SF tailcap "clickie" problem

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Patrik

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Nov 26, 2005
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Sweden
Pretty much up to this moment the E2L has been one of my favourites, it still is but now I have experienced similar problems on two different flashlights. If I tighten the tailcap quite a bit the light doesnt come on, and not even when I loosen it. Then when doing this a couple of times it works just fine despite the tightened tailcap. Sometimes it works and sometimes not. Mostly it works just fine. Have any of you had similar problems? Is this the case with other E2L despite I have not read or heard of it? I think its strange because it happended to me twice. Or is it just me that does something wrong with it? SF "twisties" have never ever let my down, I like the clickies much better but it feels so unreliable so I think I will use only twisties in the future. One of these times I had just put som Nyogel on the tailcap 0-ring, something that could affect this? But the other time the E2L came just out the box.

:help:
 
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For the $$ charged SF should not have these problems. I have two Z57s, I believe, on my E lights and though they haven't failed they sometimes feel like they want to misfire or lock up.
 
I agree since SF are among the most expensive on the market, there tend to be (from what I have read at CPF) just a little more problems with their flashlights that you would expect. Until I come across something better I`ll stick with SF, but its a fact that sometimes their products just isnt so good. My faulty z57.. or is it z52 (on the E2L), dont know the difference, are not as bad so it would be a case for their customer service. And second, some tell really great storys from them and some quite the opposite.

In the future I`ll stick with their twisties although I prefer the clickies, but in the end a reliable flashlight IS the best flashlight. The sad part is that I just ordered the SW02 for my M3. Well that could be fine I dont know, but if I were to use it for a longer period outdoors I`d put the old twistie on.

Millenium series and twisties are the best. :wave: Well the L1 is also one of my favourites, I just wished that it had double 0-rings, that would be great.
 
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Hello Patrik!

How long have you had your "clickie"? So far I've not experienced any problems with mine on my Exx series. Maybe still needs a little "breaking in"? I don't know. . .But like JayFlash mentioned, for the money one spends on SureFires, there should not be problems. But then again—it happens. . .I had a "60 minute work out" with mine the first time I got it so as not to experience that "mis-fire"!
 
CHC said:
Hello Patrik!

How long have you had your "clickie"? So far I've not experienced any problems with mine on my Exx series. Maybe still needs a little "breaking in"? I don't know. . .But like JayFlash mentioned, for the money one spends on SureFires, there should not be problems. But then again—it happens. . .I had a "60 minute work out" with mine the first time I got it so as not to experience that "mis-fire"!
Click to expand...

Hello :)

Thanks for the reply. Well its like this, the first I had about 2 weeks, then I bought one for a friend. When we opened it the problem was there, when tightening the tailcap the light didnt come on. I did notice this and felt a bit embarrased, so secretly I changed that with mine own that had no problem. That perticular E2L works pretty good now, dont have any problems with it. But I dont trust it 100 %. The nice one that I gave to my friend I today decided to give some Nyogel, and after that it also didnt work, first not at all despite that the tailcap was tightened as usual (not soft not hard). Then I worked with it for a while just turning the tailcap and clicking it on and off, when she got it back it worked.

So the anwer for your question it that they were pretty new, perhaps you are right about the need of "breaking them in"? I didnt really think about that, I just got a little upset because I want to trust the stuff. Perhaps this wasnt a really big issue.

I just tryed the E2L that I have, when tightened tailcap the light doesnt come on. With the button still locked in and releasing it a bit the light comes on, and sometimes not. I`ll keep on doing this and we will see if it gets any better.
 
I can imagine feeling "a bit embarrased" to say the least. Especially when you've spent that kind of money on a "premium" flashlight only to notice that it has a "glitch" in front of whom ever.

Sometime ago in one of SureFire's catalog, they mentioned that they decided to go into production on these clickie tailcaps because of the overwhelming consumers' requests. They did not say that it was because of requests from Federal, Government, LE, or Military. On those they still go with the "tried and true" twisty, which to some may be a bit of a chore, but nonetheless a surefire way for it to turn on and off.

Hope this trivial malfunction of yours works it way out to perfoming as it should be. Until then!
 
CHC said:
I can imagine feeling "a bit embarrased" to say the least. Especially when you've spent that kind of money on a "premium" flashlight only to notice that it has a "glitch" in front of whom ever.

Sometime ago in one of SureFire's catalog, they mentioned that they decided to go into production on these clickie tailcaps because of the overwhelming consumers' requests. They did not say that it was because of requests from Federal, Government, LE, or Military. On those they still go with the "tried and true" twisty, which to some may be a bit of a chore, but nonetheless a surefire way for it to turn on and off.

Hope this trivial malfunction of yours works it way out to perfoming as it should be. Until then!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info and support, interesting to hear about the reason why SF started to make "clickies" in the first place. I am pretty much as civilian one could get but I will definately stick to "twisty" from now on, not my personal favourite but if its reliable thats whats counts in the end. My interpretation of this is that the professionals that depend on them should know whats best, so I will slowly start to replace my SF lights to "twistys" only. :)
 
:awman:

Now my "clickie" is totally jammed, I pressed and depressed it about 20 times and then it wouldnt "click", this sucks. This is going to be expensive... but I feel responsible for replacing a E2L my father has from me and that to my friend. I cant let them stand there with non-functioning lamps. I will buy the L1 instead for them.

Probarbly I have just had really bad luck, but never ever clickie again.
 
Wow. . .You can call or email SureFire and explain to them the problem. They should be more than willing to send a replacement.

Hope all is more than Fair-to-Midland!
 
Yes, Patrik, do contact SF customer service. They may be slow at times but I believe you will have the problem corrected. Good luck.
 
I wrote concerning another issue to the dealer I order from and at the same time I asked about this. I am just curious if he has gotten any other complaints. Yes I can contact SF, I think via mail, because my spoken english is not very impressive. :whistle:


To be continued...
 
jayflash said:
Yes, Patrik, do contact SF customer service. They may be slow at times but I believe you will have the problem corrected. Good luck.
Click to expand...

I`ll do so, just want to hear what the dealer says. :) And concerning your signature, well of course you do. We all need another flashligt. I for instance feel an urge for the M2. A thread somewhere here at CPF asked the question "Why do you like flashlights?". What kind of a question is that? The real question is: "Why dont you like flashligts?" Of course nobody would answer because everybody just loves it.
:lolsign:

And a little off topic: Perhaps this will end for me in a way that I will sit with three KL1 heads here at home (if I go ahead buying L1 for my dad and my friend). Is there any body and twisty tailcap that they are compatible with?
 
From SureFire's website:

The tail-cap button on my SureFire flashlight won’t move, is it broken?

The tail-cap button assemblies have very little travel so there is often a misconception that it is broken. If the flashlight features a lock out tail cap and the button will not move, apply additional pressure on the button until it breaks free and can rattle loosely inside the cap.

Why doesn’t the tail-cap on my SureFire flashlight click on and off?

Clicker type mechanisms have historically proven unreliable and usually have a short life span. It is our philosophy that a intermittent tail-cap, combined with a bezel constant on system, is far superior.
 
BigBaller said:
From SureFire's website:

The tail-cap button on my SureFire flashlight won’t move, is it broken?

The tail-cap button assemblies have very little travel so there is often a misconception that it is broken. If the flashlight features a lock out tail cap and the button will not move, apply additional pressure on the button until it breaks free and can rattle loosely inside the cap.

Why doesn’t the tail-cap on my SureFire flashlight click on and off?

Clicker type mechanisms have historically proven unreliable and usually have a short life span. It is our philosophy that a intermittent tail-cap, combined with a bezel constant on system, is far superior.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing! :) I sent an e-mail to the SF dealer, he said that z57 sometimes does fail. He would replace it right away, thats customer satisfaction folks. And the SF dealer I am referring to is of course Lighthound, this great service does make me want to order additional lights in the future. As a matter of fact, I just ordered the M2 from him. :sssh:
 
Way to go Patrik! Way to go. . .Enjoy that SureFire M2 when it arrives. It's among my favorite 6V torchers next to my original-original SF.6P!
 
I have at least 9 Z57 equipped lights, and only had a problem with one. It is an early L1 dumb head, modded with a very bright green LS and E1 body. It would intermittantly light very dimly. :( I disassembled the switch for the second time, and along the way managed to notice the cell was a good 3mm shorter than a SF primary or the other R123s I have. A proper length cell fixed mine. :green:

Larry
 
It's unbelieveable that SF actually says on their web site that they consider clickies as inferior ( I confirmed it ) but, although I haven't had any problems with my Z57s yet, I get the uneasy feeling when using them, or any other clickie, that the mechanics of such a switch are the weakest link. Although I like clickies, I simply distrust them and know that over time they WILL fail due to the relatively complex mechanics involved. Long live the elegant simplicity and reliability of twisties.
 
Is it known how/why the Z57 clickies fail? (electrical, mechanical, etc.)
 
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