Surefire L1 Beam question

Hello all -

This is my first post. I bought a SF L1 a couple of months back, and then bought a U2 last week. I have spent hours searching around this forum trying to learn all I can, and now finally have a question that I couldn't already find an answer to.

Until I got my U2, I was content with the beam of my L1 (after all, it was so much better than my Mag Lights!). Now that I have another 'real' flashlight to compare it to, I have a question.

My L1 beam is square (so the newest generation). The center of the beam has a slight blueish tint, which is okay, but the edges are dark yellow. I am not sure if that is normal. Outside of the square beam, three sides have a bright blue halo that extends out about 10% of the width of the beam. On the fourth side, the blue halo is very thin.

So, looking at the beam, it goes from blueish white to dark yellow to somewhat bright blue on three sides. Compared to the perfect solid white beam of my U2, the L1 looks a lot less impressive. I'm not compareing lumens here, just the quality of the light.

I have read people talking about sending heads to other members to have reworked, or "shimming", or shipping back lights that had quality issues. So, I guess what I want to know is - is this normal? If not, what do you recommend that I do?

Thanks for the help. This forum is a great resource!

Jason

Hello Jason and welcome to CPF!

If you willing to spend some money on that L1, you can have it upgraded to a ML1. The ML1 is described to be "What the L1 should have been!"

The modification is done by a highly respected CPF member Milkyspit. He has done (2) lights for me so far, one being the ML1. It is just fantastic with a smooth-white perfect beam many times a bright as a stock L1. I also have his M180 in a M*g 2C body.

Here is a link to his services thread. Just locate the ML1 section and read on. He is a great guy to deal with and his service is fast!

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/120724

Good luck - sounds like you've got the flashlight bug!

Bill

ja10,

WELCOME TO CPF!! This is a wonderful group of people that will bend over backwards to help. So, to business:

This is perfectly normal for the new L1. It's sole purpose in life is to project a beam as far as it can with a given amount of power. What you are seeing is the result, given our current technology. This result is indeed impressive, compared to other lights with similar power. In my humble opinion however, as a result of the limited usefulness of the beam (other than for maximum throw over distance), I feel that the light is useless without an F04 beamshaper filter on the front of it for flood/spill characteristics. With the F04, this becomes a very impressive EDC light (every day carry).

I have some runtime results that I will try to dig up for you to help. I will edit this post with them as soon as I find them. With the F04 on the front (until it is time to remove it for a distance application), this is about the best EDC light I have yet to run across.

EDIT with runtimes from a previous post:

The L1 (new) ran in "low" continuously (with occasional 1-2 second burts to "hi" just to see if it still worked) for 168-176 hours. It fell to "moon-mode" (very dim) at about 118 hours, but the "hi" mode continued to work until the 118 hour point. (Apparently, this "last gasp" effort to "hi" at 118 hours CAUSED the fall to "moon-mode"). The L1 (new) worked normally in all respects to the 90 hour point, moon mode at 118 hours, "hi" mode until 118 hours, 168-176 hours to "death". (I was asleep when it died in the night sometime!) [It began to ease down to moon mode at 90 hours but was very subtle. It became more obvious at 102 hours, and was fully engaged in moon mode at 118 hours.]

These preliminary numbers are impressive, and my tests continue. This is merely a first report. I have a lot of testing to do. The main reason that I was interested in the L1 (new) as an EDC was the potential runtime on one battery with the newly added "distance capability", but I had no idea that it would run THIS long. I feel that it is basically a useless light without the F04 beamshaper on the front of it for short-range flood, but if I am going to EDC a light, it must also have SOME distance potential. This one does. With an F04 on the front, I have found my new EDC light.

P.S.

What cd-card-biz says is true. I have a Milkyspit ML-1 and it IS better. The only problem is that it will cost you at least $80 to modify your L-1 head or $180 to purchase a complete light. If money is tight, what you now have will serve just fine with the addition of an F04. However, if and when you can eventually afford it, the "ML-1" IS better.


Hope this helps,
Flashdark sends. AND WELCOME!

I'll second the F04, though if you have the $$ for a mod, you'll have a special light indeed.

Thanks for the help. I read through each post in Milky's thread, and am close to figuring it all out. I am still confused on which emitter is what though

One thing I do like about the L1 is the long throw, but I wouldn't mind trading a some throw for some more flood. I did actually return an L4 though, because I felt the flood was a little too much for me. I ended up with the U2 instead.

From the pictures, it looks like the ML1 is along the lines of the U2 - a good bright hotspot but decent flood around it. My one last question - is the runtime about the same? I don't quite get how a light can go from 22 lumens to 60 lumens and still run the same length of time, but if I've learned on thing on this forum so far, it's that I don't know much of anything!

Thanks again for the help. This forum has taken me from, "Who would EVER spend $150 on a flash light?!?!" to having an L1, a U2, and now plans to send the L1 in for an $85 upgrade!