Don't drop your L4...

Don\'t drop your L4...

I dropped mine onto my concrete driveway last night and now the pyrex lens is cracked. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

I e-mailed SureFire about it and they said send it into the repair department to get it fixed. Does anybody know if they'll replace the entire KL4 bezel? Can I ask them to replace the lens only? The reason I ask is because the KL4 I have is pure white and I don't want to play the luxeon lottery. Thanks in advance for any help.

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

Assuming the pyrex lens is the same as the E2E/E2O, I'll replace your lens at no charge. You pay for shipping both ways. I have shitloads of lenses left over from the E2E+ MODS.

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

SarcoBlaster,
The lens on the KL4 is the same as the lens on the E2e. I confirmed it last night when I was playing Dr. Frankenstein with my L4 and E2e.

Nascar,
Would you be willing to sell some of those lenses? I foresee needing a few. I've already chipped one and more mods to come. I'm new at this and can see screwing up more.

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

Gransee must be laughing at this. He's a big proponent of lexan just for this reason. Peter, are you there?

What they need is a better metal to glass interface. The one in there now transfers any blow to the light almost straight to the glass without much isolation.

CM

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

What about laminated glass? I suspect it would be more stable. Either that or just thicker glass. It should be pretty easy to make a lens the size of an E2 that wouldn't break with a trip to the pavement.

On the other hand, I bet you must have dropped it just right. They are pretty sturdy already.

-john

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

the pyrex lenses in the e2e's are very very thick. i am unsure if the l4 is the same, but if so, you can't get much thicker...

an oring on either side of the lens would really do a lot to absorb shock.

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

Cm, you read my mind. It's not nice to laugh at other people's misfortune. So I won't. But is it ok to let out a, "told you so"?

A different o-ring design would reduce the instance of chipping. I think an o-ring with an inset edge (or two rings of different size) might work. It would increase the cost somewhat and still not prevent surface impact damage. From what I heard, a surprising number of glass lenses are cracked by paintballs (shoot at the light reflex).

I think the biggest problem with glass is the tiny chips that occur around the edge under the lip where you can't see them. You dunk the light, it leaks for no apparent reason.

Laminated glass is basically lexan and glass glued together. The difference in refraction between the layers would cost you some light output. You might as well thicken the Lexan and be done with it.

Peter

p.s. Watch that switch...

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

paintballs? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif
i've carried my e2e (along with arc of course /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) paintballing several times, luckily i hardly ever get shot /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

SarcoBlaster, Gransee,

I didn't want to imply laughing at the misfortune (which is mean), rather the use of pyrex.

I've seen chips around the edges of the pyrex after taking several KL1's apart. You cannot see them. I think pyrex is necessary for those high temp high output incandescents. However, lexan is ok for LEDs.

CM

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

Yea to bad with Lexan you can't even wipe it off without scratching it. And I don't care what you use it will scratch it, maybe lightly but it will. I'll stick with pyrex thankyou. It's no contest to me which is better.

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

I'd have to agree with emann, I have an E2E-SG, and the lexan lens has become very scratched up, and now the beam is almost Mag Like, My ARCs have however held up very well (Probably due to special care)

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

I've personally replaced the plastic lenses of every light I have with a glass unit. Yes, it is possible to break the glass, obviously - but up until that point, I have found the glass lenses to be superior for my use. And replacing them if they break is no big deal to me.

I have "issues" with scratched lenses. And I haven't had a plastic lens yet that didn't scratch before I swapped it (often just in the shipping process to get it to me!)

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

and lexan does melt! ask Goncz ...
bernhard

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

i thought goncz's lenses were boroflo? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

[ QUOTE ]
kiessling said:
and lexan does melt! ask Goncz ...
bernhard

[/ QUOTE ]

Come on Bernhard! Please give the Goncz lens another chance!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Sorry to get off topic...

I dropped the head of my L4 (the KL4) while changing my Pila's. Felt on concrete. Lucky me, nothing happened.

Scratching is bad, breaking worse. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

Scratching is bad, breaking worse. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ] Yes but breaking can be prevented a lot easier then scratches can.

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

Does anybody make a scratch-resistant Lexan lens? Corvette uses Lexan for their sunroofs and supposedly you can take steel wool to it without scratching. You'd have the best of both worlds then. Minus the better light transmission from high-quality glass.
Kirk

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

A bit o' wax (make sure you don't get one that's too abrasive) helps keep my Arc lenses free of scratches. I EDC it in pocket *with* keys. Pyrex and Lexan both have their uses. Anyone know how much light you lose through lexan vs. glass?

CM

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

The difference between lexan and UCL is an increase in light transmission of 8%!

Re: Don\'t drop your L4...

Which is roughly the same increase in light output when you go from a BB400 to a BB500 - but with NO loss of runtime! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif