?

Or have I just discovered a new watermaking technique?

 

[gerry99]

Same thing happened to me Ken. I too did the same, its frustrating to say the least

 

[johnalison]

Universal problem. Mine's been OK for about 5 years now but I don't know how I achieved it.

 

[Seagreen]

Possibly either a wee crack in the plastic moulding, unseen but allows damp air in, or you sealed it up in a technically damp environment, sealing moisture in allowing condensation to form.

 

[alteredoutlook]

After years of frustration I eventually bought one of these

http://www.force4.co.uk/7460/Baltic-Flashing-LED-Lifebuoy-Light.html

and was very pleased with it ........ that is until some great ape of a crew leant against it and broke the bracket that holds it on to the pushpit.

You just cant win!!!

 

[prv]

I reckon someone needs to manufacture (if they don't already) an LED one in which all the workings including battery are embedded in a block of resin.

Pete

 

[Vara]

So, bought a new light at the beginning of the season. One piece moulding - only way in is through the dome lens at the business end. It's got double O rings to keep out H2O. Put in four of the very finest Duracells, filled the thread on the lens with waterproof grease, screwed it firmly home - and it still managed to get a teaspoon of water inside by the end of the season. How do you keep the damn things dry?

Or have I just discovered a new watermaking technique?

Snap

 

[Robin]

The reason they give them away with lifebuoys is that they are disposable!

I tried everything over the years from vaseline on the O ring seals to self amalgamating tape, nothing worked.

Eventually bought a pricey Jotun strobe light version cost around £50 and it never had a drop of water get in and always worked when set right way up, which the cheapies even failed to do when dry.

 

[blackbeard]

These things - at least the ones that use Duracell batteries - seem to be a constant source of trouble and, so far as I can gather, if left on the pushpit for any length of time, tend to not work. (I have no experience with expensive, sealed ones with lithium batteries -can anyone say if they are really much better?)

Solution - take them off the pushpit and put inside boat when boat is not being used. If you do this, it's difficult to avoid testing them when replacing on the pushpit! so you will know if they work. When they are being stored, remove a battery so that they can't accidentally discharge.

A thin smear of silicone grease over threads and O rings helps too.
(Cross posted with above.)

 

[Pete7]

Ken, I would be tempted to cut the thing off and chuck it away, only I chucked the whole horse shoe ring away instead in September. Now have an inflatable one and no light.

However, if you want a light on it, nip down to the nearest dive shop and pick up a strobe light at £25. I have now given up diving but I carried one on every dive for 10 years without a hitch and only the odd battery change. A lot brighter too. Good for about 48 hrs in use I think although I accept you would have to turn it on to make it work. About 5" in length all told.

Pete

 

[Seajet]

Laziness doesn't pay

There was a moan in the sailing magazines a while ago about lifebuoy lights always being rubbish and ending up full of water, probably rain; so a new design came out promising to be better ( don't have the name to hand but I'm sure many will know the little globe on a stick job I'm on about ).

Sure enough it didn't let in rain.

But it requires unbolting each winter as one can't remove it from the holder without setting the thing off; so now it's knackered by U/V !

 

[prv]

I accept you would have to turn it on to make it work.

I know the kind of light you mean - I used to carry one back when I used to dive. They're good lights, but I think having to turn it on manually is a step too far for a lifebuoy. You really need to be able to heave the thing over the side in one swift motion to have any hope of the man overboard getting to it.

Pete

 

[MARGETTS]

So, bought a new light at the beginning of the season. One piece moulding - only way in is through the dome lens at the business end. It's got double O rings to keep out H2O. Put in four of the very finest Duracells, filled the thread on the lens with waterproof grease, screwed it firmly home - and it still managed to get a teaspoon of water inside by the end of the season. How do you keep the damn things dry?

Or have I just discovered a new watermaking technique?

eureka moment. Now I know why they do not get nicked for boat jumbles.

 

[Mistroma]

Leaky Lights

I've never found these to be reliable despite regular maint. with vaseline, tape etc.

I seem to remember YM doing a test many years ago (might have been repeated more recently). Most collected water inside and I think the reason given was due to repeated heating/cooling cycle.

i.e They heat up during the day and excess pressure bleeds out via the cap. Then at night cooling produces lower pressure inside and air is sucked back in. Any rain drops or dew on the threaded part gets drawn back inside. Seemed a reasonable explanation but I didn't give it much thought.

I think that article might have suggested drilling a tiny hole in top of the lens. Seems silly but theory is that any excess pressure vents and forces out water. If the hole is small enough surface tension would stop water entering when light was thrown into the water.

It seems plausible but the "breathing" cycle would still draw salty damp air inside each night. No visible water in the lens but internals would still corrode.

Perhaps the answer is to fill all voids inside the light with a rigid closed cell foam. That might help.

 

[MoodySabre]

After years of frustration I eventually bought one of these

http://www.force4.co.uk/7460/Baltic-Flashing-LED-Lifebuoy-Light.html

+1

As you can deactivate it when not sailing at night they say there is a 5 year battery life.

Those moulded things are a waste of time (and money).

 

[prv]

Perhaps the answer is to fill all voids inside the light with a rigid closed cell foam. That might help.

Might keep the water out, but would also glue the sliding battery pack in place so that it wouldn't turn on when floating upright

Pete

 

[Plevier]

Have a look at the Sirius light.
Completely sealed, 5 yr life lithium battery, no float switch (has conductivity(?) probes), flashes brightly.
http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/lights-strobes/ocean-safety/sirius-lifebuoy-light.bhtml

 

[Twister_Ken]

The Sirius still seems to have a screwy dome, which must be where moisture gets in.

 

[FishyInverness]

The Baltic one has a Screwy dome too, and is the biggest pain in the backside to re-set if the contacts aren't touching correctly, The O-ring gets displaced and it becomes a case of re-do ad infinitum until you get it right.

I had to go through the entire stock at work and re-set about 5 of them once, and it wasn't a fun job! - got them all working perfectly though! And that seal once down looks damn near impregnable, i'd advise a layer of grease as well though....

 

[awol]

It's got double O rings to keep out H2O. Put in four of the very finest Duracells, filled the thread on the lens with waterproof grease, screwed it firmly home - and it still managed to get a teaspoon of water inside by the end of the season. How do you keep the damn things dry?

I don't let it worry me. Experience says it will work when upright whether there's a teaspoon of water or not. The batteries come out at the end of the season and get replaced on fitting out. So far after at least 10 years the internals show no sign of corrosion and mine has a sealed mercury switch.

Are you sure your lifejacket will work?