Surefire bezel markings?

redryder

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Does anyone know what the Surefire bezel markings that look like FC CE mean? Thanks

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MrBenchmark

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The two markings indicate that the flashlight has FCC and CE certifications.

The FCC (US Federal Communications Commission) certifications primarily involve certification that the device does not generate electromagnetic interference with other equipment, particularly radio / tv transmission equipment, but it really pertains to all manner of things. (Medical electronics - all sorts of stuff. You really don't want one gadget interfering with another.)

The CE declaration indicates that the product meets safety and other standards for the European Union.
 

Illum

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CE is certified consumer electronics, its similar to UL listings

The CE marking (also known as CE mark) is a mandatory conformity mark on many products placed on the single market in the European Economic Area (EEA). The CE marking certifies that a product has met EU consumer safety, health or environmental requirements.
 

xcel730

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I'm taking a guess here, but I think it's for compliance code for safe usage of electronic goods. These markings indicates that the flashlight is built to meet the government standards.

FC is for compliance for the US
CE is for European compliance

Edit: Mr. Benchmark and Illum beat me to it.
 

MrBenchmark

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Not to stir up this debate again, and definitely not to cast any aspersions on other manufacturers, but it does cost surefire some time and money to get these certifications, as well as others they get for some of their products.

Whether that's "worth it" to you really depends your application. For hiking around in the woods at night - I'll be honest, I've never stopped to think about whether or not my flashlight would interfere with my GPS. So for me, not so much.

If I were operating a piece of field artillery, or flying a commercial plane, or otherwise engaged in an activity where something *really bad* could happen because of electromagnetic interference, I think I might pay more attention to that!

Of course like all certifications, nothing is really 100% sure. The FCC does have tough standards and does enforce them. They make mistakes too though - for example the original HD broadcast station in DFW, WFAA, had to temporarily shut down it's test HD broadcasts years ago because the HD signal shut down the wireless heart monitoring equipment at nearby Parkland Hospital!

Anyway, I guess you pays your money and you takes your chances!
 

Size15's

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CE marking is not specifically for electronic devices.

CE marking is a declaration by the manufacturer that the product meets all the appropriate provisions of the relevant European health, safety and environmental protection legislation implementing certain European Directives.

CE Marking on a product indicates to governmental officials that the product may be legally placed on the market in their country.
CE Marking on a product ensures the free movement of the product within the EFTA & European Union (EU) single market (total 28 countries), and CE Marking on a product permits the withdrawal of the non-conforming products by customs and enforcement/vigilance authorities.

It seems likely that SureFire consider CE Marking necessary to sell their products as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
 

Vox Clamatis in Deserto

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Not to stir up this debate again, and definitely not to cast any aspersions on other manufacturers, but it does cost surefire some time and money to get these certifications, as well as others they get for some of their products.

Three years later, looking at a recent SF EB1, I can't find the FCC or CE markings. Early models of the UB3T and Fury still have the CE but not the FCC logos.

Rummaging through a drawer full of old Surefire lights, it seems all of the early LED lights had both the FCC and CE markings on the body or the bezel. Then the 'new' LX2 and A2L's came out with neither of the logos.

Has SF now dropped the certifications for some or all lights? Or are they now only documented in the product literature?

I know from my job experience that some of these certifications are optional and come in and out of the vogue over the years, e.g. ISO 9001 and Six Sigma. Others are mandatory to operate or sell products in certain markets, for example FAR 25 certification of an airliner.

Do the very latest SF lights like the upgraded 6PX's and the R1 still have the CE and/or FCC logos?

Also, did any of the SF incans ever have these markings (the few I have do not)? I could see where a normal unregulated DC light circuit would probably not interest the FCC.

I don't have the classic A2, since it had LED's along with the incandescent bulb, I'm guessing it would have the logos. However, browsing through online photos it looks like some did and some did not.
 

Robin24k

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There are CE logos on the rechargeable lights (next to the charge port), but the manual has both FCC and CE logos.
 

Vox Clamatis in Deserto

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It may be the case that the CE marking is mandatory for the product group that SF flashlights fall under for distribution in European Economic Area. And perhaps the FCC certification is still mandatory but the marking on the product itself is not.

The USA marking on recent closeout SF 6P tailcaps seems to missing in newer designs. Leatherman used to put the USA stamp on their tools years ago before quietly moving production offshore, is SF possibly contemplating such a move?

On thing that seems to still be consistent is the explicit listing of SF patent numbers prominently on the lights rather than in the packaging as with some other manufacturers. I'm more of a sea lawyer than an attorney but I suppose these conspicuous markings provide a stronger legal argument of constructive notice to alleged infringers.
 

Robin24k

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For LED flashlights, Made in USA is a difficult claim to make, and marking "USA" on the product would be considered making that claim. Semiconductors are usually imported, and LED driver circuitry is not a negligible component. Even the LED might be imported...not sure about Cree, but the Nichia 219 in the updated 6PX/G2X is from Japan.

Maybe the incandescent 6P can qualify as Made in USA, but I haven't seen any LED flashlights that are 100% domestic. If you still have the box for your UB3T, take a look at the fine print...it probably says Assembled in US. I don't think this is going to change anytime soon, but there definately will be both domestic and foreign components.

On thing that seems to still be consistent is the explicit listing of SF patent numbers prominently on the lights rather than in the packaging as with some other manufacturers. I'm more of a sea lawyer than an attorney but I suppose these conspicuous markings provide a stronger legal argument of constructive notice to alleged infringers.
Streamlight does that too, there are a bunch of patent numbers (mostly related to cradle charging) printed on the Stinger DS LED.
 

Vox Clamatis in Deserto

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For LED flashlights, Made in USA is a difficult claim to make, and marking "USA" on the product would be considered making that claim. Semiconductors are usually imported, and LED driver circuitry is not a negligible component. Even the LED might be imported...not sure about Cree, but the Nichia 219 in the updated 6PX/G2X is from Japan.

Maybe the incandescent 6P can qualify as Made in USA, but I haven't seen any LED flashlights that are 100% domestic. If you still have the box for your UB3T, take a look at the fine print...it probably says Assembled in US. I don't think this is going to change anytime soon, but there definately will be both domestic and foreign components.

You're right, looking around the Federal Trade Commission website it looks like 'all or virtually all' of a product must be made in the U.S. to have 'U.S.A.' or 'Made in U.S.A.' markings. And the Buy American Act (of 1933) that covers U.S. government purchases only requires over half of a product to be American made to receive preferential procurement.

I looked through the UB3T packaging and could not find anything explicitly indicating the country of origin. There is the usual SF Mt. Baldy Circle address on the instructions, they are dated 5-2011.

Looking at a SF Fury, UB3T and EB1 on the kitchen table, I can't help but wonder if the Fury was outsourced somehow. It looks and feels different. I realize it is a low end light 'high value' light but it appears to me to come from somewhere other than the classic SF SoCal CNC production line.

The U.S.A markings on most SF lights seem to have been dropped years ago, looking through a beautiful 2007 SF catalog I can't find it in the photos.

Many U.S. companies have gradually shifted production offshore while maintaining a red-blooded American product image as observed in this recent NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/24/b...a-but-very-carefully.html?_r=0&pagewanted=all

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I find these seemingly minor changes in product markings interesting because they sometimes herald a change in production. Also, years later they may yield clues to the age, provenance and authenticity of an item.
 

Robin24k

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The only SureFire that I've gotten in retail packaging was the Fury, but I don't have the packaging with me at the moment. If it wasn't assembled in the USA, it would have definately caught my attention, and maybe cause a stir on CPF as well.

If the Fury was built to the same specifications as the UB3T, it would probably be around $300. Plus, it originated from a clean sheet design that was intended to reduce costs, so it should look and feel different...

EDIT: Found a picture of the P2X-B-BK packaging, with the following printed vertically next to the barcode sticker:

Designed and assembled in the USA of domestic and foreign components. This product qualifies as "American Made" under the Buy American Act.
 
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