What LED is in my L1?

Greetings, fellow CPF'ers!

Well, it is only the middle of January and I found that yet another light found it's way into my collection today. A Surefire L1-Red with the newer head (KL4-type head), the convex tempered glass window, the TIR optic, and a Red LED.

I have many Surefires, but this is my first high-power LED Surefire that is not white.

What kind of LED is in it? The manual says it's a 1-watt. It is brighter than any 1-watt Luxeon I have ever seen, colored or otherwise, so could it be a 3-watt Luxeon, Cree or SSC emitter? I balked at buying an L1-Red for a while, but I really like it so far and will enjoy it for a while (if it doesn't find it's way into Milky's hands first:thumbsup

Also, does anyone know if the L1-Red circuitry will safely use RCR123's?

Anyone??? :help:

It's probably a Luxeon 3. I think they don't make the colored L1 anymore. At least, they are not listed on their website.

There was never a SSC in L1 so that's out, and cree has flat glass window plus there was never any color version, so you must have luxeon. Don't quote me on this but I seem to recall older L1's circuit can handle rechargeables while cree version cannot.

Red can appear brighter per watt than white in some cases. I'm not much of an SF oracle but my guess would first for the LED would be Lux III, followed by a Lux I. They don't seem to currently offer an L1 in anything but white so I don't believe Red is likely in a Cree unless it was a special order.

jzmtl said:

Don't quote me on this but I seem to recall older L1's circuit can handle rechargeables while cree version cannot.

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(buzzing sound) Wrong,i use a AW RCR123 in my Cree L1 everyday.
Works awsome and brighter too.

1996alnl said:

(buzzing sound) Wrong,i use a AW RCR123 in my Cree L1 everyday.
Works awsome and brighter too.

Click to expand...

That's because you are bypassing the driver and direct driving the LED. L1 cree only have boost capability so any power source higher than LED's vf will become direct drive.