The SF M6 X-LOLA: 200 lumens for 2.5 hours

[js]

seery,

Great info! Thank you so very much for posting this update to the thread! I haven't hit the 15 hour mark yet on my MN15 and it too is still going strong. I really hope that it turns out that 20-25 hours is typical for the X-LOLA.

[Illum]

My MN15 arrived today [ ADDICTED2LITE], loaded it in and ohh my g'awd! the MN15 was brighter than the MN20 [then again it could be because the batteries in the M6 are not all that new]

I'm going to try it out tonight
unfortunately my cameras not in a place where I can find it

[LED61]

It will appear WHITER than the MN20 IMHO, but the width and height of the beam is definitely smaller.

[BSBG]

My MN15 arrived today ohh my g'awd! the MN15 was brighter than the MN20

Try them side by side and the MN20 is noticeably brighter with more peripheral output. I like 'em both but they are definitely different , which is the whole idea - a third SF option for the M6 .

[LED61]

In my view, the color temperature of the NEW MN20 is lower than that of the MN15. That´s one of the reasons I like it better over the MN20. But is less peripheral amplitude.

[Illum]

Try them side by side and the MN20 is noticeably brighter with more peripheral output.

I need another M6

[ttran97]

I need another M6

I say have 3...one with each bulb: MN15, MN20, MN21!

[Illum]

I say have 3...one with each bulb: MN15, MN20, MN21!

we need comparison beamshots between those

edited for clarity

[seery]

My MN15 arrived today, loaded it in and ohh my g'awd! the MN15 was brighter than the MN20 [then again it could be because the batteries in the M6 are not all that new]

Illum - Agree completely. The last two MN15's I received are noticeably
brighter than my current MN20's. Side by side they even throw a bit further.

Just would not want to imagine life without SF M6's.

[:)>]

Any problem running the MN15 on AW's C-Cell LiIon's?

[BSBG]

we need beamshots

Have you seen these:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=159186

It is really hard to judge without having both in hand at the same time. I think the MN20 (old style) throws farther than the MN21, but it has a much smaller spot and the total amount of light is less.

The new style MN20s are yellower and not quite as tight as the old ones (but they say the old ones are more likely to explode) so maybe my comparison is skewed.

[MrBadExample]

After reading through this thread I just ordered a M6. Unfortunately, I missed out on the 2 m6-r batteries that were up for sale. Thankfully, it looks like the MN15 bulb will suit my purposes.

[Illum]

Have you seen these:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=159186

I was referring to MN15 vs MN20
I'll be more explicit next time

[BSBG]

I was referring to MN15 vs MN20
I'll be more explicit next time

The last picture in post #1 shows the MN15, 20 and 21

[Illum]

The last picture in post #1 shows the MN15, 20 and 21

in that case no I didn't see it...

[Bullzeyebill]

I did not see it.

Bill

[js]

My MN15 arrived today ( ADDICTED2LITE), loaded it in and ohh my g'awd! the MN15 was brighter than the MN20 (then again it could be because the batteries in the M6 are not all that new

I'm going to try it out tonight
unfortunately my cameras not in a place where I can find it

Illum_the_nation,

It is almost CERTAINLY the case of weak batteries here. The MN20 old OR new, is NOTICEABLY brighter than the MN15 in M6.

However, as mentioned, the MN15 might be a touch whiter in the M6 than the new style MN20. But in terms of total output, there's no question that if everything is going right, the MN20 kicks the MN15's butt.

But, total output isn't all that and a bag of chips, and currently the MN15 is my favorite M6 LA. I used to slightly prefer the old style MN20, until it exploded in my turbo head.

Ah well. Once again, SureFire replaced the head for free. I know people complain about their CS from time to time, but in my experience, I've been pretty happy about getting two new turbo heads in exchange for two ruined ones due to lamp explosions.

[Illum]

EDIT: user error...inconsistent distance compared equates to a false illusion of beam characteristic

I don't remember jarring it..and it gets a hot shower every night [where its being used usually has grease/oil/solvants around ]

[BSBG]

I did not see it.

Bill

For those of you who did not , or can not see this, I downloaded and re-hosted them:

[js]

my MN15s beam went from a near perfect ball...to a pear...to an ellipse and now to something that I can mount horizontally to my car i can illuminate the entire driveway like a uni-headlight

Err. Wow. That's strange!

OK. First of all, I assume that the whiteness and output of the beam haven't changed? If they haven't, that must mean that the lamp is loose in the potting material inside the stem that sticks up above the collar that holds the dual coil springs. Or, it could mean that the collar/stem assembly is loose in the M6 head.

First, check that. Unscrew the head with the lens more or less downwards to prevent the lamp from falling out, then test the fit of the LA in the bore of the reflector. Is it pretty tight fitting? There should be a very little bit of play, but not too much. Next, is there anything between the collar and the butt of the reflector? Such as dirt or bits of paper or metal or whatever? If all that is OK, pull the LA out of the bore and examine the glass lamp and potting. Take a clean cloth of paper towel and while holding the stem/collar, try wiggling the lamp. It should NOT move. If it does, that's a problem. Stop using the lamp.

In fact, I would stop using it in any case.

If you find any of these kinds of problems, SureFire will warrantee the lamp, I'm sure. Just don't ask them to warrantee it because it didn't last the full 35 hours. We're overdriving this bad boy, so it will only last 15-20 hours.

Now, there's one last possibility, and that is that the filament itself has moved inside the glass envelope. Take a look and make sure that the filament is more or less centered inside the glass envelope.

Plus, back at the beginning of this whole trouble shooting tree, if your lamps output is NOT white and bright, but is maybe offcolored and even dim, then it's DEFINITELY a problem with the filament/envelope. Stop using the lamp and get a new one sent to you from SF.

Good luck and let us know what's going on.

[ttran97]

I just got my MN15 today and tried it in my old M6 (it says Millennium Series M6 on the side! wow, old...).

I have to admit, I was very nervous to turn it on because of hearing about the infamous "instaflash" issues. But luckily, nothing happened except beautiful white light! My batteries were pretty run down so I was getting a nasty yellow light with the MN20...

Thanks for this thread! This really gives new life to my M6!

[js]

ttran97,

I don't think there have been any instaflash issues with the MN15, actually . Not that I can remember anyway. It's not being overdriven to the point of instaflash danger. Plus, the difference in fully loaded vs. open circuit battery voltage is lower due to the lower draw rate (2.5 hours vs. 1.0 hour or 20 min).

And it sounds like you should install some new batteries to really get the X-LOLA experience! And they white light will stay that way for at least the first hour of running. Very nice characteristic, in my opinion!

[Illum]

when I mentioned I can use it as a uni-head light, I was exaggerating a bit...but its a pretty wide ellipse

theres no tint/brightness variation I can tell, its dimmed a bit since I first got it, but I've already made an hour worth of runtime on this set of cells [I need to get more because I don't have a set of 6 good cells to test the light with]

ttran97, Mines also the old Millennium Series....Magnumlight A004110

1st thing I noticed...the threads are awfully dry [I feel like such an unworthy parent ]

the o-rings very very dry

the lamp cavity on the body is of copper color...looks a bit tarnished, so I decided to wipe it down....lo and behold the dust that has accumulated.

its a used light yes...but I never realized my room had this much dust for it to accumulate [I left the body separated from the bezel to test the output of the batteries...then I left it as such in preparation for a midterm exam and forgot about it

the end of the MN15 looks a bit overcrimped, but quite a few of those dents came on the lamp freshly out of its package, the lamp does not move around easily but theres sufficient room for the lamp to wobble in the reflector bore. the envelope is firmly secured to the potting base...no issues there



quick shot of the lamp


interesting fact is the projection shape went back to "normal" after the reassembly...the near perfect squash shaped ball of surefire grade photons


you just solved me problem... js!

[ttran97]

JS, thanks for the tips. I think it's time to move the batteries to my box of "used, but ok for LED" batteries. Maybe one day Surefire will make an LED drop-in for the M6! hehe. Oh, by the way...I talked to Dan from Tactical Warehouse the other day, and he still loves the wonderful job you did on his M6-R!

Nice pics, Illum! One of mine only says "Millennium Series M6"...nothing about Magnumlight on it. I think that one pre-dates the ones that say MagnumLight. That's what is on my second one..."MagnumLight". I'm tempted to pick up one that says "Guardian" on it just to complete my collection. Are there any other name designations that I'm missing?

[Illum]

Maybe one day Surefire will make an LED drop-in for the M6! hehe.

if you really must...theres is currently a LED for M6 thats not made by a third party...but it destroys the appearance of the M6
read these
What would happen if I put my KL6 on my M6 body ?
L6 head on M6 body will it work?
Surefire M6 Question

Are there any other name designations that I'm missing?

I don't believe theres any other variations...as 1996 catalog didn't have the M6, closest to my records in 2002, not there either
Millennium series M6 [first appearance in 2003 illumination catalog] comes after the M6 Magnumlight [2002 catalog] and the guardian came out around 2006
looked through all the catalogs
from catalog... 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007 PK's hairstyle [off topic]

[ttran97]

if you really must...theres is currently a LED for M6 thats not made by a third party...but it destroys the appearance of the M6
read these
What would happen if I put my KL6 on my M6 body ?
L6 head on M6 body will it work?
Surefire M6 Question

Oh, I know about the KL6. Size15s and I have had a few discussions regarding that setup. haha. Thanks anyway. For now, I'm more than happy with the MN15 setup!

[Illum]

Oh, I know about the KL6. Size15s and I have had a few discussions regarding that setup. haha. Thanks anyway. For now, I'm more than happy with the MN15 setup!

well...theres a seoul light tower around here somewhere if you are still interested
mostly sell threads that has ended, but none the less provides some decent information and or pics if your inclined to do research on it
Turbo Head and Tower Module with adjustable focus!
**Pics** SSC P4 (USVOH) Tower Module Complete!
F/S: Arc Mania/Katokichi SF Turbo Head Module - 5W (WXOS Emitter)! *SOLD!*
Ended! Back by popular demand, SF TH modules. [post]
Dead centering a Cree XR-E, tower module too.
for spent cells I usually use something like my fenix P1-CE to burn them off during showering, outdoor walks, etc...I don;t trust lights burning off unevenly matched cells unless they are drawing a very very small amount of current and direct driven [something like the Inova X5 would be the only light I allow to eat away my spent cell stash]
anyway, this is way off topic

[js]

Illum,

That pic of your MN15 seems to me to show a filament that is way off to the side. Is that right? And it's really fishy that it went back to normal on it's own.

ttran,

Dan mentioned his M6-R, eh? Cool! Good to know it's still going strong!

[Illum]

Illum,

That pic of your MN15 seems to me to show a filament that is way off to the side. Is that right? And it's really fishy that it went back to normal on it's own.

I believe theres a difference between viewing a beamshot 2 feet to the wall versus looking at a beamshot ~100 feet on the wall of a nearby building. I didn't go out and test what it looked like yesterday night

the lamp can wobble fairly easy when its 1/3 its way up the reflector bore...could it be that the lamp was at an angle instead of being perfectly straight in there to begin with? since I had changed nothing except uninstall and reinstalling the lamp I can't think of any possibility on that matter

the lamp from looking at it seems straight from the side of the filament, and centered from the front

fishy indeed....but I don't have an explanation for it...unless beamshot outdoors had something to do with it. as the M6 is anything but a household task light

EDIT: I figured out why, lamps normal, outputs normal, an ball shaped beam indoors is still an elliptical beam out
js, I apologize for setting you out on a wild goose chase here...I'll remember next time to control the variables

[ttran97]

Dan mentioned his M6-R, eh? Cool! Good to know it's still going strong!

Yeah, he loves it. That's one of only a few lights that he still keeps. I told him about using the MN15 bulb for the M6, but I don't know if he'll be able to use it in the M6-R. What do you say? Thanks.