Q. abt SF new digital lites

It seems that SF has a up and coming new line of lites which is digitally regulated. I have the impression that the requlation circuit is in the tail caps.

my concern is, SF besides having this new range of products, will they release a regulator tailcap as an accessory for existing SF lites owners?

cos if they don't, overnite all the well built SF that we own now would be obsolete

I think the regulation is in the bezel and uses the standard LOTCs.

The KLx series is digitally regulated. The KL1,KL2 has been released but the KL3 has not, soon I hope.

The A2 Aviator is the next light for release that is Digitally regulated. The M2D has been postponed

The KLx series is based on a LS so it won't compete with the rest of the SF line. The A2 will be 3 Nichias embedded in the LA, I doubt it will hamper any sales for the rest of the line. I can't wait for the A2 to be released. I don't care for the LED's but I want it for the regulated incandescent lamp!

Josh,

the tailcaps of the digital series are longer and i think i read somewhere in the catalogue that the reulation is in the circuit, or i might be dreaming

if the regulation is in the bezel, it will still to translate to higher replacement cost. i.e.if the bezel going to be a one piece thingy like the KLx then to replace the incadesant(which doesn't last very long) would be a pain.

or another scenario is that the regulation circuit and the bulb are individual replaceble items. and this comes back to the same issue. will the new bezel be offered as an accessory for existing SF owners?

M6,

so is the M2 & A2 the only light on the drawing for digital regulation? how abt the M6 and the 3-cell lights?

Al (AKA Size15) knows more about the prototypes than I do, he saw them in person....has small talk with the lead engineer as well as being a walking SF dictionary . Al are you out there?

At the 2002 Shotshow, they had working prototypes from the M2D (regulated M2) to a HID M3. pk, the lead engineer for SF even had a rechargeable battery system almost ready for release along with the M2D. Unfortunately most Prototypes were put on the back burner and the only ones to make it this year looks like the KLx (already released except the KL3) and the A2.

Maybe next year they will release more new lights.

will you be able to run a non led e2e lamp in the a2?

Most this stuff came up awhile back. I'll answer but I'm sure if we keep thinking about him, Al will eventually show up.

The regulation is in the tailcap. The head thread is different too, though. It is a slightly different size than the 'e' series of lights. Can't remember if Al said larger or smaller. There will be 2 separate components of the head: the incandesent part and the 3 LEDs on the small, donought-shaped circut board. You will be able to change the LA (Duh!) and/or the LEDs. I know what you're thinking: "LED's don't burn out" which is correct, but this way you'll be able to easily swap LED coulors.

Pics of the LED board...

OK, here is an interesting thought. I've heard that the way these lights work is that you press lightly on the LOTC and you get the LEDs. Press harder and you get the incandescent. It looks to me that there is a switch on the LED board.

It couldn't be that the LEDs and the incandescent are run in series, could it? That is plausible from the switch as the switch would short the low-draw LEDs allowing the incandescent to light up.

This is like the very low draw test lamp that was placed in series with flashbulbs--not enough to trip the flashbulb, but enough to let you know everything was OK before taking the picture. (OK, now I'm dating myself).

IF (and I must repeat IF) this is the case, this is not good news as one of the advantages IMHO is that the LEDs provide backup in case of a failure of the incandescent LA. Unless there is a method to bypass the open filament in the incandescent and my hunch is correct, this reduces the failover utility of the A2.

Owever, from an overall construction perspective, this scenario makes sense (I was wondering how they got an extra conductor up from the tailcap to the head).

Thoughts ? ? ?

Cheers,

Richard

I believe that the LED's will work without the incan. bulb. When the batteries get low the incan shuts off and the LED's run by themselves so you are not left in the dark.

Al show up where?

Too tired. Didn't spot any thing too silly.

SureFire A2 will NOT have parts interchangeability with any other SureFire.

If the A2's bulb blows, I think it would be a design flaw not to be able to use the LEDs.

The A2 TailCap contains some magic for sure. It is vital to the Digital Regulation and switching.

I did see an M3(T)D running on LiIon, and an M3-HID etc etc. Very cool stuff, but no product plans.

Be good!

Al :Zzzzzz:

Too bad PK couldn't put an end to this one...

Al,

You sound a little hesitant to release any future product data. Did the Men In Black pay you a visit to make sure leaks are kept to a minimun?

We want the TRUTH!

yea! Al is here.

okie, i guess the technical aspect is kind of resolved. my concern is will SF be offering regulator tailcaps to existing SF owners as accessories. if yes then I can set my mind at ease to get a SF now and have a modular upgrade when they release their new digital range.

any hint at all on their approach?

This strikes me as silly-- either that, or deviously evil. Why, Oh, Why, would a company show cool products and never make them?

I haven't bought a Surefire in almost a year because nothing new or interesting is coming out. The catalogs are almost lies. The A2 is the only thing tempting me, but where is it?

my concern is will SF be offering regulator tailcaps to existing SF owners as accessories. if yes then I can set my mind at ease to get a SF now and have a modular upgrade when they release their new digital range.

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">ST, I don't know if anyone really might have caught what you were trying to get at. I'm not sure I have, either.

However, did you mean if digital regulation tailcaps were going to be available for standard SFs? No, not that I've ever heard of.

The replacement LED bezels have digital regulation, but it's built into the bezel, not the tailcap. When any other specifically digital light comes out, there won't be any interchangability that I'm aware of.

Any sort of "modular" aspect will be the digital/LED bezels with specific standard lights. With LED and turbo bezels, body extenders, a bulb assortment, etc., you could build a serious "Franken-light" using the M2 as a base, but any incandescent use won't have digital regulation.

That's my understanding.

Deleted => duplicate post

DonL,

I'm sorry sometimes my hands work slower that my brain i will try to explain myself again.

forget about the KLx or the A2, my attention is on the M2D and the M3D or in a broad sense, the regulated incadesant. the regulation is in the tailcaps and what i would like to know is would SF be offering just the tailcaps with regulation for existing non regulated SFs be it the 2cells (6V) or 3cells (9V). if they do then i will not have to break my bank account to enjoy a regulated incadesant.

Thanks for being patient with me

Truth?

I think that many of the proto-types that SureFire showed off at the SS2002 where overshadowed by better things to come in terms of whether they were viable productions based on what SureFire knows about the future it wants to lead. Almost as though Digitizing the product range was a big enough step forwards.

I don't know.

What I do know is that to shelve the M3(T)D must have a really important practical consideration and/or be because what is coming next is worth taking more time to develop. Concentration of resources for a better product.

What that is I don't know.

With only SureFire showing any signs of pushing forward, I think it's a bit much for them to do 'everything'. Whether or not digital regulation of high powered bulbs is something that SureFire will have a hand in should not stop other companies developing regulated bulb products.

I feel its a bit unfair to expect so much from SureFire when no other companies are making the effort (that we know of right?)

Al