Surefire A2 Owners - What's your bulb life?

[Atomic_Chicken]

Greetings!

I owned a Surefire A2 Aviator for 8 or 9 months last year, and ended up selling it to help fund a Kroma. The entire time I owned it, using it as my EDC light with at least 10 minutes of use per day (longer when camping or working late...), I never did burn out a bulb. I sold it with the original bulb still intact and burning bright.

I purchased two new A2's yesterday (1 with Red LED, 1 with White) along with a spare MA02 lamp assembly, and I'm curious about what to realistically expect in the way of bulb life.

For all you A2 owners out there... how often have you needed to change a bulb? Were your bulb failures typically due to burnout, or being shocked/dropped/etc.?

Best wishes,
Bawko

 

[Pyle-IT]

Hello

I have been using my A2 approx 15 mins per night 4 nights a week for 2 years and still on original bulb. I am a pilot and depart at 10pm nightly, the A2 done all my preflight inspections and post flight inspections with me. I have been through and tried at least 15 other lights and this is still my favorite light for what i do. I think that is due to the momentary on(LED's), with the ability to have more light (incan) with only a little more pressure. When the bulb finally blows ill post when and how.

 

[Size15's]

I have over 40 hours of use on one MA02 before I retired it early. It's still as bright and white a fresh bulb. I've never had an MA02 bulb fail, and none of ones I'm currently using in my A2's are showing any signs of getting old.

 

[carrot]

It's been over a year now and the original bulb on my A2 is still fine.

 

[cslinger]

I have two A2 that are about two years old or so. Neither has a blown bulb but I don't use the incan a huge amount.

Chris

 

[leukos]

I've only blown one MA02 and it had 60+ hours on it.

 

[batman]

my MAo2 gave way to shock after a fall onto concrete with roughly 30 hours on the bulb. Funny, it had taken many falls like that before finally dying.

 

[kz1000s1]

Mine is still going after almost 3 years and it was used when I got it. None of my other Surefires have burned out a bulb either.

 

[firefly99]

My A2 bulb is still going strong, only 20 minutes of whitewall, being a shelf queen.

 

[bwaites]

I have yet to burn a lamp out, and my original A2 had at least 50 hours over nearly 3 years on it.

My brother in law did a tour in Baghdad and never burned a lamp out though he stopped counting how many cells he went through.

The soft start helps, and they are just good lamps!

That said, FiveMegas socket/lamp combo using a Strion lamp is a LITTLE brighter and whiter, and the beam is actually a little better, at least in my A2.

Bill

 

[batman]

hey bwaites, what is a "FiveMegas socket/lamp combo using a Strion lamp?" I have not heard of any replacement/upgrade lamps for the A2 in all the months i've owned one.

 

[Illum]

dunno...I've had mine for half a year now [give or take] it could go tomorrow or it could go somewhere in 08, I dont use mine much and since its second hand I have no idea how much the lamps seen light

 

[bwaites]

A2 to Strion

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=133498&highlight=socket

Bill

 

[Max Brightness]

Haven't counted exactly. But if I remember correctly between June and September of 2006, I used it for atleast 3-4 hours a week.

So 14 weeks with 3.5 hours per week gives 49 hours.

 

[batman]

roger that bwaites, batman out. Lumens factory needs to get on this idea...

 

[benighted]

...I havent blown one yet :thinking:

 

[cy]

original bulb here

 

[dudemar]

I had mine on my first bulb for 2 years and 3 months, it probably had 25 hours on it. It looked a little dark from age, but that was about it. Since sending it to SF for a warranty issue I got a brand new bulb, I've dropped the A2 on asphalt and it still works. I love this light!

 

[ACMarina]

I think we could start a "First Bulbs Club"...

 

[Esthan]

Thank for the valuable info :]

I was a bit worried about the bulb life of my A2 but
I feel much better now :]