New U2- comments and questions

Hi all,

i just received my new U2 from OpticsHQ (great price thanks Mike!), and I thought I would offer my observations in the wake of recent criticisms. The thing was turned on when it arrived in Sydney, on its lowest level. I don't know how long it had been on, but bugger me if that isn't fast shipping!!!
It seems to have lovely white tint- maybe a trace of sunshine yellow but it looks like a xWOx bin to me. I just can't convince myself of a donut hole- I can just make out the bilobed cross from the lux V at about 20 cms. On a flat white surface. At a grazing angle. That is to say- essentially invisible donut effect.
I am pretty happy but I wonder if anyone can tell me what kind of bin Surefire tends to use, and how the driver works-what kind of drive current is delivered at full power??
Has anyone dared to mod the U2 (am I crazy to consider dropping in a WWOS????)?
Thanks for any replies and thanks for this wonderful, involving forum.

Congratulations on getting a U2. Replacing the LED with a better one is very easy. You just need to desolder the old one, dislodge it with an XActo knife, and then use a little bit of thermal epoxy to secure the new one in place and solder the wires onto it. The very difficult part is getting the bezel open in order to expose the LED. Surefire uses red threadlock to secure the bezel. It takes about 350 degrees of heat to "defeat" red threadlock. I was able to open the bezel of a U2 that a member here kindly donated to "science". I encountered two problems: 1) the heat "bubbled" some parts of the reflector and 2) the selector ring (which I was able to remove) now works on two levels only (level 1 and level 6). The heat might have damaged the driver board.

If you're able to separate the two bezel sections of the U2 with minimal/zero damage, then you're in luck.

Here's a pic:

I was able to remove the bezel on a U2 without damage - probably by using more torque and less heat than grnamin. It can be done.

Sounds a lot like mine, except for the yellow. Mine is really bright white with absolutely no donut. Cross is barely visible on a white background at close range. Clickie works perfect. I LIKE IT!

there's no way I'm touching that head to do a mod!

Thanks Guys!!

Opening the head sounds like a challenge- I'll have a look at how hard it is. By the way my clickie is perfect too greenLED-very happy indeed. Anyhow, I'm enjoying playing with it now so I'll reconsider the WWOS later.....
Thanks again.

I'm wondering if MEK might do the trick to "loosen" the Red Locktite on the bezel's head?

I sent my U2 back to Surefire about four weeks ago because the beam was very yellow and not very bright. Well, yesterday I got a package in the mail from California and when I opened it up, I saw what looked like the same light I had sent them plus a baggie containing two new SF batteries. Upon closer examination, what SF had done was to replace only the head of my light and send me back the same body and tail cap. :rock: That was welcome surprise #1. I had thought that if they replaced the light they would replace the whole thing and I was going to have to figure out how to get the new plastic sleeve out since I like to use 18650 batteries. Welcome surprise #2 was the anodizing on the new head. It was not the same iridescent purple of the old light, but actually a nice black that exactly matches the body. I dropped in the two new batteries and that was when I got surprise #3. WOW! That sucker is bright and white! This is the reason I had originally wanted one of these lights. Much better than the first head. The color on it is very white when shinned onto a white wall but if I compare it with other lights (I know…I know…) it takes on different tints more toward the blue or maybe violet end of the spectrum. I actually like this tint because on the lower settings that I tend to use a lot, the color looks very white, even on setting 1. On the highest settings, unless you are comparing, it just looks annoyingly WHITE. I am very happy with Surefire and their return policy at this point. Four weeks TAT is not that bad either. Color me glad.

Mod the U2 ...................

Grubbmeister I know what you mean about not wanting to redo the body to take 18650s. I spent a good 30minutes getting the thing out- destructively I am sorry to say.
CHC I'll look up MEK -thanks for the tip.

MEK can be had at your local painting supply store. Be careful how you use this particular product though. . .

ICUDoc said:

Grubbmeister I know what you mean about not wanting to redo the body to take 18650s. I spent a good 30minutes getting the thing out- destructively I am sorry to say.
CHC I'll look up MEK -thanks for the tip.

Click to expand...

Hi ICUDoc:

I tried to share some experiences (success!) that I had non-destructively removing my plastic tube, here.

Haven't tried to remove head though, and don't intend to; mine's fine as is (touch wood).

Enjoy the light, its awesome on 18650/168A's.

pc_light

pc light

Great link- I wish I had seen it 8 hrs ago. i tried acetone with no success but you seem to have a lovely technique there....

Thanks a lot anyway- at least its out now.

I got my U2 two days ago .


I FIRST read every post / thread on how to get the plastic tube out .
I soaked it in acetone for a while and then pushed it out with a screwdriver .
That went fairly quickly , then spent 30 min. getting the damned glue out of the tube . :scowl:
Now that I can run 18650´s I must say I am happy with this light . I will have to play (Test) with it a while before I finily give it a :thumbsup: .

As far as taking the head apart to change the Lux V :thinking: I dont think so . It is to great of a risk of screwing something up .


Kenny

Whats the best way to get the pocket off ? Without scraching the battery tube , that is .


Kenny

Will MEK damage the rubber O-rings? Even if it does, the O-rings are replaceable anyway. It would be great if MEK can eat away at the red threadlock.