advice required on how to unscrew a seized-up torch head

[Graeme Phillips]

hi all, I hope this is posted to the right section, apologies if not.

my problem is this: I have a Mares 10rz torch. the head of the torch (where you can unscrew to change the bulb if necessary) has become seized and I can not undo it by hand or using a large adjustable spanner.

I've tried soaking it for 24hrs in warm water and also have attempted using WD40 but it still won't budge.

Does anyone have any advice on another way (other than brute force and banging it with a hammer ) to alleviate the seized-up section at all?

the reason I am asking is the inside of the reflector has some condensation on it causing the light to be less effective. I'm a dive professional and need a good torch as I dive 2 to 3 times on a daily basis.

Many thanks in advance for your time and help.
Graeme

 

[Fibonacci]

Try heat and cold cycles... soak in hot water then put into the freezer for a few hours, then hot water again.
Usually frees up 'frozen' aluminium or Delrin parts...

The condensation does not sound good, seems like some salt water has got past the o-ring and sat there for a while.

I once had a simple three D cell torch with screw down head that developed a leak and the batteries shorted out with the salt water electrolyte causing a build up of gas inside making the head very difficult to turn.

 

[elmo]

Also try soaking in a 50:50 mixture of water and ordinary white vinegar

 

[Divectionist]

I had a seized tactical torch (seized through salt water though) and soaking it in 'salt away' solution with hot water for a few hours did the trick. I am sure vinegar would do the trick also.

 

[RayfromTX]

vinegar solution in an ultrasonic cleaner?

The last thing before throwing it in the trash is two small pipe wrenches with the resulting scarring and risk of deforming the shape.

 

[Graeme Phillips]

Try heat and cold cycles... soak in hot water then put into the freezer for a few hours, then hot water again.
Usually frees up 'frozen' aluminium or Delrin parts...

The condensation does not sound good, seems like some salt water has got past the o-ring and sat there for a while.

I once had a simple three D cell torch with screw down head that developed a leak and the batteries shorted out with the salt water electrolyte causing a build up of gas inside making the head very difficult to turn.

cheers buddy, I'll give that a go.

 

[Graeme Phillips]

thanks all for the replies, I'll try each proposed solution individually and post what worked for me. happy diving!

 

[tbone1004]

couple important things to think about that most people don't remember.
Impact is your friend. Impact is much less damaging than trying to crank on something. In this case, if there is something flat that you can get into a vice, and get the head in a strap wrench, hit the end of the strap wrench with a hammer.

When something is stuck, before you get too terribly involved with it, try to tighten it first. Seems counter-intuitive, and without a white board I can't really explain it, but when you tighten something the threads are going to try to separate to unstick itself. When you try to loosen it and it's frozen, you have to break all of that friction which tends to damage stuff. Once the threads are unseized *it only has to go a fraction of a rotation*, it should come loose much easier.

 

[RayfromTX]

Ah yes, that reminds me of a technique I have used on old machinery. Tap to loosen, add penetrating oil, tap to tighten, add penetrating oil tap tap tap to loosen. There is a level of thread sieze where that works and a point at which it is too bad to matter. Of course most of my experience is with steel and this is probably aluminum so your success may vary.

 

[azcaddman]

try strap wrench (or 2, one for each side), works great on stubborn u/w camera ports as well