# Need to open a sealed outdoor light **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 16, 2024, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-open-a-sealed-outdoor-light/997669 "2024-02-16T16:05:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-open-a-sealed-outdoor-light/997669/1 "2024-02-16T16:05:18Z")
Hi for “reasons” I need to open this outdoor light - to swap out the included battery there are no screws on it, its front-glass is silicon-glued in … [![](https://i.postimg.cc/cHXxCWqB/image.png) ](https://i.postimg.cc/cHXxCWqB/image.png) [![](https://i.postimg.cc/ZqLB81tC/image.png) ](https://i.postimg.cc/ZqLB81tC/image.png) . any thoughts on how to proceed? - my current (ex-ante) gameplan is to see if I can get a fishing-line (or thin cable) in diagonal into one corner and then sew-saw my way thru the whole glued glass portion … - heat is out of Q. (Lith. battery in there) - anything chemical that wont give me cancer? (silicone caulk seems to be rather inert to household solvents, like alcohol, etc…) - is there a chemical Archiles-heel? - plan-z : smash the glass and replace it you got anything better than that? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-open-a-sealed-outdoor-light/997669/2 "2024-02-16T16:22:42Z")
Could you heat it up with a heat gun to soften the glue, and then gently pry the glass out? I think that’s how they do cell phone battery replacements these days. You probably wouldn’t need _that_ much heat, and it’s not like baking the whole thing in the oven. At any rate, I wouldn’t worry about it too much; those lights are only around $30 or so. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-open-a-sealed-outdoor-light/997669/3 "2024-02-16T16:25:42Z")
Could you just buy another one? Lights like that are available in the $15-$20 range. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-open-a-sealed-outdoor-light/997669/4 "2024-02-16T16:36:50Z")
Why the front? Are there any seams where you can go through the back? ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-open-a-sealed-outdoor-light/997669/5 "2024-02-16T18:02:50Z")
They make tools just for opening cell phones and the like. I think all you need is a thin spudger, not the whole tool kit. [https://www.amazon.com/MMOBIEL-Ultra-Thin-Professional-Stainless-Spudger/dp/B08XZH2XMR?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref\_=fplfs&smid=A3K3JW8N3SXQ63&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/MMOBIEL-Ultra-Thin-Professional-Stainless-Spudger/dp/B08XZH2XMR?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&smid=A3K3JW8N3SXQ63&th=1) ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-open-a-sealed-outdoor-light/997669/6 "2024-02-16T18:05:37Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Why the front? Are there any seams where you can go through the back? that’s the whole point … in an effort to make things ever more efficient, =cheaper= and more waterproof, the whole alum rear “half-shell” is one single piece … All the innards are dumped in and a glass is sealing it shot from the front. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-open-a-sealed-outdoor-light/997669/7 "2024-02-16T19:32:20Z")
I’m pretty sure this device is the epitome of “no user serviceable parts inside”.