Interesting Surefire M3 Mulfanction ... Dimi light and blue/grey cloudy bulb

[MitsosOSougias]

So here I going through and checking all my gear ... so I check my Surefire M3.

I switch it on and the light is dim (small maglight dim) ... I am thinking "that is weird" as I thought the batteries were new ... I switched to new batteries: the same thing. Another switch and the same thing again, a very dim light!

So I unscrew the head and take the bulb out for inspection ... this is what I get:

The wire inside is intact and the color is actually much darker (the flash made it appear lighter on the pic). The bulb is working but the light output is very low ... naturally I am putting in a new bulb.

Any thoughts?

 

[supes]

Re: Interesting Surefire M3 Mulfanction ...

The good thing about incandescents like the SF M3, is its simplicity in design and function. Bulb+batteries+body=Light. I've never personally had a bulb turn like yours in your picture, but I've seen some here with it all blackened or white, cloudish inside the glass. Can't remember the cause.

Curious, what kind of condition and environment was your M3 stored in?

You could always try Surefire CS and get a new bulb(MN10 or MN11).

 

[Carpenter]

Re: Interesting Surefire M3 Mulfanction ...

It's definently a bulb malfunction. People with more experience than I can probably tell you from the color of the glass what actually happened in the bulb.

 

[Tempest UK]

Re: Interesting Surefire M3 Mulfanction ...

Ouch, I wouldn't try using that lamp assembly again. From what I have seen on here before it looks like oxygen has got into it, judging by the blue colour.

Regards,
Tempest

 

[Grox]

Re: Interesting Surefire M3 Mulfanction ...

Don't use it. It looks as though air has gotten into the inside of the lamp assembly. There is a high risk that it will explode or otherwise fail.

Call surefire (I have found them to be quite bad at email) and they will replace your lamp assembly.

 

[nzgunnie]

Re: Interesting Surefire M3 Mulfanction ...

This is exactly what just happened to my brand new P91 after about 3 minutes run time!

:sigh:

 

[BSBG]

Re: Interesting Surefire M3 Mulfanction ...

Odd, but the same thing happened to me with an MN20 today

 

[Size15's]

Re: Interesting Surefire M3 Mulfanction ...

It's the higher concentration of acid rain in the atmosphere. Damn Global Warming!

 

[ttran97]

Re: Interesting Surefire M3 Mulfanction ...

It's the higher concentration of acid rain in the atmosphere. Damn Global Warming!

That's why we should go green and convert to LED lights...less lithiums tossed into the landfills.

 

[GeoffChan]

Re: Interesting Surefire M3 Mulfanction ...

I've had 2 MN10's go cloudy on me, luckily Surefire's replaced both of them under warranty.

Geoff

 

[Illum]

Re: Interesting Surefire M3 Mulfanction ...

there was a thread on an A2 lamp that leaked, showing similar characteristics

it'll explode if its used again, good thing you caught it early

read on with this thread to give yourself a fairly good idea on the dangers of overdriving lamps and what that blue stuff is
Melted 1185 lamp! (not kidding)

 

[LED61]

Re: Interesting Surefire M3 Mulfanction ...

To the OP, would it be possible for you to change the title of the thread to attract the attention of some knowledgeable guys like JS or Icebreak ? The title should in some way reflect the nature of the bulb failure. Those guy´s comments would be really useful in this thread. I believe they have discussed this problem in another thread I´ll try to find it and post a link.

Icebreak´s thread on Race to failure incan bulbs, here we go:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=140788

 

[MitsosOSougias]

Led61: Sorry for the delay, I was away for a couple of days ... changed the title as per your advice!

Thanks for the input guys I will call SF tomorrow and see what happens.

 

[pete7226]

I had this happen with 2 different MN16's, Surefire replaced them both free of charge.

 

[Icebreak]

Tungsten Pentoxide (W2O5) Blue-violet would indicate a fill gas failure before this lamp was energized. This could be a fill gas failure at the factory but that's highly unlikely here because the lamp had good and useful runs before it failed. It could be that one component of the lamp such as but not limited to the potting, the pins stressing the envelope or the envelope itself lacking 100 % integrity causing the lamp to be prone to failure. This failure could also be caused by a physical shock before the lamp was energized. This would seem somewhat unlikely because the torch is an M3. Ultimately, this is an envelope failure causing a fill gas failure. Why the envelope failed is debatable.

I've put this in the Race To Failure thread referenced by LED61. When members post photos of failures it's truly helpful for the group and our knowledge base.

 

[Patriot]

I seem to have the luck, or lack of it, with MN11s turning completely white inside. They never had the nifty stainglass effect that yours has though.