Blackout Driving Light Full of Rusty Water

[niferous]

I was changing out the front parking lenses on my CUCV today and cleaning some over spray off the head lights so I decided to take the cover off of the black out driving light as well. I wanted to do this because when the Army repainted this truck they didn't tape off the lens for this light and as a result it was painted over. I was wanting to get some paint thinner and clear the lens off. Well as I was unscrewing the light water started pouring out of it! I got all three screws off and the whole realized the whole thing must have just been full of water. There is rust clumped up all in the bottom of the light and in every crack and crevice. It was getting dark so I called it a night and took the cover inside to wash in the dish washer. I figure that will get all the rust residue off of it. I think it's salvagable just needs a lot of cleaning and a new bulb. Anyone ever had this happen before? I have no idea how the water would have gotten in there.

 

[Westech]

that what happened to mine... Just got a NOS one of ebay for 20 bucks.

 

[12vctd]

I noticed a ton of blackout lights holding water, never really knew why i wasnt a mechanic in the Army, but I changed plenty of the bulbs. I think the gaskets go bad.

 

[Cucvnut]

same thing happened to me i need to get another one

 

[Scotty78]

I was a mechanic in the Army, (63B20H and i was constantly replacing light housings, CUCV's, HMMWV's, 5-Ton's, you name it. Alot of the rubber ring seals would go bad, or they failed against the high pressure washers at the wash rack. 2500psi can squeeze water through just about anything....LOL If you catch it early they can be saved, I used to drill 2 small holes in the low point on the housing so they would drain, but that's just my 2 cents.

 

[M543A2]

I agree with drilling a couple of 1/8" holes in the bottom of waterproof lights. My trucks never get into water that deep, so no problem. It is a worse problem if water is trapped in them.
I have also drilled drain holes in the bottom of my winch brake housings. Again, they do not get in the water, and I have had water ruin them that got in there from who knows where. Even if the brakes or the lights do get in the water, I know they will drain. With the drain holes only on the bottom, they will not fill with water very fast, if at all anyway.
Regards Marti

 

[800summit]

You know good ole WD-40 will clean off the paint and not mess up the plastic and will help slow down the rust

 

[ChevyFan1207]

Sorry to bump and old post, but as we were fixing my dash lights this past weekend, we noticed the police department that owned her before me paint the bumpers and didn't tape off the blackouts either. I'll be taking them off and trying to salvage them.