Surefire Fury Intellibeam doesn't work with Surefire 18650s

[jon_slider]

The batteries that Surefire sent with the Fury Intellibeams did and do work. They just don't perform as long or reliably as the Orbtronic 3500 mAh High Drain with button top. This picture helps explain part of the problem.

Hope this helps.

great info, the picture clearly shows that the USB battery is much longer.

My Surefire Fury Intellibeam ...doesn't work with the Surefire mini USB Rechargeable 18650s

when a battery is too long, the body tube cant close far enough to reach the contact ring in the head.

now that you know the USB battery is too long, and have learned that the light requires a shorter Button Top battery, youre on the way to choosing a battery that works properly in your light.

I can understand your frustration with a battery that does not work in your light. Hopefully Surefire will refund your USB battery purchases..

The problem is not the light, it just needs a shorter, non USB, and button top, battery. Suggest you buy the Orbtronic that Raymond33 recommends.

Do you already own a separate battery charger, or do you need suggestions for a charger as well?

Once you get the proper batteries and charger, I hope you will enjoy your light ;-)

 

[dddrees]

great info, the picture clearly shows that the USB battery is much longer.



when a battery is too long, the body tube cant close far enough to reach the contact ring in the head.

now that you know the USB battery is too long, and have learned that the light requires a shorter battery, youre on the way to choosing a battery that works properly in your light.

Hopefully Surefire will refund your USB battery purchases.. the problem is not the light, it just needs a shorter, and button top, battery.

Although that typically makes common sense I think you missed the part where these very batteries are what the manufacturer says works with their flashlight and the tech I called said the tolerances on my flashlight most likely are just off.

Actually both the longer and shorter batteries work in my Thrunite flashlight but that's because their flashlight is designed diferently.

So your suggestion is not always the case. SureFire currently only sells one size of the 18650B battery. So although people make mistakes it not often likely they wouldn't support the Flashlights they also currently sell.

 

[jon_slider]

I think you missed the part where these very batteries are what the manufacturer says works with their flashlight

true, I did not understand that your light shipped w a USB battery. So I understand your upset even better now.

Hopefully they will send you a new light that works w your USB batteries

 

[dddrees]

true, I did not understand that your light shipped w a USB battery. So I understand your upset even better now.

Hopefully they will send you a new light that works w your USB batteries

There is a good chance they will simply attempt to repair the one I sent back. It may not even require that much to do so.

 

[aznsx]

I spoke with a customer service rep from SureFire this morning. He believes it's a tolerance issue. Since I purchased it recently I could contact the retailer I bought it from or send it beck to SureFire. He said because they are back ordered it could take as long as 30 days plus or minus a week. I may either get mine back repaired or a new one. He said he had an issue were batteries would work intermently and a simple removal of the flashlight head and cleaning of the threads fixed the problem. Given that mine doesn't even work with their battery I think it's not just cleaning the threads. He did say they had change batteries at one point and the new one has more of a button and not so flat.

Anyway I chose to return it back to SureFire. He emailed me a RMA and UPS emailed me a return label so at least I didn't have to pay for shipping. The guy I spoke with I could tell was a notch above the customer service people you speak with typically. Nice, friendly, and also knowledgeable. He said he would attempt to expedite it so we shall see.

I chose to return it even though I have other batteries that work, just figured in the long run I would prefer the right batteries to work. Especially since I have 3 new ones of those and they aren't actually cheap considering what I paid for them. The ones from Thrunite I have are older.

Given others have had this issue I don't know how common it is but it appears it's an issue that happens from time to time anyway and it just appears it's a tolerance issue but SureFire does address it when it occurs.

Thanks for your replies.

I'll try to remember to post again when I get my flashlight back.

👍👍

The only reason for my replying to this post is so I could give it 2 'thumbs up' - one for you, and one for Surefire.

This is exactly what I hoped (and expected) to be reading in your next post. Based on what I'm reading, you're doing exactly what you should be doing at this point in the process, and SF's doing exactly what they should be doing. In all likelihood, your issue will be resolved, and their product will be improved. That's 'best case' at this point, so you both rate a 'thumbs up'

 

[dddrees]

👍👍

The only reason for my replying to this post is so I could give it 2 'thumbs up' - one for you, and one for Surefire.

This is exactly what I hoped (and expected) to be reading in your next post. Based on what I'm reading, you're doing exactly what you should be doing at this point in the process, and SF's doing exactly what they should be doing. In all likelihood, your issue will be resolved, and their product will be improved. That's 'best case' at this point, so you both rate a 'thumbs up'

No matter the manufacturer they always have a mistake from time to time. However the main reasons I purchase products that cost more and have a better reputation is because you"ll often find they have superior products and superior customer service. I figured I was in good hands even if I wasn't happy about it because I have done a bit of research on them. It was a bonus that they footed the bill to ship their mistake back to them.

It was my first SureFire my second one a SureFire Stiletto Pro 2 just arrived today. I bought both of them because of their reputation and somewhat uniqueness of their products which I didn't see elsewhere. No regrets so far.

 

[aznsx]

@dddrees

Roger that. Good Product Support is not free / without costs; that's why I woke up today with a roof over my head, and food for dinner tonight;-) You may (or may not) get what you pay for in life, but one rarely gets what one doesn't pay for. Support is worth paying for, no less so than well-designed / built products.

At least you have a new light to play with while you're waiting!! That's cool.

 

[dddrees]

@dddrees

Roger that. Good Product Support is not free / without costs; that's why I woke up today with a roof over my head, and food for dinner tonight;-) You may (or may not) get what you pay for in life, but one rarely gets what one doesn't pay for. Support is worth paying for, no less so than well-designed / built products.

At least you have a new light to play with while you're waiting!! That's cool.

Yep, and unfortunately way too many people aren't willing to spend more. Then you often find them complaining because the products they purchased don't include those sort of things. Nothing is free, these things cost money they just do. People will more often stay with a company that pays them more money and those people tend to be more knowledgeable about the product they are working on and they tend to be more invested in that company as well. You just tend to more often get better customer service this way.

 

[jon_slider]

There is a good chance they will simply attempt to repair the one I sent back.

i have no doubt they will solve the problem

my guess is they shipped an earlier shorter body tube model, from before the USB battery came available, so all they need to do is swap it out for a new slightly longer body tube that is USB length compatible

 

[dddrees]

i have no doubt they will solve the problem

my guess is they shipped an earlier shorter body tube model, from before the USB battery came available, so all they need to do is swap it out for a new slightly longer body tube that is USB length compatible

No, in fact that's not what the person I spoke to said. Had nothing to do with the tube size and it would probably have more to do with how the head of the flashlight was tightened down. In fact he also mentioned not only the size of the battery had changed but the type of the top had changed from a flatter to a more button top of battery. So although it is true the battery is larger it's not large enough that the tube would be the problem.

 

[jon_slider]

no matter whether the fix is tube length of the configuration of the pill.. I look forward to your receipt of a compatible light for your USB cells

 

[dddrees]

no matter whether the fix is tube length of the configuration of the pill.. I look forward to your receipt of a compatible light for your USB cells

Thanks, as do I.

 

[Raymond33]

View attachment 58980
great info, the picture clearly shows that the USB battery is much longer.



when a battery is too long, the body tube cant close far enough to reach the contact ring in the head.

now that you know the USB battery is too long, and have learned that the light requires a shorter Button Top battery, youre on the way to choosing a battery that works properly in your light.

I can understand your frustration with a battery that does not work in your light. Hopefully Surefire will refund your USB battery purchases..

The problem is not the light, it just needs a shorter, non USB, and button top, battery. Suggest you buy the Orbtronic that Raymond33 recommends.

Do you already own a separate battery charger, or do you need suggestions for a charger as well?

Once you get the proper batteries and charger, I hope you will enjoy your light ;-)

My Favorite battery for the Surefire Fury Intellibeam, the Orbtronic 3500 Button top High Drain made in Japan is both in stock and available.

18650 Button Top Battery 3500mAh High Drain Rechargeable Li-ion 3.7V Orbtronic-Panasonic-Sanyo-Battery case included

18650 Button Top battery (Unprotected) High Drain 3500mAh Li-ion - Orbtronic - Free battery holder included.

www.orbtronic.com

 

[rrego]

Here's hoping they did something to address that. I've seen a few instances where someone had the issue and the second one they got did the same thing although I can't say for sure how long ago it was when they got there second flashlight.

Do you have any idea how long either one had to be on before it burned out their LEDs?

Sorry for the delay, I've just haven't checked back here until tonight.

I do not remember how long each one was on until they burned up the LED.

I was ceiling bouncing the Fury Defender when I noticed the tint go yellow due to the burned LED.

When I was using the Fury DFT I was using it outside when I also noticed the yellow/brown tint.

EDIT: the burned LEDs.

The Fury Defender lens remains crystal clear.
However, the Fury DFT developed a coating inside the lens due to the smoke (I'm assuming reaction of LED material burning up?)

 

[dddrees]

I called SureFire today to check on my Flashlight. They actually shipped it out the very next day after receiving it. I should have it no later than Thursday. Kind of surprised I didn't get a notification but it's already on its way back so I am glad to hear that.

The tech said the head wasn't tightened down properly. That basically agrees with what I was initially told. So when it gets here we shall see. Great turn around time. Fingers crossed.

 

[dddrees]

Sorry for the delay, I've just haven't checked back here until tonight.

I do not remember how long each one was on until they burned up the LED.

I was ceiling bouncing the Fury Defender when I noticed the tint go yellow due to the burned LED.

When I was using the Fury DFT I was using it outside when I also noticed the yellow/brown tint.

EDIT: the burned LEDs.

The Fury Defender lens remains crystal clear.
However, the Fury DFT developed a coating inside the lens due to the smoke (I'm assuming reaction of LED material burning up?)

No problems since they have been repaired I hope.

 

[rrego]

No problems since they have been repaired I hope.

Haven't sent them in yet. But when I do, the representative stated in the email that turn around is 60+ days right now.

 

[dddrees]

Haven't sent them in yet. But when I do, the representative stated in the email that turn around is 60+ days right now.

Wow, that sucks. When I called the person I spoke with told me the turn around time was 30 days give or take a week. Maybe that just has to do with that specific model. Some manufacturers have production schedules and only make certain models at certain times. I got lucky though they actually fixed mine within a day and sent it on it's way back to me. Simple adjustment is all it needed and the guy I spoke with said he was going to try and get it done as soon as possible. Anyway in my case if everything works out I'm impressed. I should have it today.

 

[dddrees]

Haven't sent them in yet. But when I do, the representative stated in the email that turn around is 60+ days right now.

In fact I had a thought. I wonder if you were to call back in 30 days if your wait might then be more like 30 days. If he isn't just basing this on a production schedule. Anyway it's just a thought and of course I could be wrong.

 

[dddrees]

I received my flashlight back today. Initially when I tested the Surefire 18650B batteries I wasn't able to get it to work, I did notice however that the batteries went further into the flashlight. I could tell that so they did back the head out a bit. The Thrunite button top batteries still worked.

I called Surfire and he had me crank the tail cap down harder and it worked. I felt foolish that I had called him but when I tested I screwed it on tight just not tight enough. It all has to do with that flat top on their batteries and I imagine because The Surefire doesn't have the two springs like my Thru Nite flashlight. Anyway I had to crank the tail cap down tighter than I was doing initially.