Does a 17670 AW protected rechargeable Li-ion fit into Surefire L2 without mods?

Hey I have a Surefire L2 lumamax (not the new Lx2, I have an older L2)

I'd like to switch to rechargeables.

Has anyone put a 17670 AW protected Li-ion into the SF L2?

I don't have any mods to the light, it's not bored, everything is OEM.

Will there be any loose space around the battery, rattling, length issues?

I'd like to order about 150usd worth of 17670 cells if they are confirmed to fit and work well, I don't want to waste 150usd just to find out they won't work perfectly...

Thanks CPF!

Compare the diameter of the AW 17670 with SF CR123a
Only a perfectly made (AW is on the list) 17670 will fit in
Exact diameter as CR123a will do
Ive tried to use UF 17670 but it wont fit dut to the poor wrapping
L2(or E series tubes) were bored only to fit CR123a, even tighter than P series one

so it looks like one vote for YES (AW protected 17670 will slide right into the tube)

i don't have any Surefire CR123a sitting around I can test and I don't have any AW 17670 sitting around I could compare with either

thanks for the reply!

Wait Wait Wait
i dont own any AW,
My statement was
Only perfectly made(in size) cell will have an exact 17670 size
Only exact 17670 will fit in L2
AW is a famous brand which produce good cell including 17670
FYI: 17670 is 1mm shorter than 2*123a, in 6P it has no difference,
Not sure if in L2

You still have to take your risk, but it will be fine if they have same diameter
My suggestion is either borrow or purchase one to test with before purchasing in bulk

so it looks like one vote for YES (AW protected 17670 will slide right into the tube)

i don't have any Surefire CR123a sitting around I can test and I don't have any AW 17670 sitting around I could compare with either

thanks for the reply!

I know that E-Series tubes are slightly too small for 17670, and the L-series are also just a little too small. If you can borrow a caliper that reads in thousandths and/or millimeters, the bore needs to be at least 0.690" (17.50mm) for a 17670 to slide in.

I believe both the E & the L run right at 17.00mm bore size (0.670"). Not a great deal of difference, just half a millimeter, but enough that the 17670 will not go in. Quite a few people can bore either the E or L to fit the 17670.

thanks precisionworks! does anyone know a trick I can use to find 17mm? (like a penny is coincidentally the same size or somethin like that...?)

and worst case scenario the 17670 AW protected Li-ion won't fit... can I peel the label off?

I remember waay back I had some blue-no-name batteries and they barely fit into my light, I had to shove them in with force and whip the light down with the tailcap off to get them out (like trying to shake the last bit of ketchup out of the empty bottle.) I imagine they will be somethin like that?

deleted, correct information below.

I also own a L2. A protected AW 17670 does not fit. AW sells a protected 14670 that does fit.
If you want your L2 bored, you will have to remove the electronics from the battery tube. I have heard of some tail cap contact problems when boring L1's.
Good luck

I also own a L2. A protected AW 17670 does not fit.

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You are exactly right ... I deleted post #8.

I have heard of some tail cap contact problems when boring L1's.

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I have not yet run into that. There is a central ring in the L1 tube that has to be bored out:



Then the tube can be final bored for 17670:

I had some blue-no-name batteries and they barely fit into my light, I had to shove them in with force and whip the light down with the tailcap off to get them out (like trying to shake the last bit of ketchup out of the empty bottle.) I imagine they will be somethin like that?

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To most people, in fact to anyone who does not do machinist work, twenty thousandths (.020"), or one half a millimeter, sounds like not too much. To a machinist, twenty thou is equal to twenty miles (or 10km). You might be able to get a 17670 INTO the tube using a sledge hammer, but most likely it would go in one quarter of the way, perhaps half way, and that's the end of that light. Peeling off the label will gain about .1mm, not even enough to write home about

Be happy with a 14670 unless you plan to have the light bored.

Its disappointed for AW,
17670 wont fit most E-body
Even my notorius ultrafire 17670 can go half-a-way down(E2e with white-towered easy-fail TC,i think its the last version)

Be happy with a 14670 unless you plan to have the light bored.

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okay so if I have to stick with a 14670, that's a 14mm battery instead of a 17mm battery.

does this mean there will be a large space all around the battery?

im thinking of just buying a new light and keeping the l2 as backup with surefirebatteries in it.

thanks guys i'm almost ready to place an order.

precisionworks how much would you charge to bore my light to 18670 with shipping back to me in NY?

how much would you charge to bore my light to 18670 with shipping back to me in NY?

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For the E-series lights it's $48 plus $5 return shipping. Please look at the thread I started under Custom & Modified Flashlights Buy/Sell/Trade. Please email for shipping information.

precisionworks said:

For the E-series lights it's $48 plus $5 return shipping. Please look at the thread I started under Custom & Modified Flashlights Buy/Sell/Trade. Please email for shipping information.

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thank you sir, do you have a link to the thread?

CPF rules don't allow posting a link to a sales thread, so please email & I'll be happy to provide that. Email is in my sig line.

I have been running AW 14670's in my L2 and Gladius for many years without issue, I just use a few turns of tape at either end of the bat so it don't rattle.

Try peeling the AW label. It will just about go in.

Hello Corksil,

My apologies for not noticing your thread earlier. I have a wealth of information regarding your query in a (sidelined) thread I did here.

IMO there definitely isn't room for an AW 17670 even if you peel the silver label off (the black wrapping should not be removed). I have had my L2 bored for AW protected 17670's and it works great as long as the boring is done carefully and the nickel-plated brass contact ring at the tail end doesn't come off during the process.

The boring must terminate prior to getting to the internal partition which divides off the driver module in the front of the light body.

IMO it is worth it to get the extra capacity (and greater popularity) of the 17670 rather than the 14670.

I have plenty of measurements and pics in the thread of mine I cited above so you might want to check it out for more info.

Hope this helps,

Here are a few recent pics that were taken after the L2 / 17670 boring: