A2L head disassembly for aspheric installation

tlyon1022

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Need to know how to disassemble the head of an A2L, I'm willing to sacrifice mine to see if its possible to install an aspheric lens in place of the regular one.

I understand this will not work well with the secondary LED's, but I think i'll get a ton more throw out of the main if this works. We'll see!
 

jh333233

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Need to know how to disassemble the head of an A2L, I'm willing to sacrifice mine to see if its possible to install an aspheric lens in place of the regular one.

I understand this will not work well with the secondary LED's, but I think i'll get a ton more throw out of the main if this works. We'll see!
Universal rule:
Wrap it in ziplock bag and boil for 10 minutes and then use the rubber strip wrench to open it
Slightly burn the bezel with a gas torch then use rubber strip wrench
Either one, the final objective is to melt the threadlock

Reference link, method 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLSM9bbeIBM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSq6Apx-1wo
 
Last edited:

ebow86

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Need to know how to disassemble the head of an A2L, I'm willing to sacrifice mine to see if its possible to install an aspheric lens in place of the regular one.

I understand this will not work well with the secondary LED's, but I think i'll get a ton more throw out of the main if this works. We'll see!

Tlyon, I see you have received your A2L after selling your A2 or other light's in order to fund it. I suspect that you are dissatisfied with the throw of this light if you are wanting the install an aspheric lens. I can't say I'm surprised, as I mentioned in your other thread, I would not be surprised if the incan A2 would throw farther that the A2L you were seeking. Judging from your other thread, you were seeking a light with more throw that your incan A2, I believed then, and I believe now, that the A2L was a poor choice in that regard. If you are trying to disassemble an A2L for the sole purpose of attempting to install an aspheric lens, I believe you are making a mistake. This is your light and you are free to do whatever you want, but what you are essentially doing is tearing apart a very expensive light for the sole purpose of doing a modification that essentially is not guaranteed to work properly or effectively, this modification may have been done by someone else in the past, however I am not aware of any such modification. Ask yourself, what happens if you disassemble the light and attempt this modification and it doesn't work, or the results are unsatisfactory? Modifications are done to lights every day by flashaholics, however, the A2L is a very unique light in regards to it's reflector and it's ring of floody LED's. Adding an aspheric lens isn't some easy mod that can be done with little effort or skill, not to mention trying to find an aspheric lens that will fit and function properly. This particular light, in my opinion, is a poor choice for such a modification. If you are that dissatisfied with the throw of this light that you are willing to attempt a modification that isn't guaranteed to work correctly, I suggest selling it on the marketplace and attempt to purchase a light that will fills your need much better. A surefire equipped with a TIR lens sounds to me a much better alternative, a type of aspheric lens that WILL work properly and doesn't require any type of risky modification. However, in light of everything I have pointed out, you are free to do whatever you want to do with your A2L, and I would love to see you pull this modification off correctly and show us all here on CPF that it can be done. Good luck in any decision that you make.
 

Pöbel

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I second the last post. I would suggest selling the A2 and buy an LX2 instead. Same interface and lots of throw.
 

jh333233

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I second the last post. I would suggest selling the A2 and buy an LX2 instead. Same interface and lots of throw.
If you are using white as secondary led its fine
both lights looked similar except the optics and engraving
 

tlyon1022

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Aug 17, 2011
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Universal rule:
Wrap it in ziplock bag and boil for 10 minutes and then use the rubber strip wrench to open it
Slightly burn the bezel with a gas torch then use rubber strip wrench
Either one, the final objective is to melt the threadlock

Reference link, method 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLSM9bbeIBM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSq6Apx-1wo

Thanks, I appreciate your response but I already know how to do this. I should have been a little more clear in what I'm asking. I would like to know which seam of the A2L's head will let me remove the lens. There are two seams on the head of the A2L, and it makes sense to me that the lower (battery end) seam would open up to expose the driver assembly, and the upper (LED end) seam would loosen up the lens for removal. I wanted to see if anyone has already opened up the head of an A2L.
 

ebow86

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If you are using white as secondary led its fine
both lights looked similar except the optics and engraving

Nothing similar other than the manufacturer and the UI, and the bodys look similar, other than that, two completly different lights.
 

tlyon1022

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Tlyon, I see you have received your A2L after selling your A2 or other light's in order to fund it. I suspect that you are dissatisfied with the throw of this light if you are wanting the install an aspheric lens. I can't say I'm surprised, as I mentioned in your other thread, I would not be surprised if the incan A2 would throw farther that the A2L you were seeking. Judging from your other thread, you were seeking a light with more throw that your incan A2, I believed then, and I believe now, that the A2L was a poor choice in that regard. If you are trying to disassemble an A2L for the sole purpose of attempting to install an aspheric lens, I believe you are making a mistake. This is your light and you are free to do whatever you want, but what you are essentially doing is tearing apart a very expensive light for the sole purpose of doing a modification that essentially is not guaranteed to work properly or effectively, this modification may have been done by someone else in the past, however I am not aware of any such modification. Ask yourself, what happens if you disassemble the light and attempt this modification and it doesn't work, or the results are unsatisfactory? Modifications are done to lights every day by flashaholics, however, the A2L is a very unique light in regards to it's reflector and it's ring of floody LED's. Adding an aspheric lens isn't some easy mod that can be done with little effort or skill, not to mention trying to find an aspheric lens that will fit and function properly. This particular light, in my opinion, is a poor choice for such a modification. If you are that dissatisfied with the throw of this light that you are willing to attempt a modification that isn't guaranteed to work correctly, I suggest selling it on the marketplace and attempt to purchase a light that will fills your need much better. A surefire equipped with a TIR lens sounds to me a much better alternative, a type of aspheric lens that WILL work properly and doesn't require any type of risky modification. However, in light of everything I have pointed out, you are free to do whatever you want to do with your A2L, and I would love to see you pull this modification off correctly and show us all here on CPF that it can be done. Good luck in any decision that you make.


Please re-read the post of mine that you are referencing, It is clearly stated and explained in that post why I need a dual-color light. I'm not dissatisfied with the throw on my A2L, its just enough, I'm just a tinkerer, and I'd like to see if I can make it more than enough. In the case that I ruin the head of my A2L, I've already contacted surefire to see about a PAID replacement of the head.
 

ebow86

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Please re-read the post of mine that you are referencing, It is clearly stated and explained in that post why I need a dual-color light. I'm not dissatisfied with the throw on my A2L, its just enough, I'm just a tinkerer, and I'd like to see if I can make it more than enough. In the case that I ruin the head of my A2L, I've already contacted surefire to see about a PAID replacement of the head.

A surefire equipped with a TIR optic and a colored filter sounds like a hell of a lot better of a solution than attempting to do such a modification as you have suggested. If your A2L throws far enough, I have to question why you are going to attempt a risky, expensive, unproven to work modification if the light currently meets your needs and requirements. What did surefire tell you about getting a replacement head when you notified them that you were going to modify a light? From past post's I've read surefire doesn't seem too eager to sell certain parts to customers.
 
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tlyon1022

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SureFire wasn't pleased off the bat, but they will sell me a new head for about 60 dollars. I don't really like the filter idea, as typically the filter diffuses the light that would come out of a TIR optic based light, putting me back in the situation I'm in now with my 6P XM-L and blue filter. I'll see if i can get some beamshots of an LX2 with a blue or green filter on though, thanks for that suggestion.
 

ebow86

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SureFire wasn't pleased off the bat, but they will sell me a new head for about 60 dollars. I don't really like the filter idea, as typically the filter diffuses the light that would come out of a TIR optic based light, putting me back in the situation I'm in now with my 6P XM-L and blue filter. I'll see if i can get some beamshots of an LX2 with a blue or green filter on though, thanks for that suggestion.

Surefire said they would sell you a new head for about $60? :thinking: Mmm, that's definitely not the approach they typically take, espically when someone admits their going to modify the light. This is a part I would not expect surefire to sell someone.
 

gcbryan

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I say go for it. If the aspheric doesn't work...just take it back out and replace it with the standard lens.
 

Pöbel

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The A2Ls Reflector is pretty shallow. The biggest Problem will be finding an Aspheric which is short enough and still does the job. The Second question is how usable those secondary LEDs will be with that aspheric which is nowhere near their focus.
 

ebow86

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The A2Ls Reflector is pretty shallow. The biggest Problem will be finding an Aspheric which is short enough and still does the job. The Second question is how usable those secondary LEDs will be with that aspheric which is nowhere near their focus.

Which is one of many reasons why the modification isn't a good idea.
 

fresh eddie fresh

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How much more throw were you looking for? I bought an AZ2, and the main beam is a lot more focused then the beam on my A2L. Both of mine have white secondaries (I am pretty sure the AZ2 only comes in white right now) but it might be easier to swap out the secondary LEDs to red than install a lens.
 

tlyon1022

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good idea. Someone also introduced me to the streamlight dual task series.... so i'm getting one of those to destroy of my A2L.
 
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