Lowest price Surefire that uses 18650 or AA batteries.

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march.brown

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 25, 2009
Messages
1,472
Location
South Wales, UK
I only use 18650s , AAs and AAAs ... So what is the cheapest LED Surefire torch that uses these cells ?

I wouldn't want to bore out anything or alter the torch ... Just a straight-forward basic Surefire torch that takes the rechargeable batteries that I already have.
.
 
Currently I don't think there are any Surefire lights that use those battery types, unless the E2L-AA is out already.

I think their headlamp uses AA batteries but you did specify you're looking for a torch.
 
The Saint can use 2 x AA batteries instead of 3 x CR123A, the only that currently accepts anything else than CR123A. Some models may work with 17670, but unofficially only and 18650 is a complete no go! :ohgeez:

As I write this, the postman is ringing the ball (in vain...) at my house to deliver a C2 and a Z2 host which I intend to use with an 8650 though. Have a look here :

http://www.oveready.com

They sell bored hosts and you can fine-tune them with another lens, bezel, McClicky... Nothing really cheap of course, but ip notch! You may also perform a search here for Electronguru, he sells exactly the same stuff on the Custom BST. lovecpf
 
Doesn't the U2 Ultra accept 17650's/18650's, and 2 16340's? I've read the U2A did. But it's still not exactly cheap.
 
rice rocket said:
Solarforce makes Surefire 6P clones that take 18650s and AAs. You can use all the Surefire stuff (tailcap, head, emitter drop-ins, etc) if you really want to. As far as I'm concerned though, the Solarforce stuff itself is just as good.

http://www.solarforce.hk/PRD/content.jsp?id=5.20&template=bo.tmp.html
http://www.solarforce.hk/PRD/content.jsp?id=5.1&template=b.tmp.html
Click to expand...
I already use Solarforce torches and I am very happy with them ... I have an L2 with a three mode dropin plus another L2 with a five mode dropin but will be putting a three mode (£8-50) in that one as I don't like the SOS and strobe ... They both use 18650s ... I also have an L2i single mode which I have converted to 18650 rather than the three AAAs ... The L2i is great as a general purpose torch in the house as it is either on or off ... Great for my Wife to use when necessary.

People seem to rave about the Surefires and I was just wondering if there was a reasonably priced one that would also use my preferred battery (18650) ... I also like the single AA as an EDC and have a iTP A2 with me every day ... It seems strange that Surefire doesn't produce one of these.

I really can't justify the cost of buying a Surefire just to spend a lot more money on having it bored out as has been suggested ... I would just prefer to buy a torch , put a battery in it and be able to use it.

As a matter of interest , why don't Surefire make torches for 18650s or AAs ?
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march.brown said:
As a matter of interest , why don't Surefire make torches for 18650s or AAs ?
.
Click to expand...

Because Surefire (rightly) believes that the CR123 cell is the superior battery for their target market.

Shockingly, we aren't their target market.

Recall that while lithium AAs are available, one manufacturer (Energizer) has a monopoly on them. There is no similar monopoly on CR123s. Also note that their target market does not want the hassle of juggling rechargeable cells like the 18650.

They acknowledged that technology has finally made strides enough where AA batteries could be used to power some of their lights to the demands their users make (E2L-AA and Saint) but it is pretty clear they don't have a lot of interest in expanding much beyond that.
 
Last edited:
To pick up where Carrot left off...


CPF is a unique place.
It does NOT represent the average consumer but instead the enthusiast/geek/"flashaholic".
The first thing that strikes most newcomers here is all of this crazy talk about various battery numerology. e.g. 14500, 17670, 18500, etc.
Who the f*** talks about batteries like that??? Geeks, that who. :p
NONE of those batteries were designed for the public consumer because of the hazards and difficulties with charging.
You can't just go into a store and pick these cells up.
Why do you think that is?
Because lawyers/solicitors would have a friggin' hay-day suing everybody in sight the first time somebody had a mishap!

So, WHY would you expect a Major manufacturer to cater to this desire when it represents such a small niche of the market???
...and with the downside of increased litigation!

Now the AA nonsense.
Surefire pioneered the high performance flashlight market for one simple reason.
The CR123A battery.
No battery, up to that time, could pack that kind of energy density into such a small package.
Hotwires, in order to be bright, need gobs of current. You couldn't get that without a CR123A lithium cell.
Surefire seized on this opportunity to create a powerful, compact flashlight and the rest is history.
Now, until only recently with the advent of Energizer's L91, could an AA format compete.
Alkaline batteries (think Joe Public again) were never designed to support high drains and with more and more electronic gadgets coming on the market it was only natural that a higher performing, commonly sized cell came along. In steps Energizer.
L91's are virtually the same, performance wise, as a 123 so once again, WHY would/should Surefire re-tool/re-engineer/re-market just because a competitor came up with a new battery? Flashlights are a business people. Step out of your egocentric box and look at it from their perspective.


Hopefully that gets you n00bs up to speed!
 
I've heard that a SureFire 9P will hold two AA's! I've been using a SolarForce L2r 2xAA host with a Malkoff M30 and liking it.

Depending on the drop-in, it can be powered by any AA sized batt including NiZn's, NiMH's, LiFePO's, LiCo's, E91's, and maybe alky's in a pinch.
 
ElectronGuru said:
Bonus info: Put an A14 on a G3/9P and you can run 3AA
Click to expand...

I've looked around for one of these before (A14). Anyone know of a good place to purchase, or is there a solarforce equivalent? Thanks.

Edit: Ok, I see ElectronGuru has them, Duh.
 
Last edited:
There are actually two versions. The standard metal kind and the 'G' kind. The later is easier to find, costs less, and comes in 4 colors.
 
jp2515 said:
Any of the 3 cell lights (G3, 9P, C3) will hold 2 AA batteries. As a matter of fact I got a M60LL inside a G3L and it works perfectly fine.
Click to expand...

I also got M60LL into a FiveMega or Leef 2x18500 body but had to the file the module for a perfect fit. It was making poor contact otherwise due to the 3mm gap in the bezel / body. You could shake it and it would go off. 2xAA are almost the same as 3x123 or 2x18500 but not quite, a few MMs off.

I might get that new Surefire 2xAA lite, and Solarforce 2xAA looks nice. But with the 9P clone, I can use so many cells with that M60LL: 18500, Alks, Energ Lith, 123s, all offering their own levels of lumens. AA Lithiums run M60LL very well but might have reduced lumens (but greater runtime) vs. 3x123.
M60LL works very well even with Carbon Zinc "Heavy duty" junk stuff... it's the most omni-cell lite you can find.
 
Armed_Forces said:
To pick up where Carrot left off...


CPF is a unique place.
It does NOT represent the average consumer but instead the enthusiast/geek/"flashaholic".
The first thing that strikes most newcomers here is all of this crazy talk about various battery numerology. e.g. 14500, 17670, 18500, etc.
Who the f*** talks about batteries like that??? Geeks, that who. :p
NONE of those batteries were designed for the public consumer because of the hazards and difficulties with charging.
You can't just go into a store and pick these cells up.
Why do you think that is?
Because lawyers/solicitors would have a friggin' hay-day suing everybody in sight the first time somebody had a mishap!

So, WHY would you expect a Major manufacturer to cater to this desire when it represents such a small niche of the market???
...and with the downside of increased litigation!

Now the AA nonsense.
Surefire pioneered the high performance flashlight market for one simple reason.
The CR123A battery.
No battery, up to that time, could pack that kind of energy density into such a small package.
Hotwires, in order to be bright, need gobs of current. You couldn't get that without a CR123A lithium cell.
Surefire seized on this opportunity to create a powerful, compact flashlight and the rest is history.
Now, until only recently with the advent of Energizer's L91, could an AA format compete.
Alkaline batteries (think Joe Public again) were never designed to support high drains and with more and more electronic gadgets coming on the market it was only natural that a higher performing, commonly sized cell came along. In steps Energizer.
L91's are virtually the same, performance wise, as a 123 so once again, WHY would/should Surefire re-tool/re-engineer/re-market just because a competitor came up with a new battery? Flashlights are a business people. Step out of your egocentric box and look at it from their perspective.
Click to expand...


All that is a good point...

How often does SF come here and ask for you input? I 'get' your point.

However from the marketing perspective, they could expand and tap into a new market with AA cells. I suspect people would buy SF with AAs that they otherwise would have never bought. Me for example. I have lots of SF clones but just one actual SF. And even that I use for parts.

I cannot see that it would be very expensive to expand into AA. New tools, so what?

OTOH, even the Energ lithium market is pretty small lite-wise, even that does not appear to be that mainstream. They could tap into a new market but even that wouldn't be that big. The avg consumer wants to stick Duracell Alkaline cells in it and be done with. Would be great to have a SF that could do that, at reduced power or just L91 for full power.

I have just that, as said above, a SF 9P clone that runs on any available chemistry, AAs, 123s, 18650, 18500, NiMh... l love the flexibility. I could theoretically cut out all 123 cells and never really miss them. My M30 / 3xAA body is just as bright as anything SF offers and can run on *any* AA cell, from L91 to Carbon Zinc.

Of course it's nice to have 123s also. Nothing beats a 6P ergonomically. Not for the average lite consumer but then the average lites consumer is not exactly my standard, why should it be.
 
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I am thinking about boring an L2 solarforce out. Can anyone recommend where to do this? I want to be able to drop a 18650 in.
 
The very early U2's would take an 18650. And the newer ones can be bored out if you are very very careful. I would just go with an aftermarket tube and pull the parts off a 6 series.
 
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