is there a 12P designation for a light?

Katherine Alicia

Enlightened
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
836
Location
Central UK.
I`v been trying to make sense of all this 6p, 9p stuff and discovered there`s even a 3p (using one Cr123 batt).

So I`m currious, if a 3p is one cell, and a 6p is 2 cells and a 9p is 3 cells, what about a light that uses 4x cr123 cells? would it be a 12p?
I have a light that I use 4x 16340 batts in with a 14v P60 incan dropin, what dsignation would it be using that naming convention?
 

badtziscool

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
1,722
Much more knowledgeable people on this thread than I on this topic. But it looks like there is a 12P format, though it was short lived or carried over as an M4.

But you are correct in that 6P designated a 2 cr123 cell format, 9P a 3 cell format, and 3P a single cell format. Then you have the Z and C lights which take a different format in the form of Z2/C2 and Z3/C3 to designate a 2 cell or 3 cell format.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?124005-Surefire-12Z
 
Last edited:

Kestrel

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Messages
7,372
Location
Willamette Valley, OR
The SF 12-series were only available with the much larger turbohead, rather than the Z44 head/bezel assembly that we are most used to.
There was the 12PM, and the 12ZM (Z-series body with the grip ring).
Very uncommon, very expensive, & rather collectible; most folks who wanted to use that sort of cell format (without the turbohead) went with one of the aftermarket FiveMega 12P bodies, for example.

I have always kept my eye open for proof of a true SF 12P (SF made all sorts of odd things over the years), but have never seen any evidence SF made any such thing.
Conclusive proof would lie with the tailcap, as SF engraved the end of the tailcaps with the specific model # back in the day.

Edit: for example, here is a pic of the engraving identification on my original 7Z tailcap:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bu7o86rjj13i982/SF 7Z 008.jpg?dl=0
(long story, & a bit off-topic for this thread)
 
Last edited:

Katherine Alicia

Enlightened
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
836
Location
Central UK.
Thanks, so it Would be valid to say something is a 12P configuration if it has 4x Cr123 (16340) in series then. I`v got 3 lights that could do this and one of them does have a large head like a turbo head, it`s an MF-500 (long discontinued), the other two take plain P60 dropins, and non of them surefire.
 

novice

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 19, 2006
Messages
1,033
The 12PM came with an SRTH (short-rim turbohead), and the 12ZM came with a TRTH (threaded turbohead). Both of these turboheads came with lexan press-fit lenses. When using an N62 lamp, you were only supposed to use it for 3 minutes duration at a time (I don't know what the safe "cool-down" period was). Using that lamp for longer could possibly do damage to either the lens or batteries. I have a 12ZM that was used hard by the Irvine P.D. I have 2x16650 cells in it. The tailcap does not have a "lock-out" feature, so if you threw it in a gear bag and something ended up pressing against the tailcap, bad things could happen. I swapped it out with a more modern Z41.
 

Katherine Alicia

Enlightened
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
836
Location
Central UK.
Hmmm... I can see how Lexan would be a problem and I`m glad all mine are Glass lenses, I tried putting a 12V P60 module in there and smoke was comming off the bulb almost instantly, it lasted about 5 secs and the smoke eventually stopped (maybe some dust on it or the reflector) so I can well imagine lexan not being too happy with that sort of heat! LOL
 

orbital

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 8, 2007
Messages
4,289
Location
WI
+

Years back there were a handful of high voltage drop-ins, you just don't see them any more.

Still like the idea of this thread:popcorn:
 

scout24

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 23, 2008
Messages
8,869
Location
Penn's Woods
There have been a couple of places to buy "C" head and "C" tail compatible bodies that take 4 cells (2x18650) over the years, Fivemega was the one I was most familiar with. I have been guilty on many occasions of referring to a Z44 head/Fivemega 4-cell body/Z41 tailcaps a "12P" for ease of description if not being an officially produced light. I find it phenomenal for Malkoff dropin runtime, or P90/P91 use with a pair of 18650's. Not official, but most SF fans understand the naming convention even if PK would probably have a fit... :)
 

fivemega

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 28, 2003
Messages
5,530
Location
California
I have made many different custom type / material and size of D26 bodies such as: (18350)3P, (18500) 4.5P, (18650) 6P, (2x18500) 9P, (2x18650) 12P, 3x18500, (AW) 1C, (AW) 2C, (AW) 3C, 1x26500, 2x26500, 3x26500, 1x26650, 2x26650, 2AA, 3AA, 4AA and more.
==========

+
Years back there were a handful of high voltage drop-ins, you just don't see them any more.
Do you mean these?
===========

so it Would be valid to say something is a 12P configuration if it has 4x Cr123 (16340) in series then.
CR123A and 16340 cells are almost same size but voltage are very different and one can not be used instead of other for same bulb.
 

Katherine Alicia

Enlightened
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
836
Location
Central UK.
CR123A and 16340 cells are almost same size but voltage are very different and one can not be used instead of other for same bulb.

Yup, that`s why I use the 14v P60 dropin for the 4x16340 config, I keep the CR123s for emergencies only and would use the 12v dropin for that, though I`d probably just leave the 14 in there because... Lazy. LOL
 

orbital

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 8, 2007
Messages
4,289
Location
WI
Do you mean these?
===========

+

That's a very good find! ___ Those drop-ins get lost in the mix.

For some reason, I can picture a G&P Xenon drop-in that was like 16V~18V or something back in their heyday, but I could be wrong on that :whistle:
 

bykfixer

Flashaholic
Joined
Aug 9, 2015
Messages
20,464
Location
Dust in the Wind
I read the SureFire 6R would not quite hold 4 CR123's. Yup, it don't but I tried anyway and "oops" accidently pressed the button and :poof: went the Laser Products R60…… dratz.

Nowdays that module holds a 5mm Yuji so there is that.
 

Owen

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 14, 2002
Messages
2,048
Location
AL

fivemega

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 28, 2003
Messages
5,530
Location
California
I read the SureFire 6R would not quite hold 4 CR123's.

6R battery stick (B65 Ni-Cad 4.8 Volt) is made of 4 [SIZE=-2]2/3[/SIZE]A with end to end soldered and wrapped on heat shrinke, Similar to M*gCharger but much smaller.
Each [SIZE=-2]2/3[/SIZE]A battery has diameter of 17mm and length of 28mm which will make total length of about 120mm (including soldered tabs.
Each 6P body has battery space of 68mm length (34mm each CR123A). So for using B65 in 6P flashlight, you will need 52mm extension (A14) which comes with 6R flashlight.
To use 4xCR123A in 6P size body, you will need 68mm Extension tube (A19).
These days we can get much more power of each single 18650 cells. So nobody will use NiCad cells anymore.
 
Top