SureFire HellFighter
- Thread starter Entrope
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Re: SureFire HellFighter - DOA
:sigh: Sorry to hear about your trouble Entrope. That has to be very annoying. DaFAB is the only other guy that I can think of off hand who owns one here. Since your batteries sound fine as well as your cable I'm thinking ballast. If the bulb itself appears to be fine and is producing some light it sound as if something is wrong in the area of ignition or regulation. I sure hope that SF helps you to resolve it quickly. Best of luck man.
:sigh: Sorry to hear about your trouble Entrope. That has to be very annoying. DaFAB is the only other guy that I can think of off hand who owns one here. Since your batteries sound fine as well as your cable I'm thinking ballast. If the bulb itself appears to be fine and is producing some light it sound as if something is wrong in the area of ignition or regulation. I sure hope that SF helps you to resolve it quickly. Best of luck man.
ShortArc
Enlightened
Re: SureFire HellFighter - DOA
It should look bright and yes the ballast does exhibit an audible squeal. Is it it loud? Well, you should barely be able to hear it at arms length (unless you concentrate on the sound then you would be able to hear it a few meters away). It starts off louder and then get less as the light warms up. I have three of these and my newest one (with new rail design) is the least audible. I believe they all use D1S ballasts, etc. I am also surprised at BA-5590 "malfunction" as they usually have some pretty fancy control circuitry. Glad to hear the light is ok (I hope)...that's what matters.
It should look bright and yes the ballast does exhibit an audible squeal. Is it it loud? Well, you should barely be able to hear it at arms length (unless you concentrate on the sound then you would be able to hear it a few meters away). It starts off louder and then get less as the light warms up. I have three of these and my newest one (with new rail design) is the least audible. I believe they all use D1S ballasts, etc. I am also surprised at BA-5590 "malfunction" as they usually have some pretty fancy control circuitry. Glad to hear the light is ok (I hope)...that's what matters.
DaFABRICATA
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: SureFire HellFighter - DOA
Glad to hear its working.
Mine makes noise that gets a bit quiter when it warms up...you can still hear it though.
I too am interested in the new design...PICS?
Glad to hear its working.
Mine makes noise that gets a bit quiter when it warms up...you can still hear it though.
I too am interested in the new design...PICS?
DaFABRICATA
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: SureFire HellFighter - DOA
Hell no!:laughing:
I just use a small 12V SLA battery from a cheap *** $20 spotlight...
Runtimes not too good, but I also don't use it much. I just plug the battery back into the huge spotlight it came from and charge it back up every couple of weeks..
Hell no!:laughing:
I just use a small 12V SLA battery from a cheap *** $20 spotlight...
Runtimes not too good, but I also don't use it much. I just plug the battery back into the huge spotlight it came from and charge it back up every couple of weeks..
Re: SureFire HellFighter - DOA
I'm guessing it's only to provide a more stable and consistent voltage over it's estimated run-time. I don't know how much voltage sag happens under load to the 5590 but I'm guessing it's not very much. It it were me, and I was using 5590's, I'd only use one.
I don't own one and I do appreciate all the correct set-ups and all but I have to admit I'd be like DaFAB in this case. I'd probably be running it off of a single 3S 10mA Li-po. I'm way to impatience to jack around with specialized power sources.
I'm guessing it's only to provide a more stable and consistent voltage over it's estimated run-time. I don't know how much voltage sag happens under load to the 5590 but I'm guessing it's not very much. It it were me, and I was using 5590's, I'd only use one.
I don't own one and I do appreciate all the correct set-ups and all but I have to admit I'd be like DaFAB in this case. I'd probably be running it off of a single 3S 10mA Li-po. I'm way to impatience to jack around with specialized power sources.
Illum
Flashaholic
Re: SureFire HellFighter - DOA
nice, so these are the BB-2590 batteries?
The Non-Rechargeable, BB-5590/U Manpack Primary is of Li-SO2 chemistry ($308.00)(NSN: 6135-00-439-9450)
I've only seen this chemistry used in cardiac defibrillators:thinking:
What is the alkaline version called?
The misting effect can be observed with any surefire light, leave it on long enough and dunk it in ice water you'll notice the fog like condensation on the metal reflector and once awhile on the optics. It can also be observed from M@g hotwires where the far edge of the metal reflector contacts the window. If a blowfan is kept close to the window the fog will start to build from the window down.
I'm inclined to believe Surefire's assembly complex may either be a humid environment or the reflector/bezel fabrication is done in a cold environment where dew collected during and after turning from CNCs is condensed and retained rather than evaporated. As you may already know, aluminum is a great thermal conductor, leave a light in a 70F room for sometime, pick it up and it'll "feel" like 60F. I think the assembly of these components in this state will effectively seal the water inside as well as preventing water entry from the outside. If this is the case, there is no way of "cooking" water out of them unlike incan heads where the lamp can be removed and the bezel resting on a warm transformer or what not for a number of hours.
This phenomena is not observed in other lights, and I speculate A/C on the shop floor with humidity in the air is not the best combination to assemble flashlights. At minimum the parts [PCB excluded] should be warmed up prior to assembly, but it doesn't effect the output and I doubt many people care
nice, so these are the BB-2590 batteries?
The Non-Rechargeable, BB-5590/U Manpack Primary is of Li-SO2 chemistry ($308.00)(NSN: 6135-00-439-9450)
I've only seen this chemistry used in cardiac defibrillators:thinking:
I'm imagine the shelf-life to be quite long, upwards of 10 years :candle:
What is the alkaline version called?
Fair enough, odd though as I don't recall having this issue with my Beast.
Any idea if it'll eventually disappear?
Thanks for your speedy response
The misting effect can be observed with any surefire light, leave it on long enough and dunk it in ice water you'll notice the fog like condensation on the metal reflector and once awhile on the optics. It can also be observed from M@g hotwires where the far edge of the metal reflector contacts the window. If a blowfan is kept close to the window the fog will start to build from the window down.
I'm inclined to believe Surefire's assembly complex may either be a humid environment or the reflector/bezel fabrication is done in a cold environment where dew collected during and after turning from CNCs is condensed and retained rather than evaporated. As you may already know, aluminum is a great thermal conductor, leave a light in a 70F room for sometime, pick it up and it'll "feel" like 60F. I think the assembly of these components in this state will effectively seal the water inside as well as preventing water entry from the outside. If this is the case, there is no way of "cooking" water out of them unlike incan heads where the lamp can be removed and the bezel resting on a warm transformer or what not for a number of hours.
This phenomena is not observed in other lights, and I speculate A/C on the shop floor with humidity in the air is not the best combination to assemble flashlights. At minimum the parts [PCB excluded] should be warmed up prior to assembly, but it doesn't effect the output and I doubt many people care
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Re: SureFire HellFighter - DOA
I am not familiar at all with the HF but is it possible to remove the window and then run the light for a half hour or more in a dry, inside environment, maybe a refrigerated air conditioned room around 60 degrees? Then re-install the window while in the same environment. This should get rid of any moisture trapped in the reflector chamber.
I am not familiar at all with the HF but is it possible to remove the window and then run the light for a half hour or more in a dry, inside environment, maybe a refrigerated air conditioned room around 60 degrees? Then re-install the window while in the same environment. This should get rid of any moisture trapped in the reflector chamber.
