Surefire Kroma Owners - A Question

[ninemm]

Hey All Kroma Owners,

So, I was out walking the dog tonight with my Kroma (Non Milspec) and noticed something that I think is not normal.

I have my Kroma tail cap twisted enough to have the red, blue, and low constant on. When I press the tailcap the high white engages and the goes off when the tailcap is released EXCEPT when I am on high red. When I release the tailcap on high red the led steps down in brightness (but not all the way to the low white level). Very weird. :thinking: If I twist the ring to low red and then back to high the white led goes off.

I'm pretty sure this used to operate just fine on all the different settings. Can anyone else verify the standard operation of the Kroma for me? I'm thinking I should contact Surefire about this.

Thanks!
Steve

 

[redcar]

Mine did something similar when I first got mine, but the white LED would stay on full brightness. It became more and more intermittent (working that way then properly) until that behavior has fully subsided. This was on the first set of batteries, I've not noticed the behavior since.

Redd

 

[Solscud007]

hmm try another set of fresh batteries.

the kroma, U2 and any other type of light in that style (have not tried the Vampire yet) can all run well on a single Li-On. My U2 and DARPA turbo kroma both are bored, from surefire, to fit a 18650 battery. they run just as bright and longer than 2 primaries.

I legoed the Kroma head on those bodies and it works just as well.

You can use a 17650 too if you wanted.

The Turbo kroma PKEF/DARPA does something similar. the PKEF were designed to be a 3 stage system. it goes in the order of:

low color LED at half press forward
Full white and color LED at full press forward
low white and color LED at half press rearward immediately letting off of full press.

Kinda annoying when my Turbo kroma has IR LEDs. The reason is im using NVGs and IR. that is great. in case i need full white, I have it at full press. but if I want to go back to being a ninja in the shadows, I have to let off the tailcap otherwise the turbo kroma goes back to low white.

By using a single Li-On 18650, i have corrected that problem.

 

[GreySave]

Unless I am misunderstanding the original post something does not sound right. From low or high color depressing the button should take the light to full white and releasing the button returns it to whatever color mode the light was in. The only way to get low white on full press release is if the white mode is selected.

I did use the head for a time on a Leef 18650 body with the Leef washer and found the Kroma to be erratic and unreliable in that configuration and stopped using it as a result. Step up and down using the push button was erratic and at times the light would not turn on and I would have to move the tailcap a bit to resolve that. Just too unreliable so went back to the stock body and primaries. It is possible that I was not using the washer properly (Right location/install?) as I was guessing at its position in / on the tailcap. That was the only time it ever failed me in any way. Still sits ready on my nightstand.....

 

[ninemm]

I have it tightened down to the point where it is almost engaging low white, so when it is hard pressed it goes to high white. On every other color than high red after I press it goes back to just the colored led. I'll try a fresh battery tonight and see how it goes.

 

[Solscud007]

Unless I am misunderstanding the original post something does not sound right. From low or high color depressing the button should take the light to full white and releasing the button returns it to whatever color mode the light was in. The only way to get low white on full press release is if the white mode is selected.

I did use the head for a time on a Leef 18650 body with the Leef washer and found the Kroma to be erratic and unreliable in that configuration and stopped using it as a result. Step up and down using the push button was erratic and at times the light would not turn on and I would have to move the tailcap a bit to resolve that. Just too unreliable so went back to the stock body and primaries. It is possible that I was not using the washer properly (Right location/install?) as I was guessing at its position in / on the tailcap. That was the only time it ever failed me in any way. Still sits ready on my nightstand.....

What is a leef washer? I have noticed the problems you were having in my DARPA body. the DARPA body is the same body as the Kroma and U2. however it is bored for 18650, factory bored from SF, not a custom job.

I had problems with tailcap activation. I recently picked up a first gen U2 in a trade. It too is bored for 18650, factory bored as well. There is a major difference in the tailcap threads. the U2 has a inner lip inside the tube. that lip prevents the 18650 from coming out the tailcap side. this lip provides more real estate for the U2 and Kroma tailcaps.

The DARPA body does not have this lip so the thickness of the tailcap threaded side of the body is really thin.

 

[rebelproud]

I had the same exact issue right out of the box. I called surefire, they said to send it it because it sounded like it had an electronic issue. I sent it back to the place I bought it, they sent me a new one, and I haven't had any issues with the new one. Send it back, it is defective.

 

[GreySave]

The Leef Washer is necessary to make the Kroma head work on the 18650 compatible Leef body. It helps complete the circuit but beyond that I have no tehcnical information.

Leef made bodies for these two lights (Also the U2 when theyw ere quite popular) but I have not seen any on Lighthound for a while. I also have one used on my U2 head and it works great.

 

[ninemm]

Small update. Talked to Surefire and they wanted me to send the light in. I'll let you know what the result is.

 

[ninemm]

Well my lights were shipped home yesterday. Here's what the Surefire tech had to say -
Dear Steve,

The K2 had defective electrical components; they were exchanged for properly functioning new components. The U2 had the internal lenses adjusted and refocused.

Thank You

The U2 was in for severe case of donut-itice. Hopefully it will have a nice smooth beam now sans donut. Glad they didn't replace the whole head since it's the older LuxV model.