Tailcap leakage from Surefire U2...

merlin

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 30, 2006
Messages
32
So, I recently acquired a new Surefire U2. I decided to check it's water integrity, and took a dunk with it in the water. The furthest it went down was about 5 feet. The light worked, and I decided to return topside and placed the light back up on the pool side chair. Returning back to the pool and enjoying a few minutes in the water, it appears that water penetrated the tailcap, as the U2 flickered on and off for a bit.

Returning indoors, I dried everything off, and tried left everything to dry over night, and figured it was a O-ring issue. In the morning, after checking to make sure everything was dry, the light would still flicker on without depressing the tailcap, and what would happen next would be really interesting. As I went to unscrew the tail cap, the switch assembly separated. This is where the water seeped in, and got into the tail assembly. I used some canned air to dry off the innards of the tailcap. As I tried screwing it back together, I now noticed that the switch assembly and the actual tailcap do not make close enough contact to seal properly-there is quite a significant gap. I got it like this, as it does not seem to want to go down any further. The seal will not properly lip and lock around the tailcap.

Long story short, I went ahead and contacted Surefire, and they are sending out a replacement tailcap. In the mean time, does anyone recommend a tool to retighten and get a better seal of the tail cap assembly and the tailcap?

(I will edit with a picture of the gap in question, and the tailcap so that you can get a better idea of what is going on)
 

AzN1337c0d3r

Banned
Joined
Sep 14, 2007
Messages
93
Usually if you get water into the tailcap it's good game. Parts are going to start corroding and will form an oxide layer (which is insulating) so that electricity can not flow through contact.

I've had this happen to me.
 

greenLED

Flashaholic
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Mar 26, 2004
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La Tiquicia
In the mean time, does anyone recommend a tool to retighten and get a better seal of the tail cap assembly and the tailcap?
Not exactly a tool, but keep the o-rings clean and well lubed! Broken tailcap innards are an oddity; I wouldn't worry about securing that part.
 

frank777

Enlightened
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Messages
224
So, I recently acquired a new Surefire U2. I decided to check it's water integrity, and took a dunk with it in the water.

Just out of curiosity, have you ever touched something to see if its burning hot, or checked for a gas leak by lighting a match?
 
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