This morning I used my 9.3 on high in a glass of water to discharge a cell. Quite the amount of water infiltrated the head. Shook it out and ran a fan on it with the lenses out and I am back to functional, but there was way too much water from partial submersion for 10 minutes when it is advertised as waterproof to 1M. Pretty bummed as I am completely loving the light otherwise.
It’s possible an o-ring isn’t seated properly however: Metal + heat + cool + water = shrink swell which increases risk of ingress. Maybe try a different discharging method.
Absolutely great advise. FWIW O-rings are in good shape, no nicks or bulges found. I believe the water ingressed around the o-ring in the bezel up against the glass. Seems like it does not get compressed enough to seal. Either the channel for the o-ring is slightly too large or the o-ring slightly too thin. This is a test I do with most new lights to achieve a few things, a nice long burn in test for the leds, thermal management etc, also it builds trust in the torches water tighness ahem. Other than an inexpensive light purchased over 10 years ago this is the first time I have had a problem with this test.
New symptom unfortunately. The button now will trigger with a light touch. No longer makes it to the click before registering. I have the cap off the switch, will let it keep airing out 
im using that ipx8 rating for accidental drops in the water, i would never deliberately use it under water, theres diving lights for that
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You took a brand new light that cost $120, you filled a glass of water and put it in the water. Then you turned it on. All to discharge the battery?
I mean this respectfully but what on earth were you thinking?
If for whatever reason you wanted to discharge the battery, buy an Opus charger/discharger.
To be fair… 3” of water in a glass has not been a hard test to pass for dozens of lights I have purchased over the years, and this is the first light over $20 in value to have water ingress. I mention this to hopefully lower expectations on the water tightness of this particular light so that others may not have the same fate.
A light that’s advertised as IP67 should survive this test without any water ingress.
Is there an o-ring between glass and bezel at all? Some poorly designed lights have an o-ring between optic and glass lens but none between glass lens and bezel…
Yes, this is the o-ring I referred to above as the most likely culprit. It is there but I believe the channel it sits in may be a touch larger than the thickness of the o-ring.
Thanks for the reasonable reply. I am a little shocked that people feel a >$100 torch with waterproof IP67 rating shouldn’t be subjected to such a simple test.
I agree. I would have reservations about doing such a test my self but it’s not performing as advertised.
Buy something expensive that’s waterproof and people go crazy when you actually put it in water :weary:
It’s like Apple’s iPhone 12. IP68, but water damage of any kind, is not covered under warranty. In other words, you don’t purposely use it as a dive camera, but if you get pushed into a swimming pool or drop it in the toilet, chances are the phone will survive just fine.
He didn’t use an iPhone as dive camera, he tested a tool whether it stands true to it’s advertised rating and it isn’t even close. I tested many flashlights in a similar matter, most of them were selfbuilt and I wanted to know if I can rely on them in heavier conditions. Better find out at home with a glass or bucket than in a situation where you really need it. About Apple, well, only thing I’d buy from them is stocks.
Except this is not an IPX6 torch. It HAS to withstand submersion.
Me too. Thanks for reporting and hope you’ll get the light repaired/replaced.
Whatever the ratings, ordinary flashlight are just not designed for underwater use.
I have 2 dive lights. Both have only 2 parts, with 1 thick round O-ring and 1 thick square O-ring
(is that still an O-ring?) that’s supposed to be compressed in a longitudal direction (along the axis).
My (well eh: your) beloved BLF A6 consists of 4 different parts, all with 1 thin O-ring at both ends.
So you have basically 8 different ports of ingression.
IP8 means that it does not comply to fixed standards, but to the set parameters of the manufacturer.
But it does not say how. I’ll bet you using your light under water is not one of them.
I wouldn’t mention that as probable cause, more likely it fell out of your backpack into a puddle.
Now for the technical circumstances: did you dunk a hot light in a glass of cold water?
Or did you switch it on followed by placing it in the glass? That can make a huge difference.
The air in your light heats up and expands, and after a certain time it wants to get out.
And so it does, because it can. Not in a dive light.
When your light cools down, the pressure in the light goes down and it wants to suck the air back in.
But there is no air, just water.
sorry but a 100$ light should pass this no problem, i have cheap sofirn budget light 30$ i can put in water no problem at all…. my emisar d4s has no issues be under water if i want drain the battery while i shower for example… why shouldnt a more expensive light from hank not be able ???
Im still having having a hard time understanding that this is a way people drain their batteries? Why not use a charger like the vc4s or any other one and not mess with the light? I totally get wanting to test the water resistance of a new light, and can respect that (and actually appreciate it for letting all of us know). but to use the light to drain a battery, and then to stick it in a glass of water, just sounds odd. Like said above if it was already hot when put in the glass of water, thats your reason for ingress most likely.
IP67 waterproofing is rated for up to one meter for 30 minutes. So it WILL likely leak after 30 minutes and it WILL likely leak if deeper then one meter. To me this means it will be protected from rain and casual wetness. Even a possible drop in some shallow water. This is all predicated on everything including the bezel being screwed tightly which we don’t know if it was.
Very easy: If nothing else can be guaranteed, sell it as waterproof.
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I am still torn on bringing this to Hank’s attention. After all this was my action that caused damage. I am hoping the button will return to click activated rather than touch sensitive if I leave it opened up airing out long enough. Button cover is off, and lenses are out, running it around 120F then recharging and repeating