Newbie question on Solarforce L2GF-R2 (Surefire knockoff)

[bourmb]

I am looking at outfitting my bicycle with several lights that provide good flood. Please confirm if the Solarforce will allow me to upgrade the latest LED pills when they are developed. Is there any limitation on any future type pills based on the type of battery it takes? Am I right by thinking a Solarforce L2-E18G tube will convert the light to a 18650 battery type? Is there any other lights in this price range that are able to be modified with different pills and of similar quality. I will probably be outfitting my bike with two flood-type lights and one torch.

 

[richardcpf]

It is not a surefire knokoff, Solarforce is a known brand. It is just that the L2 looks like the 6P. About pills, unless you want to keep your flashlight for a good amount of years, there will be no need to change the pill. Right now the brightest LED dropin is the MC-E one, but it gets hot very fast and it is not recommended to run it for long periods.

I'd rather invest in something more reliable, like a Fenix (many poeple use them as bike light) instead of buying several pills and parts for a cheap light.

As for flood, you don't really need several lights. One bright MC-E such as the tiablo ACE, Jetbeam M1X or the upcoming Fenix TK40 will provide enough flood.

There are so many lights outthere and I can't recommend what you exactly need... but spending more time reading and searching will surely help a lot.

 

[bourmb]

Does Solarforce make a Surefire 9P type light? Would a Solarforce 6P type with a 18650 extension put out less light than a Surefire 9P running 3-123A batteries?

 

[Gunner12]

You can get a extension made by Solarforce to make the light like a 9P.

As for output, that will depend on the LED drop-in you have in the light. IMO a drop-in is not a mod due to its simplicity and ease of returning the light to it's pre-drop-in state.

Do you want a floody light(wide hotspot) or a light with good spill? Most of the P60 type drop-ins aren't floody but have a good amount of spill. Is that what you are looking for?

The E18G is an extension tube, it adds length to the tube the light had already. It will make half the light 18650 compatible. This is a 18650 body tube which is what you might need.

The circuit in the pill determines what batteries you can use. If it is a 3.7-9v drop-in and you try to push 12v through it, the drop-in will fry. if you use 6v or 2 Li-ions, it will be fine.

There are many other lights that can use the P60 drop-ins.

:welcome:

 

[bourmb]

I want a very good spill light to use for bike riding. I like the Surefire/Solarforce as they allow for future upgrades when technology improves.

Does running the light using 18650 rather than CR123 provide more power?

Does anyone make Surefire 9P drop-ins?

 

[Gunner12]

The 18650 has a similar capacity as 2 CR123 batteries. Is a light powered by 18650 more more powerful then 2 CR123? That depends on the circuit/driver used.

The P90 used in the 9P has the same shape as the P60. As long as the P60 drop-in can handle at least 9v, then you can use it in the 9P. If you will be using 3 RCR123s, the drop-in has to be able to handle 12.6v.

 

[bourmb]

I have read contradictive information. Please clarify the following: Is a Surefire 6P or Solarforce L2 able to use CR123's? If the answer is yes, then I assume it is also able to run the rechargeable 18650, too.

Does Solarforce make a tube extension to run 3 CR123's? The only tube extension I see is the one for the 18650. Is it the same?

 

[Zatoichi]

Does Solarforce make a tube extension to run 3 CR123's? The only tube extension I see is the one for the 18650. Is it the same?

You can get a single CR123 size extension for the L2 so it'll take 3 x CR123. There is also a 18650 body for the L2. Not sure what you can use in the 6P other than CR123.

I think this would fit a 6P.

 

[bourmb]

Is the CR123 rechargeable? I must have rechargeable.

 

[Zatoichi]

Is the CR123 rechargeable? I must have rechargeable.

No, the rechargable alternative to a CR123 is the RCR123. I don't use these and will leave it to someone else to say if they're suitable in 6P and L2 lights. The voltage and runtime is a little different, so it may depend on the drop in you use as to how they'll perform.

 

[Gunner12]

Also never use RCR123s with incan bulbs. You would probably end up with a blown bulb.

The Surefire 6P and Solarforce lights are meant to use CR123s. Infact, most Surefires can't use anything else.

A 18650 is very different from a CR123. A 18650 is essentially the length of 2 CR123s and 2mm wider(18=18mm in diameter, 65=65mm long, 0 means tube). A 18650 is 2mm wider then a CR123.

If the drop-in can handle at least 8.4v, then you can run 2 Li-ions with it. For 3 Li-ion batteries, the drop-in has to handle at least 12.6v. A Li-ion battery is 4.2v fully charged.

 

[pipspeak]

You can get unprotected 3V RCR123 batteries, which work fine in Surefires and similar lights. The regular 3.7V RCRs will not AFAIK.

However, if you're looking for a bright bike light with good spill I heartily recommend the Fenix AA line (LD10, LD20 or older L2D). I used an L2D for a while and it was perfect in terms of brightness, spill and runtime. If you want cheap, many of the Q5 2xAA lights on DX will be just as useful (Romisen, for example).

Plus, dealing with rechargeable NiMH AAs is much easier than Li-ion RCRs IMO (unless you already have a stable of CR123 lights)

 

[bourmb]

You can get unprotected 3V RCR123 batteries, which work fine in Surefires and similar lights. The regular 3.7V RCRs will not AFAIK.

However, if you're looking for a bright bike light with good spill I heartily recommend the Fenix AA line (LD10, LD20 or older L2D). I used an L2D for a while and it was perfect in terms of brightness, spill and runtime. If you want cheap, many of the Q5 2xAA lights on DX will be just as useful (Romisen, for example).

Plus, dealing with rechargeable NiMH AAs is much easier than Li-ion RCRs IMO (unless you already have a stable of CR123 lights)

Is the Fenix LD20 able to except newer drop-in pills if technology improves?

 

[Gunner12]

None of the Fenix lights accept drop-ins. A Pill is the light engine(LED, part of heatsink, and driver) and usually isn't a drop-in.

You can open them up(could be a pain) and swap the LED(requires solder, thermal epoxy, and a steady hand).

 

[bourmb]

Pain in the butt, I would rather get a Solarforce that I could drop a pill into at a later time when technology provides more significant advances in LEDs.