How tough are Surefire's incandescent bulbs?

[ebow86]

I have my share of surefire incandescent lights and lamps, but to be perfectly honest, none of those lights have ever taken hard drops and abuse, admittedly I baby them most of the time. But I'm always wondering to myself, how tough, or fragile, are surefire lamps in general when it comes to hard drops and abuse? I always wonder when I'm using my surefire incans, particularly when thinking of life and death situations, would this bulb blow if I droped it here? How much abuse could this lamp take?

I would like to hear some of you guys story's about how much abuse your surefire incandescent lights have taken and whether your lamps have stood up to abuse over the years or did they fail you?

 

[shao.fu.tzer]

Well... I can't speak for Surefire, since I only keep a few SF incans around actually loaded with bulbs and have yet to really drop one, but I remember dropping a few Mag minis and killing them back in the day when I was a kid... Anytime you add glass to the equation, you're going to experience breakage somewhere down the line after a drop on a hard surface... Lenses included...

 

[angelofwar]

I've had a few instaflash on fresh cells, but, having dropped plenty of incan SF's, I've never had one break from droppage.

 

[fivemega]

In general, low wattage bulbs (Small fillaments) can take harder impacts but if bulb is *ON* then chance of surviving is very tiny.
It is possible to make 2 different bulbs with exact same envelope size, same wattage and same voltage but different fillament shape. One could have better resistance to impact but other will have different beam shape. Carley is maker of $urefire bulbs with great engineering for best combination of reliability and excellent beam quality.

 

[Mike Docherty]

I've been using personal and issued surefire lights as a cop for almost 18 years. My lights (and various partners and teamates) have been dropped numerous times. All my carry lights have bezels that are so dented that I can't use any of the fancy bezel rings that have become available lately. I also used them as dedicated and field expedient weaponlights on rifles, pistols, shotguns, and submachineguns. I've seen lenses crack but I never saw a bulb break due to dropping or weapon recoil.

 

[^^Nova^^]

I dropped a 9P that was on (running a Lumens Factory bulb) and it blew about a second after the light hit the concrete. I had it tucked under my arm and it slipped out. Not sure if SF bulbs would be any more robust under those circumstances.

Cheers,
Nova

 

[curtispdx]

I've broken three P91s from dropping them from about hip-height and onto asphalt or vinyl flooring.

 

[oldways]

Broke one MN15 (running) with a 4 foot drop on concrete.

 

[ebow86]

Seems like experiences are split so far. Can someone explain in detail the difference in durability between a hot filament and a cool one? Why is a hot filament more pone to breaking than a cold one?

 

[oldways]

Cause it is almost melted??

 

[wuyeah]

My A2 is full of scars and have dropped number of times. During running and off. On concrete, ceremic tile, outdoor rocks....etc.
I am still on its original bulb. body are dent and chipped though.

 

[yellow]

when I started using my 6R/P, it once slipped out ouf my hand and dropped onto concrete.
The LA was destroyed - that white material fixing the bulb cracked to pieces.
But that was quite some time ago, I think they are now somehow "shock isolated" (?)

PS: that way I learned that a light does not have to fall down and I did succeed ...
... at least the few times it happened again, I was able to move my leg in between and ease the 1st impact.

All my carry lights have bezels that are so dented that I can't use any of the fancy bezel rings that have become available lately.

on my orange 6P - which did not hit ANYTHING - I did not put overeadys bezel ring on.
When a guy I recommended a 6P noticed at his light about one half of the bezel was already bent, I checked mine and it also had a dent. Could install the ring, but at one spot there is this ugly bending.
I really hate the new heads. I think they decreased ruggedness.
And You can forget about "ease" of changing the front glass, when that lip is bent.
I want the much better looking, way more rugged "old" round bodies back. Had to change lenses 2 times and it worked, so whats the gain of the Hex-ones?

Without overready`s bezel ring, no P60 Style SF light is "complete"

 

[jh333233]

Seems like experiences are split so far. Can someone explain in detail the difference in durability between a hot filament and a cool one? Why is a hot filament more pone to breaking than a cold one?

i dont know whether i am true or not
BUT imo:
Hot filament is softer than Cold filament, just like a solid wax and melting wax
that it have a higher chance to deform than a cold filament as it is softer
while cold filament is a solid
but i havnt burnt any bulb with G2 yet, maybe due to shock absorption by the body

 

[Chrontius]

Pretty good.

I've knocked around my fair share of Surefires while the bulb was cold, and my only bulb ever blown in the course of normal use was a well-used P61 flashed by a hot-off-the-charger B65

 

[angelofwar]

Pretty good.

I've knocked around my fair share of Surefires while the bulb was cold, and my only bulb ever blown in the course of normal use was a well-used P61 flashed by a hot-off-the-charger B65

Actually, P61's (for what ever reason) have been known to consistenly go "poof" on the B65. I couldn't beleive it when I read it either, but it's well documented. Do a search for "P61 B65", plenty of reading going back quite a few years.

 

[Double_A]

Many moons ago I had the 500l lamp on my M6 explode about 10 mins after power-up. SF got a batch of bad ones, they had to replace the whole head as glass had coated the reflector. That is why I have a gray HA body and a blk head.

 

[maxspeeds]

Many moons ago I had the 500l lamp on my M6 explode about 10 mins after power-up. SF got a batch of bad ones, they had to replace the whole head as glass had coated the reflector. That is why I have a gray HA body and a blk head.

I don't think I've ever seen a black M6/KT4 head. Do you mind sharing a pic with us? I wonder if it's type II or type III coating?

 

[HotWire]

I have never had a Surefire bulb break because of impact. I have, however, instaflashed my share of bulbs from using the wrong battery. Since then I've learned to search CPFs for proper bulb/battery combination. No recent instaflashes! Surefire makes good equipment.

 

[ebow86]

I don't think I've ever seen a black M6/KT4 head. Do you mind sharing a pic with us? I wonder if it's type II or type III coating?

It isn't black, sometimes surefire HAIII is a very dark grey that can sometimes appear black.

 

[jh333233]

seems KT4 are only available in gray, HAIII, noted by SF
http://www.surefire.com/KT4-HA-TurboHead-Conversion
btw, imo i never think my HA3 C2 appears black