I’m considering doing a load of drop tests on most of my lights.
Just 1m onto decking to show if they survive.
I personally think that all of them will be fine and would be fine at 1m onto concrete, probably more.
Is it stupid? Should I risk it?
I remember when I got my TN36 and tossed it in the bath. within a few minutes it failed because it got water in it through the power switch. People asked why I did it and my only answer was to see if it survived.
Anything you wouldn’t risk?
I’m personally thinking it’s all or nothing…
Obviously I’ll video it. Hopefully if something dies on such a simple test I can shame the manufacturer!
I typically drop lights onto carpet from approx. 1m (a desk) after building and installing the new driver. Just to see whether modes change or some solder joint breaks off.
I don’t think drop tests of lights are particularly informative. (The Q8 packaging drop tests are a different story.) Most of my lights wind up getting accidentally drop tested eventually anyway. But it only takes one pointy rock in the right (wrong) place to cause a failure. I’ve got an Otterbox Defender on my cell phone, it has taken several spills and works fine, that does not mean that if fate conspires against me, and the next drop winds up to be screen first onto a rock, that it will continue to be fine.
If they’re still under warranty you can test it of course but otherwise I don’t see the point. It might survive the fall but how do you know if it will survive the next one and the next one and the……
Just for the heck of it? Yeah I can’t think of any good reason for it.
But for a light which will be used by you in an environment which will need to reliably work -> I dunno perhaps. I guess if the light were to fail then it’d be better to happen during your test & not it the field. Although I’d still always carry a reliable backup b/c I trust no light to be 100% reliable.
Your lights will pass the drop test. But I don’t think its worth messing up the ano layer on purpose. Things do happen your tn36 failed after minutes. But there are videos on YouTube of it not. And in real life use it would have survived heavy rain just fine if it stayed submerged for minutes before failing.
In the end I think it’s stupid but its your money your lights. Lights get dropped on accident sometimes anyway. You mighf actually need a light one day somewhere and drop it and it die. From one drop to many when it may have survived
Idk I just don’t have the disposable income to intentionally inflict harm on my lights. Most I’ve done is handled them with wet hands. Or exposed to very light rain briefly. I have a few edc lights that get dusty and dirty and slme that are like my babies. And I wouldn’t intentionally drop either groups even though I can fix most myself. Just seems like wasted money resolder or replace a driver or led because I dropped it on purpose on a hard surface.
But I believe you already knew the answer to your question before you posted this and already had your mind made up. So good luck. Happy testing. Good luck if you ever want to sell a light on here in the future
I don't know if I would do a drop test deliberately or not. Doing so would only provide shock and durability results, for that (those) lights anyway. I would not expect the same level of quality control (who soldered what, what day, etc) in every light sold. Then again, if you're going to test them, make a video. I'll grab the chips N dip and watch your findings. I think if tests were done, a 1m drop onto concrete would tell the story.
If the light has been entirely built by yourself, then I could justify the test. Then it would be a durability test of electronics used.
IMO, the durability of the electronics, internals would be what is tested. For solder connections, a visual check would suffice. The smaller the boards, the lesser solder can be applied. So more care should presumed.
The bigger the light, the bigger and thicker the boards. And more surface area for better adhesion. Then again, the bigger the light, the more mass on everything from blunt-force STOP when it hits whatever surface.
You're probably right though. Dropping it on average decking (non-hard-set) will likely give positive results for the impact received.
But still. They are your lights though. Just sayin.
I think I remember that video. It was from a sidewalk/bridge, above a dry water spillway? IIRC, that was a weapon light for a firearm though? I think that light was also potted.
Not the light I was referring too, but this is extreme..lol.
