SureFire E-Series Addicts Unite!

[Mr.Freeze]

I'm waiting for the EDCL1-T too...
Anyway, let's bless the good old times:

 

[night.hoodie]

Can anyone recommend where I can get an E-series O-ring?

I can't honestly recommend, per se, because I have never used or seen the products first hand, but I do know that eBay user pf2 sells Surefire flashlight replacement o-ring kits for C-series and E-series at absurdly reasonable prices with free shipping. If anyone purchases or has purchased these and has experience with these replacements, please let us know what you think about them, regarding material, quality and durability.

 

[Jose Marin]

 

[night.hoodie]

I have been wondering for a while, noticing how hard E1e are to find (appear only once or twice a month on eBay on average), and I just thought to ask this, in hopes someone can ballpark a figure.

Since incan E1e was introduced until it was finally discontinued, how many did Surefire manufacture, including all revisions?

I have only seen serials that if high enough would max, or rollover, at 100K in A or B sequences. Anyone see serials that max/rollover at a million? Surely they made more than 200K of them over all the years?

What do you think happened to them all? Some percentage were lost and never found, but it couldn't be a large percentage. Recycled en mass by military or police and destroyed? Where are they all hiding? Why isn't there a constant inventory of at least 50 for sale per month on eBay, but only a couple per month, if that? Hoarded?

(happy about LF releases, tho)

 

[UVvis]

15$ lamps on 1-2$ batteries for 15 lumens. Most are probably sitting on people's shelves and in drawers where they are hard to justify the cost of running them versus newer brighter led's.

 

[bykfixer]

Good questions Mr. Hoodie. The E1's are commanding higher prices than the E2's when you see them.

I think right now there are many who have over the years taken advantage of available upgrades and won't let them go until you pry it from their cold dead hands.

Yet in terms of it's original setup, it probably didn't sell anywhere near as well as the 2 cell version with nearly 4x the brightness. 15 vs 60 was a reason the fabled 3P was not continued when SureFire re-released the 6P with the anti-roll head.
SureFire had a reputation of making BRIGHT products in small packages versus the competition of the day. And a 3 volt light bulb was just not as bright as a 6 volt bulb.

All of this is conjecture on my part as I wasn't around the scene back then. But I'd add that if folks wanted the output of a minimag back then they'd likely prefer it in an easier to hang onto platform than the early E1's.

 

[archimedes]

I have been wondering for a while, noticing how hard E1e are to find (appear only once or twice a month on eBay on average), and I just thought to ask this, in hopes someone can ballpark a figure.

Since incan E1e was introduced until it was finally discontinued, how many did Surefire manufacture, including all revisions?

I have only seen serials that if high enough would max, or rollover, at 100K in A or B sequences. Anyone see serials that max/rollover at a million? Surely they made more than 200K of them over all the years?

What do you think happened to them all? Some percentage were lost and never found, but it couldn't be a large percentage. Recycled en mass by military or police and destroyed? Where are they all hiding? Why isn't there a constant inventory of at least 50 for sale per month on eBay, but only a couple per month, if that? Hoarded?

(happy about LF releases, tho)

So, I'll add a couple of thoughts, in response ....

• I am not aware of any official production numbers having been released or published, so most any claim would likely be a wild guess.

• You can't just "add up" all of the serial numbers either, at least in any simplistic fashion, as I seem to recall some discussion that these weren't even necessarily continuous and sequential (eg, different production facilities started concurrent / overlapping runs from different numbers, letter / number resets with model changes, etc)

• Although not a "rare" or even uncommon model, it would not surprise me in the least if the (various) E1 model(s) were not big sellers. As others have mentioned, as designed in stock format (pricey flashlight with modest incandescent output running on expensive lithium primary) , these would not have been as popular as alternatives which were cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, brighter and / or more "efficient" through their time of production.

• Where did they all go ? Like many discontinued consumer type products, most have probably been lost / discarded / abandoned as "obsolete" .... I would guess that collectors "hoarding" these likely account for only a tiny percentage overall. Unlike say, gold or vintage watches or baseball cards, it is not inherently obvious that "some old outdated dim flashlight that uses a weird battery" might be valuable or otherwise collectible.

• Well then, why are they so expensive ? Supply and demand ... the few that do make it back to market are pretty sought after, both by collectors (to keep as a collectible) and enthusiasts (to modify / update / host new lighting tech)

• Like most things, though, if prices climb high enough ... more will find their way back to market eventually :shrug:

 

[ajumpingbean]

I think I'm an addict...

Is that a McLux head on the second from the left and the first on the bottom? What do you have innit? Been very interested in securing a head for my first build.

 

[bykfixer]

Is that a McLux head on the second from the left and the first on the bottom? What do you have innit? Been very interested in securing a head for my first build.

Both are pure Vital Gear samples (as in pre-production items from PK's personal collection).
The silver has an M31w fed by 2x AA. The other is 2x123 fed to the stock P60 type bulb assembly.

 

[marinemaster]

I have had my E2L one level 45 lumens for many years. Lately I have not been using it just been using ZL lights more. At some point this light was the best as it offered 9 hours flat regulation.
I don't know to keep it or sale it. What you guys think ?
Also shall I maybe put in another led ? Still want 45 or so lumens but Im thinking maybe I can get 20 or 30 hours out of newer led. Another question will the original circuit work with a newer led or that will have to be changed as well ?
Input appreciated.

 

[recDNA]

So, I'll add a couple of thoughts, in response ....

• I am not aware of any official production numbers having been released or published, so most any claim would likely be a wild guess.

• You can't just "add up" all of the serial numbers either, at least in any simplistic fashion, as I seem to recall some discussion that these weren't even necessarily continuous and sequential (eg, different production facilities started concurrent / overlapping runs from different numbers, letter / number resets with model changes, etc)

• Although not a "rare" or even uncommon model, it would not surprise me in the least if the (various) E1 model(s) were not big sellers. As others have mentioned, as designed in stock format (pricey flashlight with modest incandescent output running on expensive lithium primary) , these would not have been as popular as alternatives which were cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, brighter and / or more "efficient" through their time of production.

• Where did they all go ? Like many discontinued consumer type products, most have probably been lost / discarded / abandoned as "obsolete" .... I would guess that collectors "hoarding" these likely account for only a tiny percentage overall. Unlike say, gold or vintage watches or baseball cards, it is not inherently obvious that "some old outdated dim flashlight that uses a weird battery" might be valuable or otherwise collectible.

• Well then, why are they so expensive ? Supply and demand ... the few that do make it back to market are pretty sought after, both by collectors (to keep as a collectible) and enthusiasts (to modify / update / host new lighting tech)

• Like most things, though, if prices climb high enough ... more will find their way back to market eventually :shrug:

Don't forget they also used an expensive rare bulb. When bulb blew a LOT of them were probably thrown in a waste basket. I bet there are thousands in landfills.

 

[FREI]

Also shall I maybe put in another led ? Still want 45 or so lumens but Im thinking maybe I can get 20 or 30 hours out of newer led. Another question will the original circuit work with a newer led or that will have to be changed as well ?
Input appreciated.

The original circuit will work with a new LED. The light will be (much) brigther than befor and runtime will be the same as before (or marginal longer cause of the lower Vf of the new LED)

 

[1pt21]

Don't forget they also used an expensive rare bulb. When bulb blew a LOT of them were probably thrown in a waste basket. I bet there are thousands in landfills.

The very thought of that just made me throw up in my mouth a little bit..... :green:

 

[sgt253]

you and me both..!!oo:

 

[Bogie]

They can still be found [emoji16]

 

[BitGeek]

Nice! Where did you find those?

 

[Bogie]

On LetGo when I went to meet the seller he said I have more of these, this I end up with 4.

 

[BitGeek]

Right on. That is a great find!

 

[BitGeek]

Right on. That is a great find!

 

[MMD]

I love e series, its so perfect, except maybe the clip...