Newcomers question on combining Fenix parts

[Trekmeister]

Hi all, brand new member of this wonderful forum here!

Been a flashaholic for as long as I can remember, but only very recently discovered this forum. Got a number of pretty cheap lights and figured it is about time to take it up a notch.


So I'm planning on buyin a Fenix light in the very near future, and of course I am having problems deciding.

The L1D seems to be a great size for EDC, but I like the higher output of the L2D (will stick to AA lights for the time beeing). But then of course I think the L2P 2.0 body looks a whole lot better than the L2D body, so an idea is slowly forming in this here head of mine...

How about getting one L1D and one L2P 2.0 and using the head of the former on the later. But is that possible? Do they have the same threading and other dimensions?

A follow up question is, will that give me the same output as an L2D, or are the heads of the L1D and L2D any different? Browsing through the fenix-store I get the impression that the L1D head might be using a less powerful LED (RB80 vs RB100).


Well that should be it for the moment. I might have to write some more thorough presentation of myself later in case someone would happen to be interested. =)

 

[Kilovolt]

Hi Trekmeister, welcome to CPF.:welcome:


Fenix L1D CE and L2D CE share the same head. You can in fact buy an L1D plus an L2D body or the other way around. So you can feed the same head with 1 xAA or 2 x AA according to your needs.

As you have noticed, Fenix L1D Rebel and L2D Rebel don't share the same head, but only the LED is different. In principle if you want a Rebel 100 L1D you can buy a complete L2D RB100 and an L1D body and switch the bodies. Costly but feasible.

I don't know about L2P 2.0 so someone else will have to comment on this.

 

[NA8]

I bought a L2D100 for the high lumens and all the swiss army knife modes. I also picked up a L1Tv2 (rebel80) for a smaller EDC type with a simpler interface: momentary, click on, click off, twist head for Low. The tubes and tailswitches are interchangeable, but I like them in this config.

Bike inner tube skins for better grip.

 

[Gunner12]

The L2D head will not work on the L2P's body, different sizes. The L2D, L1D, and P2D all share the same head and have exchangeable bodys.

You could also buy a L2D-CE Q5 head ans a L1D body so you get both 1 AA and 2 AA configuration.

There is also a 8% off coupon at Fenix store for CPF users, "CPF8".

:welcome:

 

[selfbuilt]

And I would add that the new L1T/L2T v2.0 is also interchangeable with the L1D/L2D/P2D bodies and heads.

The LxT has a much simpler 2-stage interface and includes a "tactical" forward clicky that protudes (preventing tailstanding). Note that tailcaps are also interchangeable among the new LxT v2.0 series and LxD series, so you could potentially mix and match by buying a 2AA version of one light, and the 1AA body and tailcap of another.

As Gunner pointed out, the new LxD/LxT v2.0 body types are not compatible with the older LxP and LxT original series.

Here is my review of the different Fenix lights, in 1AA configuration (2AA is typically twice as bright on Turbo):
Fenix Rebel vs Cree: L1D/L1T/P2D OUTPUT, RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS

Oh, and :welcome:

 

[LEDninja]

The older L1P/L2P bodies will NOT fit the newer L2Tv2.0/L2D heads.
I have no problems swapping the tailcap between my L1P and my L1Tv2.0.

 

[Trekmeister]

Thanks for all the replies and tips people! And thanks for the review link selfbuilt, I've read quite a few reviews but must have missed yours, it really covered the comparisons of light output I was interested in.

Nice to hear that the parts are interchangeable, that sure provides a lot of choices. Of course all the options makes it very hard to decide! I'm considering going for the "buy both" solution right now and going for one L2D and one L1T 2.0 right now and accepting the (in my opinion) less good looking body of the L2D in favour of the stronger LED. Now all I have to do is to convince my better half that it is worth spending the money on...!

Oh and NA8, how did you manage to get the inner-tubing to fit so tight? Did you shrink it some way after, or was it that stretchy? In my experience inner tubing is usually not that stretchy...

 

[NA8]

Oh and NA8, how did you manage to get the inner-tubing to fit so tight? Did you shrink it some way after, or was it that stretchy? In my experience inner tubing is usually not that stretchy...

Pure luck I guess. I asked for a blown inner tube at the local bike shop and that's what they picked out of the trash. It seems to be the perfect size. It takes a bit to work it on, but it's not too bad. I've since read that you can use a hairdryer to heat up the inner tube to make it much more flexible while heated.

Random tube was a Continental Race 700 Light, 18/25-622/630, (700x18/25)

There's some more pix in this thread:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=173158

 

[Bolster]

Is there any rhyme or reason to Fenix's letters?

"P" means a CR123 battery?
"L" means AA or AAA?
"E" is always AAA?
"T" means momentary-on (tactical) switch?
What about "D" and "S"?

And what about the numbers? They don't refer to the # of cells...

 

[NA8]

Is there any rhyme or reason to Fenix's letters?

Not much The P suffix meant premium at one point in time. The T indicated a T bin luxeon back when. Just marketing stuff like you see these days with the rebel or the "Q"s. The D indicates the digital swiss army knife multi mode models (SOS and all that). Fenixstore.com has pretty much cleared out a lot of the older stock, but Lighthound and Brightguy still have some of the older models listed like the L2S, L2Pv2, L2Tv1.

 

[LEDninja]

Is there any rhyme or reason to Fenix's letters?

"P" means a CR123 battery?
"L" means AA or AAA?
"E" is always AAA?
"T" means momentary-on (tactical) switch?
What about "D" and "S"?

And what about the numbers? They don't refer to the # of cells...

Every light manufactures numbering scheme falls apart after they make a few lights.

Lights with common batteries.
Powerful lights with lithium batteries.
Economical lights
Tatical or Turbohead? We do not know yet.

1st came the L1. 1AA battery.
The L1 was improved with AR coated lens etc and named L1Premium.
L2P with 2AA came next.
L1T and L2Two levels folows.
L1S and L2Simple construction lights to combat the cheap clones. No more expensive milled flat sides. Not even knurling. No fully regulated circuits either.
L1D and L2Digital circuitry lights.

Then came the AAA lights. The numbering system came apart. Maybe not (yet). 1AAA umm... 0AA.
L0P.
L0P SpecialEdition with 3 levels.
L0Digital with the blinky blinky modes.

With the CR123A lights the numbering system came apart as there are both twisties and clickies.
P1 1 cell twistie
P2 1 cell clickie
P3 2 cell clickie
The lights with digital circuitry have a D tacked on the back.

The E series have similar problems
E0 and E1
While the current lights are 1AAA and Nichia LEDs there is no reason why this should remain.
Lumileds now have an inexpensive LED in the PWT.
There are a lot of requests for a 2AAA penlight.
Fenix still needs a replacement for the Civictor 1AA

With the introduction of the Cree 7090 XRE FENiX started to add CreeEdition to the end of the model#.
RB is used for rebel based lights
As the LEDs evolve the LED idendification was added Q2, Q5, 80, 100 etc.

It is no fun job comming up with a scheme for naming torches as development tend to change direction in unanticipated ways.
When the Cree LED came out Elektrolumens named a light DeCree. Cute. Then he wanted to use Soeul SSC-P4s instead. Can not call the light DeCree anymore. DeSoeul does not sound right. OOPS!

 

[Bolster]

Righteous explanation, thanks!