A warning to all SF L4 users (please read)

[CyByte]

the tactical surefire lights are NOT designed to be on continuously. They are a tactical light designed to be used with a firearm. quick on, take your shots, turn off, move, repeat as necessary.

it's not like in the movies where someone has a weapon light on constantly while moving around using it as a flashlight. That is what your other light is for IF you need it. (It gives away your location)

Eating into there profits means if they were to make it ever cut off that would cost lives in the field which means LE and military would no longer purchase there lights.

 

[InfidelCastro]

That would eat into profit margins.

Eh.. I sure wouldn't want a temperature cutoff. I even find the stepdown circuits annoying. And a "tactical" light shouldn't have one at all.

 

[amanichen]

Regarding heatsinks and hand tests:

Heat transfer is not equal to temperature. A difference in temperature causes heat transfer. This is a commonly misunderstood concept.
If you measure the temperature of the emitter, the temperature of the body, and the temperature of the air around a light, and know the materials involved, then you can start making some assumptions and calculations about how effective the heatsinking is.

Thus, the "hand tests" that people perform by touching the body of their light and saying "ouch!" or "hey that's cool" are meaningless without information about the rest of the system. When it comes to flashlight performance and longevity, it's emitter temperature that matters.

 

[Codeman]

If someone wants an LED light with a temp sensor to prevent overheating, try one of the MagLite LED's! :nana:

 

[leukos]

or HDS

 

[Campdavid]

This "story" of red hot metal sounds a lot like one we heard from that odd young man with the exploding G2 and the bad trade deals. I realize these things can get hot, but read the story again...it seems fishy to me. Plus, Miracle, your English in this post seems much better that your others. Maybe I am just a cynic!

 

[luigi]

I would suggest editing the title of this thread from

"A warning to all SF L4 users (please read)"

To: "I left my L4 flashlight on and it got very hot"

Since it does apply to many lights not only the L4 and eventually L4 users would just skip this thread if the title is properly worded.

Luigi

 

[Owen]

Re: A warning to all SF L4 users (skip this thread)

Yeah. NOT reading this thread would be better. Any of you who can't handle operating an L4, well...I'd hate to see you behind the wheel of a car.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

My post is the 48th in this thread. Enough is enough. It deserves no more.

Bill

Oops #49.

Bill

 

[leukos]

Re: A warning to all SF L4 users (skip this thread)

Yeah. NOT reading this thread would be better. Any of you who can't handle operating an L4, well...I'd hate to see you behind the wheel of a car.

:lolsign:

 

[Size15's]

Re: A warning to all small bright flashlight users (please read)

Steady on. I realise it wasn't the case for me since I was born perfect (I've been devolving ever since), but not everybody knows exactly what to expect from small bright flashlights.

 

[Codeman]

Re: A warning to all small bright flashlight users (please read)

Just remember to blame the devolving on age. It's not YOUR fault! :lolsign:

 

[Thermalarc]

The term "RTFM" comes to mind

 

[The Porcupine]

When my L4 got turned on in my pocket, it sure was a "surprise", but 100% user error!
I bought a McTC to save me from my own laziness and beginning amnesia!
Apart from that, the L4 rocks!

 

[rastaman]

Good grief, am I the only one that considers this a serious design flaw?

I mean if this thing is getting scalding hot after a short period of time it sounds like it needs a better heatsink.

{EDIT} At the very least these powerful flashlights should have some sort of circuit that detects excessive heat and either shuts the thing off or throttles the current back.

there is no design flaw.

miracle says :"Inside this shoulder bag is an internal compartment - a small zipped pocket where I keep my SF L4."

you see, he had his L4 in a amall zipped pocket, if the L4 where not there, this accident could never happen.

I used my SureFire L4 a lot of times more than 1 hour continously, and it got warm but not hot.

 

[chesterqw]

that is why it came with the lock out feature...

 

[JasonC8301]

If you want to carry around a large light without being at risk of being burned; get yourself a Maglite. Large amounts of light from a small package will produce heat. I will not have it any other way. I want the most light from a really small package.

Not to point out the obvious, but like the law suit that made an old lady a millionaire because she burned herself with HOT coffee. I'll just show a picture.

 

[rugbymatt]

I was unhappy with how sensitive the clickies were on all my surefires,so I replaced them. I put on the McClicky which is a nice guarded switch that also enables it to tail stand. The anodizing matches pretty well also.

This worked great for me and I like the way it looks better with this tailcap.