Surefire 6PL problems

[SickPup404]

Well, I've only lurked here for a few weeks, and today I joined out of frustration with the 6PL.

I had decided on the 6PL primarily as a weapon light (AR15) but able to be dropped in a holster, pocketed, glove box, etc., and found lots of praises being sung about it. Found what I thought was a fairly good deal at Optics Planet ($89) and ordered from them.

I received the first one, opened the box, took the tailcap out of "lockout" mode (screwed in a bit), hit the tailswitch, and the light fired like a flashbulb and went out. I searched and searched for similar problems, found no complaints, and decided to RMA it. Second one did the EXACT same thing. Sent an email to customer service at OP, and they recommended another RMA, a return, or take it up with SF. Shipping back to them was getting expensive, so I decided to cut my losses and return it.

Now the question is this. I still have a need for a weapon mounted light, I have a box of 123's, and also need to be able to have the portability.

Should I just get a dedicated weapon light (like a SL TLR1) and a separate portable light, or try another model similar to the 6PL? This is basically for home defense - in other words, not as a daily work item for military or LE use, so I'm looking for sub-$200 for two lights, but I might go $150 for a single light.

I did search the forums and found a great one that had beam throws, battery life, and pictures be somebody, but I didn't bookmark it and now I can't find it again. It was MANY pages long and they had put a great deal of effort into it.

TIA
SickPup404

 

[divine]

This is the perfect excuse to get a Malkoff M60.

 

[GPB]

I'm surprised you had to send the whole light back. I would have thought it would be cheaper to just send the lamp module.

If the 6PL is what your original research led you to, I'd say stick with that light but get it from a different source, since all of their supply would come from the same manufacturing batch. Or, if you can get a hold of someone at Optics Planet, just ask them to open the package and turn the light on for you before they ship it. The 6P has been around for ever, and while I have seen complaints for its brightness level, tint of the LED, and lack of a "clicky" switch, I can honestly say I have never seen anyone complain about its reliability. I have the G2L, ( same lamp assembly as 6PL in a different body ) and am very happy with it.

I think pricing on Surefire's is pretty standardized, so you could even go to a local store and fire up the light before you leave the building. Around here both ****'s Sporting Goods and Lowes sell the 6PL. There are TONS of 6P's out there getting daily use for years at a time. I'd say give it another try.

 

[SickPup404]

Thx for the idea! Couple more things though:

- I've already RMA'd the 6PL to Optics Planet, so I'd have to get another one for the M60... :ironic:

- I have a Mako vertical foregrip from CTD (http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ARR606-7.html) that I got specifically for the 1" body. I'm thinking I will be switching (95% sure) to another foregrip with slots for pressure switches.

So any suggestions for a whole new light?

 

[ampdude]

Something does not add up here. Two DOA Surefire 6PL's in a row?

 

[SickPup404]

Something does not add up here. Two DOA Surefire 6PL's in a row?

My thoughts EXACTLY. These were the 6PL (LED), so rough handling by UPS shouldn't have been an issue. Though they both DID light for a split second...

Could I have done something wrong with them? I switched out the batteries when I had them too, so that wasn't it.

Good call on Lowes & ****'s! I have a Lowes about 10 minutes away, and ****'s & Gander Mountain 30 minutes away. Will be checking tomorrow.

 

[RobertM]

I'm surprised you had to send the whole light back. I would have thought it would be cheaper to just send the lamp module.

If the 6PL is what your original research led you to, I'd say stick with that light but get it from a different source, since all of their supply would come from the same manufacturing batch. Or, if you can get a hold of someone at Optics Planet, just ask them to open the package and turn the light on for you before they ship it. The 6P has been around for ever, and while I have seen complaints for its brightness level, tint of the LED, and lack of a "clicky" switch, I can honestly say I have never seen anyone complain about its reliability. I have the G2L, ( same lamp assembly as 6PL in a different body ) and am very happy with it.

I think pricing on Surefire's is pretty standardized, so you could even go to a local store and fire up the light before you leave the building. Around here both ****'s Sporting Goods and Lowes sell the 6PL. There are TONS of 6P's out there getting daily use for years at a time. I'd say give it another try.

x2

I agree with GPB that you should just try another 6PL from a different vendor. The SF 6P/L platform is really great. 2 dead 6PL's is row has got to be record or something :laughing: Surely a third one will be the charm.

Robert

 

[jonesy]

Are you letting your finger off the switch? A regular 6P is momentary only, and only stays on if you turn the tailcap all the way.

 

[SickPup404]

Are you letting your finger off the switch? A regular 6P is momentary only, and only stays on if you turn the tailcap all the way.

Yup! :duh2: (Good call, anything else stoopid I might be doing/not doing?)

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Yup! :duh2: (Good call, anything else stoopid I might be doing/not doing?)

I need to follow up here. You pushed on the switch and the light turned on and you released pressure on the switch and the light went out? Did you ever screw the tailcap all the way down for constant on? This is not a clicky light, momentary by pushing on switch, and constant on by screwing tailcap all the way down. Lockout by turning tailcap out a bit.

Bill

 

[SickPup404]

I need to follow up here. You pushed on the switch and the light turned on and you released pressure on the switch and the light went out? Did you ever screw the tailcap all the way down for constant on? This is not a clicky light, momentary by pushing on switch, and constant on by screwing tailcap all the way down. Lockout by turning tailcap out a bit.

Bill

Yep, sure did. Constant on was a bust as well. Though now I do have an update:

- Was talking with a co-worker today about it and he showed me his daily carry - a Rayovac Sportsman Xtreme 1W. Nice light from Walmart he picked up for about $30.
- Stopped by my local Lowes (Thx GPB!) and picked up the 6PL for $84.97, about $4 cheaper than Optics Planet had them for. Popped it open and it works fine! Glad I'm not THAT dumb!
- Right next to the 6PL, they had a Nite-Ize LED Upgrade & IQ switch combo pack on clearance for $14.93. I went ahead and got that too since I have three Mini-Mags lying around. I'm VERY surprised and very pleased with it!

Side note: At first I thought some of you people were crazy - even coining the term "flashaholic"... What LOSERS!

Well.... I think I ended up mainlining high output LED fumes today.

Hi, my name is SickPup404 and I'm a flashaholic...

 

[electromage]

That's really odd, I've got a 6PD, and a G2, I put P60Ls in both of them. I've also tested other G2Ls and numerous P60Ls and I've never seen anything like what you're describing. If you're really having bad luck with P60Ls, you could try an M60, like others have suggested.

 

[brucec]

Glad you finally got a working unit. Two DOA 6PLs in pretty much like being struck by lightning. Maybe you should buy some lottery tickets this month.

Yep, sure did. Constant on was a bust as well. Though now I do have an update:

- Was talking with a co-worker today about it and he showed me his daily carry - a Rayovac Sportsman Xtreme 1W. Nice light from Walmart he picked up for about $30.
- Stopped by my local Lowes (Thx GPB!) and picked up the 6PL for $84.97, about $4 cheaper than Optics Planet had them for. Popped it open and it works fine! Glad I'm not THAT dumb!
- Right next to the 6PL, they had a Nite-Ize LED Upgrade & IQ switch combo pack on clearance for $14.93. I went ahead and got that too since I have three Mini-Mags lying around. I'm VERY surprised and very pleased with it!

Side note: At first I thought some of you people were crazy - even coining the term "flashaholic"... What LOSERS!

Well.... I think I ended up mainlining high output LED fumes today.

Hi, my name is SickPup404 and I'm a flashaholic...

 

[divine]

LOSERS!

Did you call me? :candle:

:laughing:

 

[Gunner12]

Wait till you see a high power LED pushed to the max. The Seoul P4 in the P60L can be driven at a higher current for more output.

I'm glad you found a light that works.

Was the Niteize drop-in the one with the Luxeon? If it is, swapping in a Seoul P4 would double the output for the same runtime. But I remember someone saying that it wasn't an easy mod.

:welcome:

 

[ampdude]

I still think the Surefire LED dropin is the best design. You still get good enough heat transfer with a metal light. I can't stand all the aftermarket ones out there where you can't screw down the head all the way and if you unscrew it a little ways it blinks off. Yuck!!!!!! :shakehead What a bunch of bollucks!

I just want Surefire to come out with more powerful (P61L anybody???) modules with better tint. The P60L is pretty good though, super long runtime with more light than the Luxeons of old. If somebody made a Cree R3 (Surefire style) drop-in where the spring made the contact with the body, rather than the tension of the partially unscrewed LED drop-in against the body and put 1 amp to the LED, I would be all over it.

 

[divine]

ampdude, the problem with putting that much power in a module with the spring is that a spring won't transfer as much heat as it needs away from the LED, to the body of the flashlight. You can expect a short LED life from a design like that. :candle:

 

[ampdude]

ampdude, the problem with putting that much power in a module with the spring is that a spring won't transfer as much heat as it needs away from the LED, to the body of the flashlight. You can expect a short LED life from a design like that. :candle:

I have to disagree, when Surefire switched to metal heads on their nitrolon series, the heat problems went away. Heat is transfered through anything that makes contact. Spring, reflector, ect.

I would agree that having the base of the drop-in make direct contact with the body is probably the most efficient thermal transfer, but I think it has other drawbacks that make it a poor solution.

 

[Chrontius]

Seems to work well enough for Malkoff, though.

 

[jimmy1970]

I still think the Surefire LED dropin is the best design. You still get good enough heat transfer with a metal light. I can't stand all the aftermarket ones out there where you can't screw down the head all the way and if you unscrew it a little ways it blinks off. Yuck!!!!!! :shakehead What a bunch of bollucks!

Buy a Surefire host, pop a Malkoff M60 inside the head, tighten the head onto the body and look at the gap - a fraction of a mm. If you tighten the head down, it takes some force to remove it!

People talking of huge gaps are usually talking about clone hosts etc.

IMHO, the quality of the Malkoff is an improvement over the Surefire original. Just because the drop-in Surefire makes says 'Surefire' on the side, doesn't mean it's the best option out there.

I have never heard of a Malkoff failure!!!

Enough said.

James....