Several weeks ago we were in the Peruvian Amazon and ran 3 cheap Costco headlights, a Convoy S2, and a Zebralight sc52 for about an hour continuously in the evenings. We didn’t have condensation problems with any of them. It’s fairly humid and the temperatures were in the low to high 60s (just guessing, we had to put on jackets at night). Does there have to be a bigger difference in temperature to get condensation?
I didn’t check for condensation so it’s possible there was some and I just didn’t notice.
I took my EA4 tent camping last weekend. We got some rain but the light didn’t get wet. I was more worried the switch would balloon. It did fine, but I worried about it, so I bought a D40A when I came back, just for good measures
More realistic reason there. But even if you are alone, what self respecting flashoholic would bring only one light to an oceanside camp to play with, when you are not far from the car?
They were rather impressed with my lights, and I gave some lights as xmas presents and a small one with NiMH away to my niece…maybe they’ll get the flashoholic bug now too
One of the problems with this light is that it doesn’t seem to have a way to vent anything, which I understand is the main reason that the switch can balloon up. There was even a thread on CPF where Nitecore suggested poking holes in the switch cover with a needle. Maybe that would help it shed moisture as well?
It would, as long as the gas it pulled in when cooling had less moisture than the gas it pushed out, and if you already have problems, there isnt a reason not to try it. When it gets hot, the water will all become gas, and evacuate the chamber. I really think we can guess most lights do not have a complete seal, and when the pressure gets high enough it will suck up or spit out some gas, depending on the pressure gradient.
I have two EA4s and I absolutely love them. But that being said, this post shows that our traditional budget lights are still a pretty good value, and that quality is really a tossup no matter who the manufacturer is.