Surefire Hellfighter help

[warren55]

My wiring harness was cut near the cigarette lighter plug.
I decided to replace the wire and disassembled the aluminum cover/plug holder.
Interestingly, Surefire uses "J-B Weld" epoxy to hold the wire inside the holder as a strain relief.

The cigarette plug is a Marinco Sealink Deluxe 12 Volt Plug.

However, Surefire added what appears to be a capacitor on the +12vdc leg, and also potted the plug with epoxy.

I was able to remove some of the epoxy and read a partial part number.

The item is a black cylinder about 1/4" in diameter, 3/8" long with a silver stripe at the top towards the + wire. The ID starts with SB5... the rest covered in J-B weld.

I assume it's a power capacitor, to limit the initial amp load on the push button switches.
But, I'm a forest ranger, not an electrical engineer.....

Can you identify this item so I can replace it, or estimate a value for it.

Is it really necessary?
I searched the forum for diy power cords and no one mentions anything about it or the cigarette plug being modded.

thanks!

 

[BVH]

Can you post a pic? There is a recent thread here by a member who sells nice Hellfighter cords. I'll see if I can find it.

Here it is:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...fire-Hellfighter-Hellfire-Custom-Power-Cables

 

[NITE LITE]

Hi Warren Sure fire makes about 8 different cords and cables to power up the lights. They have an awesome customer service department. I had a defective cable and contacted there customer service department. I sent in my cable and they just replaced it. No questions asked they shipped out a new one the next day. Maybe I was just lucky or talked to the right guy .Try contacting them via there customer service email address: h[EMAIL="helpyou@surefire"]elpyou@surefire.com[/EMAIL] or contact them via customer service by phone 800-828-8809.The company is located in Calif. Best of luck . George

 

[ABTOMAT]

The thing inside the cigarette lighter plug is a diode to keep the connector from being electrically live when the HF is being run off batteries. If you don't plan on using military batteries it's not needed. But if you don't plan on using batteries the original Surefire cable is pretty awkward. I'd be inclined to make your own replacement using stock parts. It's easy. Or CPF member Cmacclel sells them, I made a few, and I guess this guy BVH linked to has started making them.

If the original cable was damaged in any way Surefire's support will probably fix it for free. Call them, don't email. Their support department hasn't accepted the electronic age yet.

 

[warren55]

They have an awesome customer service department.

I recently asked to buy a replacement Hellfighter Filter Locking Pin.
I've never been treated so condescendingly in my life.
The technician didn't know the part and asked "Can you please take a few pictures of the hellfighter / problem areas from different angles so I can try to identify them?"
All I wanted was the dmn pin!
I sent him a picture of the broken one and references from 2 Surefire publications.
Still waiting for a reply.
The service dept doesn't inspire confidence.

 

[warren55]

That makes perfect sense!

The batteries would feed into the cigarette plug!

Thanks!

I kept thinking about the clicky switches and how the M4 Devastator burns them.

 

[ABTOMAT]

SF's customer support usually comes through but it's overrated on CPF. I sent an M3 and an M6 in for repairs to the reflectors and the bezels came back with pipe wrench marks on them. Both flashlights. Another CPFer sent in a Hellfighter that they returned to him not fully reassembled.

 

[NITE LITE]

Wow!! I guess I just got lucky. Sorry to hear peoples experience wasn't like mine.