Testing Dive Light

[Restart]

How do most of you test your dive light for flood, before diving in?
I saw some people submerge them into a bucket of water to test them, before the dive.........

Any better suggestions than this......... :06:

Best Regards.

 

[trevinkorea]

For me, I just do a quick visual inspection, make sure it is screwed down properly, turn it on and put it in the water. If it doesn't work or if it floods, I switch to a back up.

Just a little advice though, if your light does flood at depth, putting it into a bucket of fresh water before opening it is a really good idea. I learned this the hard way twice.

 

[cmalinowski]

For me, I just do a quick visual inspection, make sure it is screwed down properly, turn it on and put it in the water. If it doesn't work or if it floods, I switch to a back up.

Just a little advice though, if your light does flood at depth, putting it into a bucket of fresh water before opening it is a really good idea. I learned this the hard way twice.

OK, I'll ask: Why?

 

[freshwaterdiver]

Pressure??

 

[trevinkorea]

SOrry for the late reply.

If your light floods at depth, It will have more pressure inside at the surface and the reaction of the batteries with salt water will increase the pressure even more. So, when you do open the light at the surface, the solution inside will cause the light head to pop off and shower everything in the area with watever mixture has been created. By opening it in fresh water it will not get you saoked or risk contaminating other gear. Besides, it's easier to clean the inside if it is already in fresh water when the cap is removed.

Last time my light flooded I opened it in the air and my nice new drysuit and wing got covered in battery water. Not a great expereince.

 

[EricPuryear]

If your light floods at depth, It will have more pressure inside at the surface and the reaction of the batteries with salt water will increase the pressure even more. So, when you do open the light at the surface, the solution inside will cause the light head to pop off and shower everything in the area with watever mixture has been created. By opening it in fresh water it will not get you saoked or risk contaminating other gear. Besides, it's easier to clean the inside if it is already in fresh water when the cap is removed.

Last time my light flooded I opened it in the air and my nice new drysuit and wing got covered in battery water. Not a great expereince.

I'm kind of confused by the pressure part... Water isn't compressible so I don't see how a light that has flooded at depth will have more pressure at the surface.

For example: if you take a zip lock bag down to 33ft, fill it with air from your regulator and seal the bag, it will expand as you go up and eventually break the bag's seal.

If you take a zip lock bag and fill it with water at 33ft and seal the bag, it won't expand at all, and the bag will be fine.

So if the dive light has been flooded with water, at any depth, how would there be a pressure problem when you open it at the surface, besides the part about the batteries corroding and releasing some chemicals?

 

[Bill51]

The chances are the light won’t be completely flooded with all air evacuated. The remaining pockets of air will be pressurized at the same pressure as the water that entered and it will expand back to it’s original volume when opened at the surface – unless there is a full two way leak and it forced water out on your assent.

 

[EricPuryear]

The chances are the light won’t be completely flooded with all air evacuated. The remaining pockets of air will be pressurized at the same pressure as the water that entered and it will expand back to it’s original volume when opened at the surface – unless there is a full two way leak and it forced water out on your assent.

Oh, that makes sense. Thanks

 

[Charlie99]

And if you're diving in saltwater and your light has flooded, there's electrolysis going on making all sort of nasty stuff that isn't nice to splash around.

 

[trevinkorea]

I think Bill51 mentioned what I was trying to get at about the pressure.

I had this happen with two of my back up lights several months back and when it happens to you, you will completely understand.

To avoid this happening again I upgraded to double o-ring lights and haven't had a problem since. Fingers crossed.