SF lamp assemblies

Can someone explain why SF make you change the whole lamp assembly when a bulb blows? I presume they are the only flashlight that has this feature.

It makes it expensive to replace bulbs, but is there an advantage?

having the bulb permanently mounted in the reflector ensure proper focusing, and the bulb won't get knocked out of alignment if dropped.

other companies do this also. the tigerlight comes to mind.

all the new SF lights coming out appear to adopt the approach of having the bulb mounted in a pre-focused assembly that fits in the reflector though, so a reflector isn't wasted everytime the bulb blows.

My UK Mini-Q40 and my Stealthlight are this way also.

I prefer it. Yes it is more expensive, although you are not alone in your objections.

The lamp & reflector assemble ARE the flashlight, they are what makes light. Everything else in a flashlight is there to help the lamp & reflector do it's job reliably and hold it all together.

GregR

Princeton Tec Rage, Streamlight 3C-XP also require replacement of the reflector/bulb assembly when the bulb blows.

I presume that the Pila G2 & similar lamps are this way, too? My original 6P is still using the bulb that came in it - 15 yrs old? I know it's been thru 10 sets of batteries or more....I thought it might be time to get a backup lamp for it.

But why don't those clever guys at SF invent a lamp with a mounting system that places the bulb in a precise position? Then only the bulb would have to be replaced.

They did - The E2e uses it, as does the E1e, M3, 10x, M6, M4... These all take lamps that are separate from the reflector. (proabaly missed a couple...)

[ QUOTE ]
tadbik said:
But why don't those clever guys at SF invent a lamp with a mounting system that places the bulb in a precise position? Then only the bulb would have to be replaced.



[/ QUOTE ]The M3 is this way. The question should be, why don't they incorporate this design into their entire line. Trying to figure out why SF does a fraction of the things they do is pointless.

i guess they can't just stop producing LAs like the P60 and P90 because so many of their lights already use those. what they can do is use lamps held in pre-focused assemblies for new lights they introduce, like in the E series lights, and the millenium series lights with the exception of the M2.

[ QUOTE ]
tkl said:
[ QUOTE ]
tadbik said:
But why don't those clever guys at SF invent a lamp with a mounting system that places the bulb in a precise position? Then only the bulb would have to be replaced.



[/ QUOTE ]The M3 is this way. The question should be, why don't they incorporate this design into their entire line. Trying to figure out why SF does a fraction of the things they do is pointless.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lighten up guys.

I am perfectly content with the way Surefire builds their flashlights.

Maybe you should switch to STREAMLIGHT!!!

Maybe you should switch to STREAMLIGHT!!! >>>>>>>>>>>>>

A lot of us prefer them. Faint dead away.................

Tom, I know a Rep you can talk to /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

also, integrating the reflector and the bulb makes it easy to replace the reflector if it is damaged. of a bulb blows and gets stuff everywhere, you can simply replace the reflector easily.
when my e2e reflector was damaged, the whole head needed to be replaced.

furthermore, when you take out the whole lamp assembly, you can dissect it and use the reflector for mods! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Rothrandir-

That's what happened to my SF M6. The reflector is held captive in the head, a run of bad bulbs ruined the reflector. When the bulb blew, the glass was turned to sand like consistancy. Some of this was embedded in the reflector.

Surefire sent me a whole new head, received it in 3 days.

I'm wondering if the of Millenium series are the same (reflector cannot be removed from head) ?

I've had my eye on an M3 for a while.


GregR

[ QUOTE ]
Tombeis said:
[ QUOTE ]
tkl said:
[ QUOTE ]
tadbik said:
But why don't those clever guys at SF invent a lamp with a mounting system that places the bulb in a precise position? Then only the bulb would have to be replaced.



[/ QUOTE ]The M3 is this way. The question should be, why don't they incorporate this design into their entire line. Trying to figure out why SF does a fraction of the things they do is pointless.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lighten up guys.

I am perfectly content with the way Surefire builds their flashlights.

Maybe you should switch to STREAMLIGHT!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Firstly, this thread was not a criticism of SF but a genuine quest to know more about the design of flashlights.

Secondly, when you say that you are content with the way SF builds flashlights. Well, I'm sure the SF designers and engineers feel differently. Any company wants to improve their products if they don't want to stagnate.

Whether they would admit it or not SF must surely take into account what their customers want and the CPF is a perfect way for SF to guage customer reaction to new design.

Finally, I do have a Streamlight flashlight in my collection!

[ QUOTE ]
tadbik said:
Firstly, this thread was not a criticism of SF but a genuine quest to know more about the design of flashlights.

Secondly, when you say that you are content with the way SF builds flashlights. Well, I'm sure the SF designers and engineers feel differently. Any company wants to improve their products if they don't want to stagnate.

Whether they would admit it or not SF must surely take into account what their customers want and the CPF is a perfect way for SF to guage customer reaction to new design.

Finally, I do have a Streamlight flashlight in my collection!


[/ QUOTE ]

Well said, tadbik. Welcome to CPF ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

BC

double_A: with the exception of the M1 and M2, all the other surefire millenium lights have a reflector that cannot be removed /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

chamenos-

Thank for the info.

GregR

welcome /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif