OrcaTorch D630 Issues with Flooding

[AeroSpartacus]

I figured I'd leave a bit of an informal review here. I've had a D630 as my primary light since I took apprentice cave about 1.5-2 years ago. All things considered, it's been a decent light for the cost in that time. However, I had a critical issue recently when I was taking my IANTD Helitrox course (I think they call it advanced recreational trimix plus, a bit of a mouthful) and dove to approximately 170 feet. On the slow ascent, at maybe 155 feet, the light suddenly shut off with no warning. I switched to one of several backups, but realized the severity of the problem after surfacing. When I was disassembling my gear, I found out the the canister for the D630 had completely flooded and the battery was basically FUBAR. This was surprising since it's supposedly rated for 150m (on the website), and I had relatively recently replaced all the O-rings. I happened to have a 2nd battery for the D630, and that worked at first, but also ended up flooding at only ~60 feet partway into my next dive at Peacock after replacing O-rings again.

All that being said, I'm now ordering a Dive Rite primary light so I can have more peace of mind while cave diving.

 

[LFMarm]

2 floodings, I wonder if the problem is the part of the head that screws into the battery canister. I got mine to 65m without issues

 

[HydroHacker]

I figured I'd leave a bit of an informal review here. I've had a D630 as my primary light since I took apprentice cave about 1.5-2 years ago. All things considered, it's been a decent light for the cost in that time. However, I had a critical issue recently when I was taking my IANTD Helitrox course (I think they call it advanced recreational trimix plus, a bit of a mouthful) and dove to approximately 170 feet. On the slow ascent, at maybe 155 feet, the light suddenly shut off with no warning. I switched to one of several backups, but realized the severity of the problem after surfacing. When I was disassembling my gear, I found out the the canister for the D630 had completely flooded and the battery was basically FUBAR. This was surprising since it's supposedly rated for 150m (on the website), and I had relatively recently replaced all the O-rings. I happened to have a 2nd battery for the D630, and that worked at first, but also ended up flooding at only ~60 feet partway into my next dive at Peacock after replacing O-rings again.

All that being said, I'm now ordering a Dive Rite primary light so I can have more peace of mind while cave diving.

if I’m reading correctly that both failures happened after o-ring replacements - is it possible there was either a problem with the replacement o-rings or the replacement procedure?

Seems coincidental

 

[rob.mwpropane]

That sucks. I have a budy that routinely takes his to 250'.

Did you lube the o rings, any chance of cross threading?

I can get batteries for less, but it sounds like the housing or threads might be out of whack.

 

[AeroSpartacus]

The O-rings were lubed not long before the 2nd dive; it wasn't as recently before the 1st dive but they had been lubed in the past. It does seem like the issue might have been something other than the O-rings (at least after the first time), especially with it happening at relatively shallow depths later on. I'll add that I had been using that light several times in the week prior to the deeper dive without issue.

For what it's worth, one of my backups (not the one I switched to) is also an Orcatorch and it faired fine - D530 I think.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

The O-rings were lubed not long before the 2nd dive; it wasn't as recently before the 1st dive but they had been lubed in the past. It does seem like the issue might have been something other than the O-rings (at least after the first time), especially with it happening at relatively shallow depths later on. I'll add that I had been using that light several times in the week prior to the deeper dive without issue.

For what it's worth, one of my backups (not the one I switched to) is also an Orcatorch and it faired fine - D530 I think.

I don't lube often but I will wipe them down when done. I'm interested to see if you can figure this out. Do the threads look messed up in any way?