Surefire L4

[Alin10123]

Thanks for the tips. Forgive the Newb, but where can I get AWs 17670 batteries? Also, is there a way to tell if these will fit my L4 without sanding?

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/140362

You wont know if it actually fits your L4 until you get the cells in. Sometimes peeling off the label on the battery helps. but it's not guaranteed. It doesn't take much, but you do have to work a little to get it to fit. Or... some people just get lucky and everything lines up just perfectly.

 

[AyeMayanor]

You wont know if it actually fits your L4 until you get the cells in....Or...some people just get lucky and everything lines up just perfectly.

Exactly. You just have to wait and see. Like I said, use your L4 for a couple of weeks with regular batteries to determine whether you think it would be worth sanding if necessary. And like Alin pointed out, you might get lucky and not have to sand anyway.

I just happened to buy two L4s and both were too small for 17670s, so I sanded them both out for a total of 6 hours and it was worth every second. Having had mine for a solid month now I have already saved over $30 by not using primaries. That is if I had been using $1 BatteryStation brand. Figure over $50 if they were Surefire brand.

 

[Art Vandelay]

If you want to know that the rechargeable will fit in the L4, buy the newest version of Pila 600S. They shrank the latest version of the Pila 600S to fit in the L4. I got mine from jsburleys. If you are concerned, send an email question before you order. I think Surefire shrunk the battery compartment of the L4 to keep people from unintentionally trashing the L4 by using two rechargeable 123s.

http://www.jsburlysflashlights.com/cgi-bin/ccp51//cp-app.cgi?usr=51I7611474&rnd=7208627&rrc=N&affl=&cip=4.153.73.116&act=&aff=&pg=prod&ref=Pila_600S&cat=&catstr=

 

[jumpstat]

I would imagine member Mirage_Man's offering here https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/153229 would be an ideal uprade path for the KL4 head. No idea how much its going to be but its in the making. 18650 size carry more capacity and imagine if its partnered with a KL1.

 

[Echo63]

Surefire U2
is a GREAT multi-level (6) LED, not as bright on high as the L4, but much more versatile.


-RDH

P.S. -- forgot to say: Hey! Welcome to CPF! Guard your wallet, temptations abound...heh heh

your U2 must have flat batteries then
my U2 craps all over my L4
it is about equal when you turn the U2 down to about level 4


the L4 is a great light, it was my second surefire, i still have it and still use it regularly
although my EDC light is either my U2 or strion, simply because the strion is rechargeable and the U2 is so versatile, long running and dim or screaming bright - it does both and lives on Pila's so it is cheap to run too

 

[boosterboy]

I had a L4 for about 2 weeks. I used it during a Relay For Life event.

I was pretty much blinding people accidently (it was my first surefire).

Yeah, I resisted the temptation of playing "blind your friend contest".

It's odd how it still blinds even when it's designed to flood.

It's great for light up a whole campsite and small enough to hold it between your teeth.

It's light enough that you can clip it onto a baseball cap.

I returned it and got an L5 instead because I needed more throw. Then I returned the L5 and burned the money on food.:laughing:

Up till today, I'm still confused if it's 100 lumens or 65 lumens. The packaging says "65 lumens", yet the surefire website says "100 lumens".
it seemed like 65.

 

[Patriot]

My old EDC light used to be the E2E. The L4 has taken its place completely. I really like the size of the L4 and for me, its small size helps to outweight the fact that it doesn't have a secondary output level. You'll be very pleased with the L4. You made a great choice.

:goodjob:

 

[BBL]

If someone asks me, if i would recommend the L4, i would say no.
Somehow, nobody mentioned the cr*p switch on those.

 

[Darknessnomore]

If someone asks me, if i would recommend the L4, i would say no.
Somehow, nobody mentioned the cr*p switch on those.

What is the problem with the switches??

 

[BBL]

What is the problem with the switches??

They are less reliable than a switch you would expect on a $20 flashlight. For a $165 light, it is simply inacceptable.

I bought a light with that type of switch a year ago, had it replaced twice since.

Its typical for cpf: someone asks for advice about a light, everyone raves, no one points out the downsides.

 

[Darknessnomore]

I am wondering if it a higher than average failure rate, or that they sell alot of them for alot of $$, and more complaints are likely to be voiced, say, compared to a $10 cheapo flashlight when it breaks?

 

[NAW]

A friend of mine had his L4 tailcap break 2 times. He was able to open up the second tailcap & fix it & hes not even a flashaholic.

 

[IndecisiveFlashaholic]

Also, Surefire has wonderful customer service. All products they sell have lifetime warranties (aside from batteries and bulbs). If you are unlucky enough to get "bad" tailcap, call Surefire.

 

[SIERRA]

I'm using a KL4 on a E2E body with a McTC.

I was in a basement floor in a shopping complex and there was a power failure, I lit up the shop i was in using my L4. The funny thing was, a guy came in and started looking around as if everything was ok.

 

[cbubu]

Hi Guys,
I have been owning a L4 for few weeks and I like the size, the output and the feeling in my hand ! great flashlight, one of my prefered although it becomes hot very fast ...
Some work on it to make a AW 17670 fit and it's perfect !
Have a great day !

 

[AyeMayanor]

I recieved my L4 on a Thursday and the tailcap seized up Saturday. I called SF that following Monday and had a replacement in my hands by Wed/Thurs. No questions, no hassle.

I was a little disappointed, but SF's warranty covered it and in dealing with them I felt reassured that I made a good choice. I wanted the best and I got it. Anything with moving parts is likely to fail at some point, but how many companies nowadays offer lifetime warranties on their products. I'm willing to spend a few bucks more for that kind of service.

My car is a whole other story. A faulty tailswitch on a flashlight is the least of my concerns.

 

[Alin10123]

SF clickies seem to not have a very good reputation. If it's really an issue, swap it out and get the push for momentary and twist for constant on.

 

[Darknessnomore]

SF clickies seem to not have a very good reputation. If it's really an issue, swap it out and get the push for momentary and twist for constant on.

What model can I get one off of and where from?

 

[yaesumofo]

Funny I have a whole bunch of SF clicks and I have never had a single one fail.
In fact i have found them to be quite robust. As was posted earlier in the thread Surefire will replace a failed switch very easily.
BTW I now own 4 KL4 flashlights one is a factory L4 the others I bought as heads only. I love them all but I have gone through a fair number of them to get ones I like. One has a terrible defect in the reflector but the tint is great and the defect doesn't impact the beam at all.
A while back I worked very hard to find 2 matching kl4 heads. A difficult task.
One thing I find amazing is just that it seems that no two are exactly alike.

I recently received a kl4 from a member who went through something like 10 of them before he found the one he considers to be "perfect" no doughnut and a perfect tint. Think about it. Going through $1000.00 worth of lights to find the perfect head. This light is mounted on a vital gear single cell body is now my secondary EDc light. It is very white and bright with the smooth wall of light the kl4 is famous for.
In any event the L4 or KL4 is a wonderful piece. I own 4 now I wonder how many I will end up with.... Who knows.
A matched pair:

Yaesumofo

 

[who]

You can essentially do the same with the existing tail cap:



- Turn on the light

- Unscrew the tail cap until the light goes off



Now if you press, it will turn on momentarily, twist for constant on.

A bad tail cap still can be used in this fashion by soldering one place inside the switch, to make it permanently stay in the on state.