Storing lights in safe for months and humidity

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

Hi!

So, I’ve been storing my special lights (all Emisar/Noctigon) in a safe under my desk. For months. They get taken out for a spin every once in a while.

I just learned today that humidity can build up in a safe. Keep in mind this is not a completely airtight safe.

Recently I started monitoring humidity at my place and have found that it’s usually about 60% under the desk this winter. So, probably more inside the safe, I guess (currently I’m at work and haven’t checked humidity inside the safe).

Is this something I should be kicking myself over? These lights have been in there most of the time for months.

Thanks for any “light” you can shine on the subject!

2

Interesting question…

I’m curious as well.

3

those are waterproof lights. i’d think they’ll stand up to humidity as well.

4

My concern was that over time, high humidity would eventually cause internal issues due to moisture slowly building up inside the lights.

The lights aren’t completely airtight, and temperature fluctuations, which I allow, can cause liquid to condense in places it otherwise wouldn’t.

5

How big is the safe? There are “rechargeable” dessicants or even the “goldenrod” which is really just a heater of sorts that folks use in their gunsafes for this very reason.

6

It’s a couple cubic feet.

That said, I was able to test after I came home, and humidity inside the safe is actually lower than outside.

So maybe the concern is only for safes that are intended to be water-proof and completely sealed, ironically.

This teaches me not to post on break at work after researching a topic at work. Gotta test at home first!

False alarm in my case. Those of you with “sealed” enclosures may want to check the humidity buildup though.

7

I keep Silica Gel in my gun safe to soak up the moisture as do most of the people I know who store firearms in safes. Some also use goldenrods or small low wattage light bulbs.

8

Silica gel seems like the best approach. Not sure why this didn’t seem obvious to me before. :slight_smile:

9

I appreciate you putting up, it’s not something I’ve considered previously for flashlights. I have for my gun safe and I obsess over that. In that I have both a goldenrod, AND rotate those portable plug in Eva dry desiccant devices inside of it and a dehumidifier outside of it for the room the safe is in.

10

Would not do it. You will destroy them long term. Water proof does not mean the moisture wont get in there and contaminate the electronics. Not to mention they will develop a smell that will never go away.

11

Just don’t eat it. :open_mouth:

12

I thought IPx8 lights are air tight. My thinking is that, if it can withstand water at 19.6kPa pressure (2 meters of water), it should be able to withstand moisture at almost no differential pressure.

13

There’s no such thing as a 100% air tight seal, so given enough time moisture will eventually work its way in. Unless you’re in a humid tropical environment, it probably isn’t going to be enough to damage anything unless you are storing very long term. If they are taken out and checked/operated occasionally, I wouldn’t worry.

14

Yeah, it looks to be a non-issue in my case. It’s literally less humid inside the safe than outside.

I left my humidity gauge in the safe overnight and had the same result as my rapid swap test last night.

15

average humidity in Florida is 74% i’m sure people have lights there and keep them out in the open. have not heard anyone from there to report damage due to humidity, neither on here, nor cpf.
in nyc it gets very humid too for 3-4 month i keep lights in cars, never had any issues due to that, never seen moisture inside the light, i think you worried too much over nothing. i personally have never seen any evidence of harm due to simple storage for the reasons of humidity, especially indoors, without sharp and quick tamp fluctuations, if anyone has any, please share