Help with surefire 3P

Newbie here looking for expert advice. First of all I am in the dark for anything flashlight related. so here it is, a buddy gave me a SF 3P he no longer uses.I put in a fresh surefire CR123 but the light isn't exactly very bright. I would like to try that DX R2 (rated 3.6V) drop-in.So my question will it work with 3V ( one cr123)? If not what improvement do you suggest? Thanks in advance

Hi. Just look at the specs, if they say: "over-discharge protected", then NO,
if not, you can use CR123A.

If you used DX R2 drop-in, you'll need to use Rcr-123.

Why not sell it, and buy something more to your liking? SF 3Ps are not common, and they fetch good prices in the MarketPlace.

:welcome:

As DM51 said, you can sell it, or you can get a different lamp assembly. There is a manufacturer on this forum that sells the perfect LED assembly for a 3P. Go to malkoffdevices.com and look under drop-ins for a M30. He has 4 different models to choose from depending on your taste. These will take your dull dim 3P with the R30 incan module and make it a 160 lumen pocket rocket. You as well as your friend will be amazed.

Ask around the forum, you will get nothing but :thumbsup: about these dropins. They are more expensive than something from DX (DealXtreme) but in my opinion, well worth the money.

I just built a 3P clone via Solarforce and FiveMega parts. I have a DX R2 dropin running it in. While it is significantly dimmer with a single RCR123 as compared to 2xCR/RCR123's, it will indeed run on a 3.0v primary. I haven't tested the runtime on it, but it does light up and is the same brightness as a single RCR123. The spec on the DX website says 3.7v, but it fired up at 3.0v.

Your mileage may vary, some settling may occur during shipping, consult your physician, etc.

Those results for RCR123A vs CR123A are surprising. I don't have my DX11836 R2 drop-ins handy, but I do have a DX6090 laying around, which supposedly use the same driver board (just a lower bin Cree LED).

With one AW123A rechargeable, I get 3100 lux at 1 meter. With one SureFire 123A, I get 900 lux. With 2xAW123A, I get about 4500 lux.

Perhaps the R2 has a high Vf?

In any case, the high dollar, high quality solution is to go with a Malkoff M30 (or its variants), which is designed for a single-cell light like a 3P.

+2 on the Malkoff M30, they'll go together like peanut butter & chocolate.
Also, the M30 transfers very well to other hosts if you move away from the 3P in the future.
Well worth the money.

Much obliged folks. Appreciate the input. I think i might just go ahead and get me a more powerful flashlight.

teaspook said:

Much obliged folks. Appreciate the input. I think i might just go ahead and get me a more powerful flashlight.

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The Surefire 3P can be fitted with a P7 Drop-in from Malkoff Devices. The P7 will make 600 to 700 lumens for about 20 minutes of runtime. You will have to call Gene and request it. That is what I did, but then I got into the other single battery set-ups and ended up getting two P7's from him. It's a disease..:sick2:

The P7 from Gene is an all flood light that makes a true 700 lumens.
The M30 has tons of throw and side spill, but no where near as bright as the P7. Still 235 lumens for 45minutes isn't no walk in the park.

:welcome: