Glo-toob flood?

[crpntr133]

I just checked the Glo-Toob website and noticed that they come with 3 different caps: a push-button cap (not waterproof), a waterproof cap, and a Scuba cap. All the Glo-toobs I've ever seen in diving retail have the waterproof ones, not the scuba ones. My hunch is that this explains the many floods people keep reporting. The problem is whete to get one with the scuba cap?

This is the first time I have heard of the three types of caps. Also, this an old thread.

 

[CompuDude]

I use the Scuba caps. So far no floods.

I ordered mine from these guys: http://www.taclighting.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=66

 

[luft]

I just ordered mine from DAN. This one better not flood!

 

[jaydil]

I picked up a lithium glo-toob last month. Just 2 dives so far, to ~80ft, but I really don't see how it could leak unless you forget to tighten the cap.

Perhaps the other glo-toobs use a different design. The lithium glo-toob has a gasket between the cap and the body that compresses as you tighten the cap. They claim 2 miles depth rating.

I still applied silicone grease to the gasket. I do this for any gasket or o-ring that goes to depth. Silicone grease is cheap and readily available at most hardware stores (faucet repair section). Every diver should have a small container of grease in their kit.

By the way...I looked at all of the glo-toobs before I bought one, and the "regular" or "FX" versions seem like a poor choice. They take 23A alkaline cells that deliver very little power, poor shelf life, and potential leakage in storage. Lithium CR123 cells are much much better on all counts.

-Jeff

 

[idocsteve]

They claim 2 miles depth rating.

That's easy for them to say.

Who's going to prove them wrong?

 

[gcbryan]

No one using tank markers is going more than 120 fsw.

 

[jaydil]

Who's going to prove them wrong?

An extremely patient and inquisitive sailor with 4000 yards of fishing line?

Haha. I agree, I don't think anyone else will test it to that depth. And actually I just checked the glo-toob website and they say it has been tested to 10 miles of pressure, which you simply can't do in the ocean.

The point is, those pressures are so insanely high that I'm pretty sure a well-maintained device is bulletproof under normal diving conditions. Even with 10/70 trimix.

I dunno if they changed the design, but my glo-toob has no o-rings. It has a gasket that gets compressed between cap and body. Far more reliable than o-rings.

If you don't grease that gasket, I imagine it could catch and bulge when you torque down the cap, creating a potential leak. Nothing unusual there. Every dive light requires regular inspection and greasing.

-Jeff

 

[HenrikBP]

I dunno if they changed the design, but my glo-toob has no o-rings. It has a gasket that gets compressed between cap and body. Far more reliable than o-rings.

I flooded one of the new GLo-Toobs on regular shallow vacation diving. The light lived clipped off in my pocket for emergency use. It was never turned on/off under water.

I'm ridiculously anal about maintaining my gear, so that was not the problem. The gasket was inspected for particles, lightly greased and installed on also carefully inspected gasket surfaces. The Scuba end cap was "torqued" down until slight deformation/bulging of the gasket. The light still flooded.

That said, Glo-Toob were more than helpful in replacing the light. No problems at all.

I've yet to get my courage up to dive the new one ...

Henrik

 

[CompuDude]

I flooded one of the new GLo-Toobs on regular shallow vacation diving. The light lived clipped off in my pocket for emergency use. It was never turned on/off under water.

I'm ridiculously anal about maintaining my gear, so that was not the problem. The gasket was inspected for particles, lightly greased and installed on also carefully inspected gasket surfaces. The Scuba end cap was "torqued" down until slight deformation/bulging of the gasket. The light still flooded.

That said, Glo-Toob were more than helpful in replacing the light. No problems at all.

I've yet to get my courage up to dive the new one ...

Henrik

Frankly, that's been my issue with a number of dive lights that I've liked. I really liked the Glo-Toobs. They've cheerfully replaced 3 of them for me. And I really liked my Pelican Recoil light. They've cheerfully replaced 4 of them. And I really liked my PrincetonTec Eco Flare (LED). They've cheerfully replaced 3 of them. Nice companies with great customer service.

But the problem is, after a while, I get tired of calling the company, getting an RMA, finding a little box, boxing up the flooded lights, shipping them off to the company, and waiting a month of so for a replacement to come in. I just want something that works. Dependably. Every time.

I really really love the Glo-Toobs. When they work. But honestly, I've stopped using them for the most part (along the other lights listed above) because they're more hassle than they're worth. I dive a Salvo 21w HID. No one's going to miss me. And if that dies mid-dive somehow (unlikely), I have two backup lights that I know I can depend on (a Photon Torpedo and an Intova Compact Torch). I don't really need the tank marker lights, too.

 

[HenrikBP]

But the problem is, after a while, I get tired of calling the company, getting an RMA, finding a little box, boxing up the flooded lights, shipping them off to the company, and waiting a month of so for a replacement to come in. I just want something that works. Dependably. Every time.

I really really love the Glo-Toobs. When they work.

I hear ya' ...

I'm not big on "forgiveness" and have been hesitant to bring my Glo-Toob out diving yet. I would trust it more if they'd redesign the sealing - maybe a captured o-ring in a groove machined in the mating surfaces of light/cap. That way I could "crank" down the cap and know that the o-ring would have appropriate compression to seal as well as being locked solidly in place.

Henrik