Learn About Condensation in Your Smart Lights

One of the things that may hinder the operation of your Ring Smart Lights is the accumulation of too much water inside the body of the light. It's important, however, to distinguish between natural condensation, which presents no threat to your light, and leaking water. 

This article will help you understand the difference between these two conditions. 

Water in your lights

Condensation is a naturally occurring process by which water condenses out of the air and forms as small droplets inside the light. This happens primarily due to the cooling effect when your lights turn off or as the light itself cools when the sun goes down. Smart Lights are engineered to resist this type of moisture and they present no threat to the operation of your light. 

Leaking water, on the other hand, is the result of some sort of defect or damage in the body of the light. This type of water may come from different sources such as rain, a water sprinkler, or runoff from a hose. This type of water may present a threat to the operation of your light and you should immediately take steps to prevent damage. 

Recognizing the differences

It’s easy to recognize the differences between condensation and leaking water: 

Condensation

• Condensation forms as small droplets of water on the inside of the light.
• The water droplets are usually evenly spread over the surface area of the light. 
• Condensation can usually be seen early in the morning or just after the sun goes down.
• Condensation will usually evaporate completely as the temperature rises. 

Leaking water

• Leaking water usually leaves large droplets on the inside of the light.
• Leaking water droplets are usually unevenly spaced over the surface area of the light.
• Depending on how your light is oriented, leaking water may pool in the bottom of the Pathlight.
• Leaking water will be spotted after some event such as a rainstorm or watering the lawn has dropped a quantity of water on the light.

Dealing with leaking water

Condensation in the light doesn’t require any action from you. If you suspect you have leaking water however, do the following:

• Immediately remove the battery on battery devices or cut off the power to the light at the breaker and disconnect it from the network. 
• Perform a visual inspection of the Pathlight, paying special attention to any cracks in the dome, openings in the casing, or flaws in the seals. 

If you do have water leakage, the unit will need to be replaced. 

If you are looking for general information about Ring Smart Lighting, tap here.