SureFire -- "Going, Going, Gone" ???

[David]

With all this talk about Surefire flashlights, I have a related question.

With a Surefire, is there any type of warning before the battery runs out of power?

I mean, will the light dim for a while, or will the light just go at without a warning?

I would think that a flashlight designed for "tactical" use, should give the owner a "heads up" of some sort before running out of battery juice.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[Kevlarman]

Due to lithium batteries' discharge curve, you will get very little warning that it is about to do. You will usually get 1 to 2 minutes of dimming light before it finally quits.

 

[Spark]

You could get a SureFire L4 - digitally controlled, you get the most out of your batteries, and then it powers down to a dimmer mode that get's dimmer as it sucks every less bit out.

 

[David]

To those who use Surefire's in "tactical" situations (i.e. law enforement, security, personal security, etc.), when do you decide to change the batteries?

When they "suddenly" go out?

After a certain amount of time even if they still work?

Other?

I was wondering since the batteries, in effect, go out without an real warning, how can you be sure the flashlight will work when you REALLY need it?

Thanks...

 

[Spark]

You are confusing rechargeable batteries with the standard lithium ones which are disposable.

The SureFire rechargeables all have a 1 hour charge time and a minimum of 1 hour constant on run time. The 8AX/NX and 9AN series both come with two battery sticks - which means you can have one in the charger and one in your light and switch out when the operational one runs out of power. Or, if you have both charged at the same time, you'll be able to switch out just like a standard reload.

None of the lights just "die" - you will see a sharp drop off and have some warning.

With the disposable battery models, the replacements are extremely small. It's much easier to carry two of them than 2 (or more) D cell batteries.

 

[G&R Tactical]

Kevlarman is correct, there is a sharp drop off with Lithium batteries. You will get a sudden "dimming" and then they are gone. It is safe to say that most operators throw in a new set of batteries before every mission. They also carry a lot of spares. The LED's on the other hand will run and run until they suck every bit of power out. SF will be selling an LED in the near future that will put out almost as much light as a Xenon gas filled bulb and give you a long run time....

 

[444]

A couple nights ago, I had one of my Surefires die on me. It was the one normally kept in my front, weak hand pocket. I put it away and got the one out of my back, strong hand pocket.

Two is one, one is none.

 

[David]

Here's an example of what I am talking about:

I just purchased a Surefire E1, which is their small personal flashlight and operates on a single Lithium battery.

If I use this Surefire E1 a few times a weeks for just a few seconds of use each time (i.e. to find something in the darkness, to locate my dropped keys, etc.), when should I reasonably be expected to change out the battery to ensure my Surefire flashlight will be there for me if I need it in a possible EMERGENCY situation.

I understand if I were an "operator," I should change out my batteries before every mission, but what is a proper Surefire battery change-out for the average guy (or gal) who uses their Surefire for mostly boring everyday-type tasks, but wants to make sure their Surefire is there for them just in case it is REALLY needed.



Any suggestions?

Thanks...

 

[G&R Tactical]

Well the battery life of the E1E is 90 minutes so I guess you just have to try and keep track of the time and store an extra set of batteries in your car or where ever you will be using it.

 

[444]

I feel your pain, but batteries do go dead and there isn't a whole lot to be done about it. About all you can do is keep spare batteries. I keep spare batteries at home, in my vehicle, and at work. I carry a change out of batteries in the rig at work. If the light goes dead, I am prepared, but there will be a few minutes when I don't have the light. As I mentioned, I have two lights at work. I have the little one like you do in my pocket and a bigger three cell light in the rig. At night, when I get out, I grab the second light and stick it in my back pocket. I don't do this because of battery life however, I do it because the three cell light is too bright for a lot of stuff I do. I also have the problem of someone (usually a Captain) seeing my light and wanting to use it. Then I have one for myself. But, it is also nice if one of them burns out on me (which has rarely happened).
I think you get a feel of how long you have been using your batteries. And, batteries arn't all that expensive; just over a buck a piece. Every few months I just replace the batteries.

 

[10-Ring]

With mine, there is a noticable dimming before the batteries go completely. Now, it's just a matter of having enough spares that when it does go out, I've got fresh batteries at the ready.

 

[jthuang]

Dunno why, but my experience has been the opposite as that described above -- I tend to see slow degrading of beams with lithium lights and a sudden cut-off by my rechargeable lights.

The first sign of battery rundown on my Surefire lithiums is a slight "yellowing" of the beam. Normally the beam is bright white when viewed in a dark room. As yellowing increases, the brightness decreases. As I have several two-cell Surefire lithium lights (one 6Z, one E2, one E2e), it's easy to compare the beams to see the amount of power reduction in my EDC lights.

Justin

 

[shadow 1]

Generally speaking, when I head out for the day or night, I give my SF's and quck hit to see what they look like, if there is any dimming, yellowing etc. If I even suspect they are about to go, I change them out. Batteries are relatively inexpensive through the SF website. I carry a spares carrier with me in my pack and in my car to do this. And I also always have two with me, my everyday carry is an A2 and my 'backup' is an L4 digital LED.
If in doubt, change em out...Gawd, did I just type that?

 

[Mikul]

My Surefires dim to look like normal flashlights and will run like that for 5-10 minutes before they die completely.

The E1 is what I carry in my pocket. It has been in there for a month with no signs of stopping and I have been using while inspecting houses... even on a battleship.

 

[another okie]

As a backup I carry one of the tiny little LEDs on my key chain. It costs almost nothing, weighs almost nothing, and provides enough light to get me in the house or out of a dark building. It's no substitute for a Surefire, but if the Surefire is dead it would get you through most situations. I actually carry both a red and a white one, though some may regard that as overegging the pudding.