Fire Helmet mounted lights UK 4aa & Syclone- WHAT ELSE is there?

My next door neighbor is a Houston Fire Fighter. He has been impressed with my lights and asked for my recommendations on lights to attach to fire helmets.

What lights and clamps would you recommend?

I know of two that mount to Fire Helmets, the UK 4aa and the Streamlight Syclone.

I do not have any experience with these lights, but but would really like to recommend a SureFire to him, as an option.

Does anyone have the UK 4aa or Syclone? How is the beam quality, and the light intensity?

I have heard that the M15 clip from SureFire can mount a E1 on the helmet. How about an E2?

Thanks

I can't imagine why any firefighter would want to enter a potentially dangerous situation with a E2 knowing full well of the limited run time. I would go with the UK aa.
Last I knew BriteGuy had them on special.

While surefire's are great lights they are not the answer to every question.

I recently purchased the mini Q40 (diving version of UK 4AA) & the Syclone, from BrightGuy. I like the SL as a utility light because it will sit nicely on a flat surface & you can point the head where you need the light. Also like the backup LED or whatever light you put in there. However, for a helmet light, I'ld go with the UK. It's about 25 percent brighter. I believe FC is a fireman that uses the E1 in his work. TX

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by redbird:
I can't imagine why any firefighter would want to enter a potentially dangerous situation with a E2 knowing full well of the limited run time. I would go with the UK aa.
Last I knew BriteGuy had them on special.

While surefire's are great lights they are not the answer to every question.


<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Yea, and we got those 10hour air bottles...




There are three major sizes of SCBA air tanks:
2216psi 30min
4500psi lg-1hr,sm-30min

I use E1e on my helemet, and after trying just about every helmet light out there, I am convinced that it is the best. I used to carry M2, but it got destroyed, and I have a "New" Survivor on my coat. For rescue I use M3, and M3 only(MN10).

I posted a nice looong topic on it some time ago. I think the name was "Light for firefighter". Try searching for it...

M15 will fit E1,E1e,E2,E2e,6p,G2 etc...

The problem is the helmet. It MUST have a flip-down NFPA faceshield to mount M15(it mounts on the rachet/side nut). It will NOT work with OSHA Bourke shield(FDNY style).
That's what I have, and use a heavy-duty rubber strap to attach E1e to the helmet...

I also really like Pelicans....

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by FC:

I posted a nice looong topic on it some time ago. I think the name was "Light for firefighter". Try searching for it...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

FIREFIGHTER LIGHT

Brightnorm

.

Thanks

Personally, I favor the UK 4AA. I have a Pacific rescue helmet that the light actually fits into and its great.

I love Surefire lights and own an E2e, M2, and Z2. However, in a rescue situation I prefer a light I know I can drop without an issue, has better run time, and is easier to hold in my mouth if necessary(surefires will do a number on your teeth).

Like FC mentions, most SCBA bottles only run for an hour or so which would allow you to change out Surefire batteries. On the other hand, rescue efforts such as a building colapse can leave you inside a structure for a few hours at a time. I would rather use the UK 4AA and not have to worry about the batteries.

Not to mention you have a better chance of finding AA batteries in a pinch rather than 123s.

This is just my opinion. Surefire makes a great light, but i thnk the UK is a better alternative.

edit: The UK is availible with a clip for mounting on multiple style helmets.

If you can get just one light, E1e is not a wise choice. E1e is STRICTLY my helmet light, used ONLY for extrications. SL Survivor is my general purpose light.

.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Wick:
Personally, I favor the UK 4AA. I have a Pacific rescue helmet that the light actually fits into and its great. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wick,

Have you considered the UK 2L? It is 4 3/8" long, weighs 2.6oz with two 123 batteries and will give you a solid 2.5+ hrs runtime, only slightly shorter than the 4AA. I don't know if it is adaptable for helmet mounting.

If you ever need a very long runtime from your 4AA I have run tested it with Energizer lithiums at 4.5hrs good brightness and another 30-40 minutes dim but functional light.

Finally, I and others have run tested a variety of AA lights with different alkaline batteries including Duracell Ultras and found that Ray-O-Vac MAXIMUMS give equal or superior performance to any of them. They are very inexpensive and are my (and others) preferred alkaline AA.

Brightnorm

What you folks need is a mini vacuum bottle like a small thermos, I have a concept of such that uses the screwout top as the complete flashlight of a dual luxeon (will upgrade to the 5 watter soon) and with a ring of 3 Nichias using an external glove operated sliding magnet/internal reed switch for a hi-low lamp, the top assembly lense is double pyrex sealed and filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen in riflescopes. this will block heat transfer and explosive gasses.

the goal is to have a portable extreme high heat and explosion proof light for hazardous situations, it would use AA batteries and have a possible low voltage cut off to use for extended periods of low level illumination. think of a 9AN SF Commander inside a Thermos bottle, itself in an aluminum sleeve with mountings. Either way, rechargeable or available AA batteries.

Actually some of my very first mods were from using some old beat up rifle scopes for flashlights,the original plan was to illuminate the reticle or "crosshairs" with a 3mm LED, it actually worked but now everyone can buy one everywhere, I have a bunch of them from Tascos that I have opened up and worked with.
made some interesting discoveries of what the lenses can even do.

FC and Brightnorm,

I found FC's post before asking the question, that is how I learned about the M15 clip. Thank you Brightnorm for re-posting the quote.

Redbird, I do agree with you that SureFire's are not the answer to every question. I have yet to purchase one, although it is just a matter of time. However, given the quality and the repuation of SureFire compared to all the other lights, I would think that Surefire and Streamlight would be the two main players that I would consider for a mission critical, dangerous situation.

FC, thanks for the details on what helmet will work. I will bring this information over to my neighbor today.

FC, also, I posted over on the Surefire forum, that your linked pictures are no longer active. Do you have another way to post those pictures fo the E1 mounted on your helmet?

FC, do you think the E1e is better than the E2e for mounting on a helmet? I would think a firefighters situation would be a situation where a bright piercing light is what is needed, no LED's or Luxeon Stars here (at least not yet).

I am assuming that you are going with the newer "e" series because of the Pyrex lense.

Thanks everyone for their comments.

[No message]

Oops, triple post!

Originally posted by FC:

...I used to carry M2, but it got destroyed, and I have a "New" Survivor on my coat. For rescue I use M3, and M3 only(MN10)...

QB]

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">How did you destroy your M2?

Originally posted by redbird:
I can't imagine why any firefighter would want to enter a potentially dangerous situation with a E2 knowing full well of the limited run time. I would go with the UK aa.
Last I knew BriteGuy had them on special.

While surefire's are great lights they are not the answer to every question.

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">We use 30 min air bottles and in real life the bottles last about 20 min when working. That gives me way more run time on my M2 than I've got air if you think about it this way