How many hours does a SF P60 last?

pfmedic

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I dont own a SF. Im currently strictly a diode man. However, Im willing to explore the world of incans via SF.

My question is, after how many hours will the bulb die and I have to purchase a new p60 or p61? Does it depend on the light? If it does, lets use a 6P or Z2 for calculations. I would probably buy one of those. Im guessing that the P61 has a shorter life... so please give me the lifespan of both. Thanks
 

my name is fake

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I thought i saw somewhere on SF's website , it says 20+ hours?


I maybe wrong though...


Bt im also interested to know because i dont have a spare assembly for my C-2!
 

carrot

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Someone on this forum told me SF lamp assemblies are rated to last about 25 hours. I couldn't find information anywhere on the SF website, although I might not have been looking hard enough.
 

pfmedic

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carrot said:
I couldn't find information anywhere on the SF website, although I might not have been looking hard enough.

Yes I have found nothing on their website as well. Maybe if I keep bumping this, it will be seen by the people who know for sure.

:bumpit:
 

zespectre

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I have a surefire 6P that had (at a VERY rough estimate) about 25-30 hours before the P60 popped. That light currently has a P61 HOLA in it but I'm only up to about 2 hours on the clock. I love my 6P but it hasn't gotten nearly as much use since I got my L2.
 

socom1970

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The official life span of any Surefire lamp assy. is 30 hours form what I remember. (I am fairly sure on this). From what I have heard and read here on CPF, lamps have also been known to last up to 100+ hours in some instances. I have been using my Surefires, including a G2 Nitrolon purchased almost 6 years ago and I have never had a bulb blow on me. A funny and comforting sidenote to this thread is that I was talking to a Surefire rep. in person at a retailer here shortly before I purchased the G2. I told him the thing that bugged me about Surefires is that they have no backup lamp in the light (Streamlight, Mag-light, etc). He told me the reason they were never designed to carry a spare lamp is that Surefires don't need one. At first I thought that was rather a curious answer (all incans blow eventually, right?) but after using my Surefires, I am far less concerned about this. That being said, I ALWAYS carry at least one backup light to my 9P, usually a E2e+KL1+F04 or a 6P+3W BOG Lux drop-in, and a E1e.:)
 

Size15's

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Yep - I agree. SureFire's don't need a 'backup' lamp assembly concealed as part of the flashlight.
However, it makes good sense to have more than one flashlight.
A flashlight can fail or be sacrified and so having a backup flashlight is more useful than a spare bulb you can't easily change in the field in the dark anyway.

I've never had a P60 or P61 die of old age. I've never had an E2e lamp die of old age.

I put over 40 sets of batteries through my first A2 on the original lamp. It's still fine but I decided to retire it just in case.

Al
 

CLHC

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I for one do agree on carrying back-up flashlights because you never know. . .But to date I have never experienced a SureFire LA's death at 30 hours old. It's still going.

The only SF.LAs that had a "premature death" on me were the ones that were on a newly aquired SF.10X Dominator when they first came out [a SF rep told me that the one I had was a T&E and wondered how I came in possession of it], and a mishandling of the LA on my SF.M6.
 

pfmedic

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socom1970 said:
...the reason they were never designed to carry a spare lamp is that Surefires don't need one.

I think Socom, 15's and CHC have me convinced at this point that I need to own a SF and that there is not hidden expenses in owning one as was my major concern in the first place. Now the only question is do I save up for a Z or do I just get the 6P?:thinking:
 

CLHC

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Hello Paul!

The SureFire 6P is their best selling all around flashlight. The SF.6Z—excuse me—SF.Z2—was designed with the shooter in mind. It's got the rubber grip ring to assist in-between finger hold carry with one hand and firearm in another. I have no problem doing so with both models since my "glove" size hands are med/lrg w/Mechanix or Ringers. I believe the "newer" SF.6P has its side trimmed a bit as compared to the original-original one.

Either way, they're both excellent tools. You could also try checking out the SF.G2 and SF.G2Z in nitrolon.

Hope you find what you're looking for and Enjoy!
 

MacTech

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so, essentially what's being said here is that SF is *under-rating* the lamp lifespan, perhaps worst-case scenario such as use under constant gunfire?

cool, a company with *integrity*, actually rating their products on *worst case* scenario, more companies (not just flashlight companies) should do this, honesty in advertising, imagine the goodwill it could generate...

"Volvos, they're boxy but they're good"
"come to New York, there were less murders here than last year"
"Metamucil, it helps you go to the toilet, if you don't use it, you get cancer and die...."

sorry, couldn't resist some classic "Crazy People" quotes....
 

Double_A

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I've only had SF lamps fail for two reasons.

Severe abuse (flipping a 6P way up into the air and having it come down hard and fail) and known defects that occurred within the first 10 minutes of burntime. In the second case SF sent me two as replacements. No charge, no questions asked and received them in 3 days.

I've never had one burn out to just getting old, but I'm sure it happens.
 

a99raptors

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I have previously emailed Surefire about this myself, and they replied saying the LAs should give about 30+ hours. One problem I have though is that I dropped 2 brand new G2s (not on the same day.....) and then the beam shape had an annoying black hole in the middle. Upon closer inspection, I found that the filament was tilted to the side. Told Surefire about this, and they said that the shock of the drop could be the same as that of a recoiling firearm. I was very annoyed since they advertised the Nitrolon as more shock resistant. Anyway, they did offer to replace the two LAs FOC. Gotta love their service!

But after those "failures", my U2 and L2 have been getting more regular use, though I am dying to get my hands on an M2. I just miss the natural colour of incandescents. Would that be a good idea? No more annoying bulb problems?
 
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pedalinbob

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Would it be a good idea to "burn in" a new Surefire lamp?

It seems that most failures occur within the first few minutes, so maybe it would be good to run a set of bats to check bulb integrity.

Bob<---hopefully getting a G2 for Christmas!!!
 

Size15's

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If you need to depend on any of your tools it would be a good idea to ensure they perform as intended and that you can use them - this would imply that you try them out before using them for "real".

Al
 

pedalinbob

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Thanks, Size 15's.

I think I will do this with all of my new lights--maybe put an hour on them before using.
Edit: I was stunned to discover that the bulbs for the Streamlight Twintask 2L is only rated for 5 hours (or was it the TL2 bulb?). My first bulb blackened in under an hour, dropping output significantly.

I am REALLY excited to get a Surefire!

Bob
 
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