Surefire Hurricane Light

[Ohen Cepel]

Does anyone have one?

What do you think of it?

Does it have to have all the batteries in it or could it run off of only 1 or 2?

Rather expensive for what it seems to be.

Thanks,

[jthuang]

You mean the Surefire 12B? Yes, I have one. Got it a few years ago from Botach for $35.

The 12B is not meant to be a real operational light. Back then, Surefire got all its batteries from Duracell. But Surefire's agreement w/ Duracell prevented Surefire from selling batteries (alone) without a light. Thus, the 12B was born. You got 12 cells for a good price (much better than $7/cell as you see in stores) and a useless light that was basically a throwaway.

I've never used my 12B beyond harvesting the batteries and throwing the plastic shell in a drawer somewhere. This is as Surefire intended.

Surefire now offers their own batteries -- and they're very inexpensive. Something like $15 for 12. I have a pack sitting on my bookshelf for when I use up the 30-odd Duracells sitting in my kitchen drawer.

Justin

[Skunkabilly]

Skunk is to carbonfiber like Justin is to Surefires (ok well sorta). Listen to him!!

[TarpleyG]

I can see a definite value in it as a "hurricane" light. Being in S. Florida, we are constantly aware of the possibililty of being without electricity for a while. Candles are dangerous and conventional battery operated lights drain far too quickly. This light will server two purposes but if you are relying on it for an emergency, make sure you keep it loaded with batteries or it'll do you no good at all when you need it.

GT

[Skunkabilly]

I keep a small pile (maybe a half dozen) of chemical lightsticks around...I like to keep the 123s around for my lights....

[Ohen Cepel]

The thing isn't cheap!

My plan was to just put the "not so fresh" ones in it and use them up that way.

However, if I need to have 12 in it for it to work then it's not an option.

Will it run on just a few?

Thanks,

[jthuang]

Will it run on just a few?

I will try and check when I go home. If I remember correctly, it WILL run on less than 12 batteries. You just need enough batteries to make the electrical contacts (3?). I wish I saved the instruction manual ....

IMHO if you really want to use it as a hurricane lamp (thanks TarpleyG for pointing out that legitimate usage ... we rarely get hurricanes up here in the great northeastern US) I believe there must be some cheaper alternatives. As you point out, the 12B is not cheap, especially if you are buying it just for the batteries -- I'd get the Surefire battery 12 pack instead.

However if you just want an easy mechanism to use up those "half spent" DL123As that you don't want in your defensive light, I've always put mine in an old Surefire E1 and used it as a utility light around the house until the cells went dead.

Justin

[jthuang]

Skunk is to carbonfiber like Justin is to Surefires (ok well sorta). Listen to him!!

Hehe, thanks for the props but if you go to the Surefire discussion board or candleforums.com, you'll find people who REALLY know their stuff about Surefires. I don't have 1/5 of the Surefires (or the corresponding knowledge thereof) some of those guys have.

Justin

[bubbygator]

But you might take a look at LED flashlights for non-tactical uses. You can get useful light for a long time with these.

[jthuang]

I will try and check when I go home. If I remember correctly, it WILL run on less than 12 batteries. You just need enough batteries to make the electrical contacts (3?). I wish I saved the instruction manual ....

Well, the 12B is nowhere to be found at home. I think I just took the batteries out and trashed the 12B. Sorry! I'd contact Surefire and get the answer straight from them.

Justin

[David Park]

I still have my 12B. It only requires 2 batteries to operate. There is a full metal base-plate on the bottom inside the case, providing a connection for all 12 batteries. However, the bulb on top only completes the circuit for 2 of those batteries. There are 6 holes in the top of the case, and the bulb could be placed in any of the the 6 holes, so you could use all 12 batteries without ever removing them from the case (silly, but that's how it's designed). Or, if you had 5 extra bulb assemblies, you could run 6 bulbs at the same time.

I used the 12B once when the power went out, but I decided I didn't want to waste the batteries so I lit some candles instead. It's not extremely bright even with new batteries, but I suspect it would still work OK even with older batteries.

[Skunkabilly]

I have a few lightsticks for 'mergency use...I'm paranoid about my lights in that thing, for some reason, dunno why

[raz-0]

actually, if you read the instructions on the 12b, it is also intended for use with the batteries that are dim in your SF. you put new ones in your SF, take the old ones and put them in the hurricane lamp. what is near useless in the SF will function for a while in the 12b. SO you can get some extra use out of them.

however, it's a bit of a pain, and in an emergency, you don't want something half-assed. I think I used one of mine once that way for camping until I got a krill light. I have used that a lot more, and have gone through something like 4 AAs in like three years.