OpticsHQ E-Series Heads for the E1 and E2

[nanotech17]

I've never seen it before until I got the heads.

-Steve

I have plenty

 

[IsaacHayes]

I wonder if the machined back on them is because the back was bottoming out before the circuit made contact with the battery tube? And was an adjustment afterwards...

 

[Beastmaster]

Well, it's going back to Mike for a swap. The pill shouldn't be moving like that. As soon as I get the replacement from him, the original E1 head is going back.

And - You'll all be glad to know that the sharpish parts of the head does some nasty things to concrete. In an attempt to try and make the sharp parts of the head less sharp, the threaded part of the head (body side) was scratched against concrete slabs at an angle to try and lessen the sharpness.

OpticsHQ head - 1, Concrete - 0. Yep, I ended up getting concrete powder brought up and an even nastier edge. That wasn't my intention.

 

[Cuso]

Well, it's going back to Mike for a swap. The pill shouldn't be moving like that. As soon as I get the replacement from him, the original E1 head is going back.

And - You'll all be glad to know that the sharpish parts of the head does some nasty things to concrete. In an attempt to try and make the sharp parts of the head less sharp, the threaded part of the head (body side) was scratched against concrete slabs at an angle to try and lessen the sharpness.

OpticsHQ head - 1, Concrete - 0. Yep, I ended up getting concrete powder brought up and an even nastier edge. That wasn't my intention.

Hold on a minute.. are you telling us you intentionally tried to destroy those threads by rubbing them against concrete and the concrete gave ????? Either those heads are made of some nasty combo of aluminum, or I would be worried about the integrity of whatever those slabs are going to be used on...

 

[Beastmaster]

It ground away concrete bits. And the worst was a small chunk of the bezel divoted slightly.

The slabs are the sidewalk slabs in front of my son's swimming school. So either long term exposure to chlorine has something to do with it, or something else does.

I ground away at the slab, then I tried a concrete pot holder, then a concrete cigarette ashtray.

I tried taking a pic of the divot. I may retry with better lighting and my Canon DSLR instead of the quickie shoot Canon.

Update - I also tried rubbing (hard) the edge of the threaded bezel into an unused key (for a locking gas cap that's no longer being used). It cuts into the key. And - it's still sharp.

Please note - this sharpness is only present when you use a third party body, like an Aleph or a Vital Gear. The SureFire bodies will cover the sharp areas and it's seamless.

Hold on a minute.. are you telling us you intentionally tried to destroy those threads by rubbing them against concrete and the concrete gave ????? Either those heads are made of some nasty combo of aluminum, or I would be worried about the integrity of whatever those slabs are going to be used on...

 

[Cuso]

Have you tried using a file??

 

[Beastmaster]

Not yet. That's next, after I finish torture testing these on a SureFire Scout and a VLTOR Scout Mount. The E2 head survived. I'm not done beating on the E1 head yet.

-Steve

Have you tried using a file??

 

[bondr006]

Well, I got my replacement Q5 E2D head from Mike today. I love this thing. The finish perfectly matches my E2D body, and the beam quality is just magnificent. It is brighter than the Q5 BOG in my 6PD, and throws better. This was well worth the money I spent for it, and the A+ service that Mike provided, just topped it off. If it wasn't so cold, I would go outside and get some beam shots. But, that will have to wait. I am extremely pleased with this new head. It will get a lot of use.

 

[Gene43]

Wow! That looks very nice!

 

[dano]

I received one, and noticed that the innards were rattling. I used the spring and tightened it up, so it doesn't rattle, any longer )just don't twist the spring hard enough to distort it or break the solder joints).

-dan

 

[dwestfall]

Well don't go swimming with these conversion heads -- they are not submersible! Ask me how I found that out.

I'm swimming in rechargeables though.

-Steve

 

[Beastmaster]

Well, that's changed a bit.

Here's how I know. The original beta unit OpticsHQ 1x123 head was placed into a SureFire weapons mount (KL4 head swapped over to an OpticsHQ unit).

Well, let's just say that a few rounds with an M4gery then with a G21 and an VLTOR Scout mount shook the thing totally apart - to where the pill came apart and the positive wire came off the board.

Subsequent ones that I've tested haven't come apart. So I took one apart to see why.

The original head consisted of these parts:

- Bezel
- Glass
- Reflector
- Pill
- Body

The body to bezel threads have an o-ring. That was all the weatherproofing it had. No loctite, nothing.

Ones I got after the first one toasted on me consist of:

- Bezel
- Rubbery substance between bezel and glass
- Glass
- Rubbery Substance on the threads on the reflector threads
- Reflector
- Rubbery substance on the body threads
- Pill
- Body

So - newer ones definitely have more weatherproofing. It took me wrapping the head in separate parts of algamating rubber tape and using robogrip pliers to disassemble it. The rubbery goop seems to act as both some sort of shockproofing and weatherproofing.

-Steve

 

[Patriot]

Nice review Steve. It looks like a very nice product. I was surprised to see a slight donut hole from your 120P. Usually they're very bright in the center. It's interesting to see differences though.

 

[Beastmaster]

Thanks. I've been doing some more testing using the "Styrofoam Cooler" method of lightbox testing.

I have two styro coolers, one of them actually ends up being perfect at 1 square foot in inside volume (which is the large cooler). I also recently got two light meters, one cheapie one, the other is a LM631 from MeterMan. I've taken it apart and put them back together again over and over to make sure that I got the same results.

Here's the results. I even calculated Foot-Candles to Lux and it came out within 3%.

Small Cooler with cheapie LM/Large Cooler with LM631 (in lux)

Novatac 120P AW ICR123
2620/2690

E1e/LF HO Bulb AW ICR123
2260/2260 (this was the most stable and the most repeatable....same numbers every time all the time)

OpticsHQ E1 Head/1x AW ICR123
2560/2500

OpticsHQ E2 Head/1x AW ICR123
3910/3910 (this also was the most stable and the most repeatable as well....)

OpticsHQ E2 Head/2x AW ICR123
3930/3980

My own BMX80 LED Lamp Assembly
3730/3410

X80 Incan
2400/2190

SureFire E1B
1340/1380 (This was a shock...I might sell off my E1B now...)

KL4/1x123 AW ICR123 (Known as the TW4)
2160/2240

KL4/2x123 AW ICR123 Head #1 sn A21333
4950/5640 (great binned LuxV !!)

KL4/2x123 AW ICR123 Head #2 sn A10117 (newest one - black HA off of a Scout)
3980/4240

KL5/2x123 AW ICR123
2940/2900

More stuff as I get it.
-Steve

 

[KDOG3]

Whoa, how did I miss this? I'd love to get a black E2e with the E2 head....

 

[Bob K]

Sooo...what's the verdict? Are these things well built? They're bright, but are they built solidly?

 

[Beastmaster]

The latest versions are worth it. With the new rubbery goop that's potting everything together, it's holding fine. I figure that after beating it up with an AKMS clone and a Glock, it'll last through EDC fine.

I'd also do the E2 head if you have rechargeables.

Here's why:

If you're using rechargeables (AW's or even the unprotected RCR123A's), my home made Igloo light box shows that the E2 head gives similar Lux readings between 1x123 and 2x123 bodies.

Here's the kicker - the E2 head on an 1x123 body beats out:

-A Novatac in the 1m throw contest in Lux and in the Igloo light box
-A BOG Q5 in the Igloo light box
-A 8NX/8AX/8X in the 1m throw contest and in the Igloo light box

I've been carrying an E2 head with a VG 1x123 body since this test began. It's such a useful light and beats out 3 popular lights or drop ins.

It's a killer light. Anyone who has a E series Surefire body needs one of these.

-Steve

 

[Cuso]

I agree, the head is awesome. Mine is set on a FB2 body...

But my real plan is this:

Haven't found a suitable tailcap yet, has the ano on the PEU body is very
light. I think LEEF did a run of light ano tailcap pieces , but those are nowhere to be found. Its a killer head.

 

[minitech17]

nice set up on the FB2

 

[2xTap]

Cuso,

Looks like we were both thinking the same way, I finished this one up just a couple weeks ago...............

These Q5 Head Replacements are nice.

2xTap