Surefire G2 draining? and G2 LED drop in question...

Hey, I got a few questions.. I recently retired my surefire G2 with a Fenix P3D Q5. I Retired my G2 to my AR15 with a CAA verticle grip/flash light holder. Its activated by a push button above the verticle grip. (see picture)




You can see the G2 mounted in it. How deep it sets is adjusted by a screw up front (you can see it), a clamp style system. Its activated, like I said, by pressing the button above the verticle grip. (its a very ugly, cheap looking product, but its solid, and works)

Well... I have noticed the G2 has been getting dimmer and dimmer and is pretty much dead now. Its using the stock incandesent lamp. I put new batterys in it when I installed it. But the batterys were CHEAP ones.

So, its draining batteries... and I am not sure why.... It doesn't seem like the plunger of the product is hitting the tail cap to turn it on and drain it? it seems if the plunger from the product was hitting the tail cap of the flash light it would be on? Or might it just be cheap batterys? This flash light never had a battery drainage problem before... im guessing cheap batterys?




Second question. I want to get a cheap drop in LED lamp for this light. Im honestly lost by most all info in the sticky above. theres a few im looking at on deal extreme. I read you have to remove the larger spring, for it to work right. But I see now lumen ratings or anything... can someone give me a hand in pikcing out a drop in LED for this light, and application?

thanks.

I read about an issue with some G2 tailcaps that cause battery drainage. I'm searching to find the info and will post it when/if I find it (if it's before someone else posts it ).


For a drop-in, I'd recommend a Malkoff for bulletproof reliability (well, almost bulletproof :laughing http://www.malkoffdevices.com/shop2/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_14_18



I've always thought that CAA mount was a novel idea and wondered how well it actually works.

Grog said:

For a drop-in, I'd recommend a Malkoff for bulletproof reliability ...

Click to expand...

+1 on that. Great options for various outputs/runtimes as well. Their optic also gives superior throw with still-usable spill, perhaps this might be of interest in your rifle application. My 1.5 cents.

I've had some chinese batteries that had similar behavior, they measured fine when I first put them in, but within a few minutes dimmed. Pulled them and they were horribly mismatched voltage wise and both under 2.8 volts, I've regulated them to single cell lights.

It could and probably is the batteries. Use good batteries in the light, you don't want to risk one of them venting violently.

What price for the drop-in?

The Malkoff is probably best for your use.

If you experience the same thing with SF123A batteries or other US-made CR123A batteries then you may like to remove the G2 and see whether it still happens.
You are Locking Out the TailCap when it's not in use right?

I have a few unused surefire batterys laying around here, ill drop this in, test the voltage first then keep measuring every so often. I have ben using the cheap chinesse batterys in my Fenix, and they work just fine.

i need to make another order with batery junction for a bunch of the panasonics (they say they make the surefire, stream light, and other brands right?)

Im not sure what you mean by locking out the tail cap? The light is 'struck' in there. I have the tail cap loose to where its not gonna switch itself on with a few bumps, but the plunger from the forward grip product can still easily turn it on when the button is pressed.

The malkov is pretty damn pricey... I was looking for a cheaper drop in... I can't justify putting a $55 lamp in a $34 light :huh: any other options? I don't really want to spend more then $20... but,,, im definantly open to suggestions,, you get what you pay for. but $55 is kinda,, wow... oo:


My CAA grip works well enough. When i had my rifle out last shooting, the light became dislodged and slide out some. Didn't notice till I got home. But im sure I just didn't have the clamp tight enough.

thanks for the help!

fallvitals said:

I have a few unused surefire batterys laying around here, ill drop this in, test the voltage first then keep measuring every so often. I have ben using the cheap chinesse batterys in my Fenix, and they work just fine.

Click to expand...

It could be that an LED light is more efficient at making use of the low quality of juice supplied by poor-performing CR123A batteries...
(or that incandescent lamps are hard work for poor-performing CR123A batteries).

Im not sure what you mean by locking out the tail cap? The light is 'struck' in there. I have the tail cap loose to where its not gonna switch itself on with a few bumps, but the plunger from the forward grip product can still easily turn it on when the button is pressed.
...
My CAA grip works well enough. When i had my rifle out last shooting, the light became dislodged and slide out some. Didn't notice till I got home. But im sure I just didn't have the clamp tight enough.

thanks for the help!

Click to expand...

So you don't know for certain that the light is disabled when it is inside that contraption? It could be, in whatever tiny way still draining the batteries, even if it's not illuminating the lamp. Unless the LockOut TailCap is locked out - that is to say the TailCap is unscrewed from the body past the point at which the push button pressure switch no longer activates the light - there is a chance it could not be as 'switched off' as you think.

Al

The only time I've seen an SF incandescent drain batteries without lighting up the filament is when there is a high resistance path in the loop. In that case, you get current draw, but not enough delivered to the lamp to light it up. Eventually, the batteries get drained. This can occur, for example, if you have an McC2S switch installed (which really should be used only for an LED lamp) and you don't back out the tailcap far enough to exit constant-on Low mode.

If this CAA VFG has some sort of resistor pack inside of it to give you different illumination levels, I can see the batteries getting drained. If there is some sort of defect in the switching where "off" isn't really off but actually "on" with high resistance, I suppose that could also produce the battery drain.

Maybe you should test the VFG's switching with a multimeter.

Justin Case said:

Maybe you should test the VFG's switching with a multimeter.

Click to expand...

I believe this contraption is a mechanical lever system rather than additional electrical switching.
I suspect that this mechanical system may be preventing the G2 from being completely switched off which is why I suggest removing the flashlight from it in order to test whether this is the case.

Doesn't matter what the switching is in the VFG. Install the G2 in the VFG and remove the lamp. Make sure the VFG switching is "off". Take your DMM and measure the resistance between battery + terminal and flashlight ground (the metal insert in the G2's body tube). When off, there should be no continuity. If you find a high but not "infinite" resistance, this may be the cause of your battery drain.