SF L2 tube length?

rtt · Jul 30, 2008

Hi, can someone that owns a SF L2 measure the length of the battery tube (minus the bezel and tailcap). I want to see if the length of the tube will take two AA batteries if the driver was removed and some boring was done.

I have a Vital Gear three CR 123 body and KX1 head that works great with two AA's but the switch just went South. I believe the L2 body can accept a KX1 head....please correct me if this not true.

Thanks in advance for the requested info :grin2:

.

bezel · Jul 30, 2008

Not really sure why you would do any boring - the A size is larger diameter than AA. Sorry, I don't have a measurement for you, not even sure if an AA is shorter than an A, but I can say for sure that 2/3 A is significantly shorter than 1 AA.......I don't think it is going to be long enough.

P.S. 123A means 1 X 2/3 A, i.e. an A cell with one third chopped off.

good luck,

bezel

rtt · Jul 31, 2008

bezel said:
Not really sure why you would do any boring - the A size is larger diameter than AA. Sorry, I don't have a measurement for you, not even sure if an AA is shorter than an A, but I can say for sure that 2/3 A is significantly shorter than 1 AA.......I don't think it is going to be long enough.

P.S. 123A means 1 X 2/3 A, i.e. an A cell with one third chopped off.

good luck,

bezel

Bezel, thank you for your reply. From what I have read the L2 uses a coffin design driver. I was thinking if the driver card area was bored out and the length of the tube was long enough, it could hold 2 AA's. 2 AA's should equal the length of 3x 123 batteries.

bezel · Jul 31, 2008

rtt said:
Bezel, thank you for your reply. From what I have read the L2 uses a coffin design driver. I was thinking if the driver card area was bored out and the length of the tube was long enough, it could hold 2 AA's. 2 AA's should equal the length of 3x 123 batteries.

Ah, got ya. Now the boring makes sence...

Max Brightness · Aug 1, 2008

I measured it at 4.25".

rtt · Aug 1, 2008

Max Brightness said:
I measured it at 4.25".

Max Brightness,

Thank you for taking the time to measure the L2 tube. This is good news, this might just work! I will have to purchase a L2 beater and work on it to see if I can get two AA's to fit. BTW the VG FB-3 body and Kx1 head makes a great AA light. Wanted to try and see if I can make a SF AA light.

Thanks again for your help:wave:!

matt0 · Aug 2, 2008

I'm not sure how well a KX1 would work with the two-stage switch on an L2. On the E1L, E2L, E1B, and E2DL, the dual stage is built into the head with a standard clicky switch. With a dual stage head AND a dual stage tailcap, things get complicated. I haven't handled any SureFire's with the 2 stage pressure switch but I think the main concept is a soft press will connect a resistor between the battery [-] and the body. A hard press will connect the battery [-] and the body with no resistor.

Assuming an L2 body and tail + 2 AA batteries + KX1 head:
The first press would give you a resistor'ed (resistor'ed = lower) low. Press further without losing contact to give you an unresistor'ed (unresistor'ed = normal. brighter than resistor'ed) low.

Soft press twice in a row for a resistor'ed high. Press further without losing contact for an unresistor'ed high.

Now that I write it out and think it through, it might give you a pretty neat setup. An AA quad-stage SureFire :twothumbs

DaFABRICATA · Aug 2, 2008

It should work just fine.

I had a few empty L2 bodies that I was selling a few months ago, but nobody bought them so I kept them. Good thing I did as they made great hosts for other lights. If I was into AA lights, this would deninately be a mod I would do. Keep an eye out on eBay or post a "Want To Buy L2 Body" in the marketplace.

You will also need an isolation tube to insert into the body so thay AA's dont move around.

Good luck and I hope this helps:

Talas · Aug 2, 2008

I thought the VG used a McClicky and would be easy to repair/replace. Why not just get another VG body instead of going through the trouble of modding an L2? I may have a new one somewhere... PM me if you want to work something out.

rtt · Aug 2, 2008

matt0 said:
I'm not sure how well a KX1 would work with the two-stage switch on an L2. On the E1L, E2L, E1B, and E2DL, the dual stage is built into the head with a standard clicky switch. With a dual stage head AND a dual stage tailcap, things get complicated. I haven't handled any SureFire's with the 2 stage pressure switch but I think the main concept is a soft press will connect a resistor between the battery [-] and the body. A hard press will connect the battery [-] and the body with no resistor.

Assuming an L2 body and tail + 2 AA batteries + KX1 head:
The first press would give you a resistor'ed (resistor'ed = lower) low. Press further without losing contact to give you an unresistor'ed (unresistor'ed = normal. brighter than resistor'ed) low.

Soft press twice in a row for a resistor'ed high. Press further without losing contact for an unresistor'ed high.

Now that I write it out and think it through, it might give you a pretty neat setup. An AA quad-stage SureFire :twothumbs

I thought that the L2 did not use a resistor in the tailcap like the L1. I keep thinking that I read someplace the L2 was fully regulated for low and high. I may be wrong on my thoughts.

rtt · Aug 2, 2008

DaFABRICATA said:
It should work just fine.

I had a few empty L2 bodies that I was selling a few months ago, but nobody bought them so I kept them. Good thing I did as they made great hosts for other lights. If I was into AA lights, this would deninately be a mod I would do. Keep an eye out on eBay or post a "Want To Buy L2 Body" in the marketplace.

You will also need an isolation tube to insert into the body so thay AA's dont move around.

Good luck and I hope this helps:

DaFABRICATA...Thank you for the picture! A picture is certainly worth a 1000 words:twothumbs!!!

bezel · Aug 2, 2008

rtt said:
I thought that the L2 did not use a resistor in the tailcap like the L1. I keep thinking that I read someplace the L2 was fully regulated for low and high. I may be wrong on my thoughts.

The L1, L2 & A2 all use the same type 2-stage pressure switch that partially determines the output level by the amount of resistance provided within the tailcap switch itself. You may indeed end up with some strange sort of 4-level light.

I'm interested in seeing how this ends up working for you. I don't own an L2 and wouldn't have it in me to raid the coffin unless I could find a thrasher.

rtt · Aug 2, 2008

bezel said:
I'm interested in seeing how this ends up working for you. I don't own an L2 and wouldn't have it in me to raid the coffin unless I could find a thrasher.

I do not own a L2 now either. I will be on the look out for a beater since the physicals indicate it is feasible to make a L2KAA. Seems like the other problem will be the tailcap, which I hope can be modified if required. I will probably get this hair brain idea to completion about the same time SF makes the Invictus available!

bezel · Aug 4, 2008

rtt said:
Seems like the other problem will be the tailcap, which I hope can be modified if required.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/204339

rtt - take a look at this thread. it features an L1 milky with the coffin bored to fit a 17500 rechargeable. it also features a 2-level head combined with the 2-level pressure switch tailcap. it might give some ideas/help with the project...

bezel

rtt · Aug 4, 2008

Bezel,
Thanks for the heads up! Started looking for a L2 beater.

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