Old School 6/9p lensreplacement

[rjr104]

I am over the top with collecting the OS SF 6/9p. Many of them have semi-melted distorted lexan lens. I guess I have about 9 that require some kind of attention. Contacted SF for replacement lenses, and you would have thought I was ripping off the company into bankruptcy when I asked for replacements. They of course will sell me all I want - but warranty replacement - well that's another story. The purpose of my post - I have some near fit glass lenses that I want to put in there using clear RTV silicone. The spec on the rubber is 400 degrees farenheit. A long running P61/91 shouldn't crank out that much heat should it? Anybody do this, and what was your sucess?
Thanks,
RJ

 

[wingnut86]

I contacted Surefire a while back to PURCHASE a couple of replacement Lexan lenses for my G2, they told me that they are not available for purchase separately, and that they would send me a whole new bezel with Lexan installed free of charge...Took my shipping info, and and color of G2, and over 3 months later, I have yet to receive the bezel or even hear from them...

UCL lenses can be purchased here for the G2, I would imagine that they would work with the 6/9P's as well. Not too sure how the older Surefires worked compared to the newer ones, I would think the same way.

Do they use a retaining ring?

 

[rjr104]

I appreciate the link to the lighthound lens. I don't know the dimensions on that one, but the lens I pulled from my G2 is 28.6mm x 2.84mm. Those, as you know, go in with the treaded retainer ring. The OS SF 3/6/9P are about half as thick, and snap fit in (no retainer ring). One I pulled is 28.321mm x 1.524 mm. SF makes a lens replacement kit (Z17) for that purpose, but nobody stocks them because they have no call for them. About two months ago I called them to buy an A21 adapter, and was promised 7 Z17 kits (under warranty). They, like your deal, never showed up. When I called the other day I started out with "do you have any Z17's" and was told they have zillions of them. I asked what happened to the seven they promised me two months ago and was told they have no record of that. They then went on to tell me that I have requested way to many parts in the past couple years, and I guess that was their rationale for denying my request. I have requested an A2 head because the led ring threads were stripped out, a tail-switch because the plastic disinigrated, a E2E clip because it broke, and the biggie, an R60 lamp that blew up new out of the bag. I thought we were going to come to blows over that damn lamp. I have probably 200 plus SF lights so I don't think 4 parts over 2 years is all that excessive. I love the hell out of SF lights, but their lifetime warranty - well I'm presently not all that enthused about it.

 

[wingnut86]

They fit in kind of like the SL Scorpion then. Wonder if those are the same size? SL's CS is great.

Over 200 SF's is like a dream of mine...Sadly, I only have one, the G2, but I think it's one of the best lights I have ever used...


Also, I don't see why the RTV wouldn't work, it'll definitely handle the heat. Durability might be an issue. It would give the glass some shock resistance too.

 

[ElectronGuru]

There's also the Z17 kit:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/528498-REG/Surefire_Z17_Lens_Replacement_Kit_Z17.html

 

[ampdude]

Yea, you'll need to purchase some Z17 kits. Surefire sometimes has them, sometimes does not. It appears they do runs of them every once in awhile. It will be hard to snap the glass in the place of the lexan in the older style Surefires as it doesn't have as much "flex" and may also be too thick to fit. Though I read somebody here claimed to have done it once.

 

[rjr104]

No, the glass lenses I have don't require any snaping. They are small enough just to drop in. The RTV will take up the slack and hopefully kind of glue them in there. At least that's the plan. I did manage to get 3 Z17's from B&H (all they had). Free freight, so that helped out.