SureFire A2 Aviator bulb problems.

The light was purchased in July and after two sets of batteries, the main bulb stopped lighting up. It was not burnt and the fillament was intact. I finally got around to calling SF last week and told them the problem after taking out on a hunting trip (brought along my G2Z for the incandescent part). The CSR told me that it was not a warranty problem and I would have to buy a new replacement bulb. After some persistence, he sent me a new one.

I got it yesterday (4 days later) and this new bulb does not have a white output and there some holes in the center of the beam (like a beam with a smooth reflector). Anyway, I just ordered a Lumens Factory HO-A2.

So the bulb was burnt afterall? I don't get it. Did it have continuity on a DMM?

FNG said:

Anyway, I just ordered a Lumens Factory HO-A2.

Click to expand...

Good call, it they seem to be higher in quality and more consistent that the factory offering. Next to FM's Strion mod, the HO-A2 is one of the neatness aftermarket pieces to ever become available for the A2. I think you'll be pleased with it.

FNG said:

I got it yesterday (4 days later) and this new bulb does not have a white output and there some holes in the center of the beam (like a beam with a smooth reflector). Anyway, I just ordered a Lumens Factory HO-A2.

Click to expand...

Don't dispair on your SF A2 Bulb Yet... Try rotating the bulb.
Due to the gaps in the reflector (where the LEDs go) that can improve your beam quality....

:twothumbs Incan A2's are awesome...

What's up with all these threads about Surefires quality and customer service? Isn't that why they're so expensive? Everytime somebody asks why their so expensive people say because of the quality and hassle free guarantee supposedly. I love the beam profile they put out, but that's all they have in my opinion. Hope that doesn't start an uproar here...

WHT_GE8 said:

What's up with all these threads about Surefires quality and customer service? Isn't that why they're so expensive? Everytime somebody asks why their so expensive people say because of the quality and hassle free guarantee supposedly. I love the beam profile they put out, but that's all they have in my opinion. Hope that doesn't start an uproar here...

Click to expand...

Wrong thread, try posting in this one https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/3169887#post3169887

Bill

I finally got the HO-A2 today and it's not working. It gives me continuity on the side of the post but not the top.



As for the original lamp assembly, there's no continuity even though everything looks ok.

I took it to a file and everything is working now. I think the HO-A2 LA is a bit taller because it doesnt tighten all the way.

Set to manual shutter and aperture so it just shows the difference between the two beams. The HO-A2 has a more defined spot but both are the same color at it's brightest, which is more yellow than my UK 4AA light.

HO-A2


MA02

My center bulb went out on my A2.
I got a replacement from Lighthound. That didn't work.

They sent me another bulb. That didn't work either.
2 bad bulbs?
I just sent the 2 bulbs back to Lighthound.

The origional A2 bulb looks ok to me. I don't see a break in the
filament.

Any ideas guys?

In my experience the HO-A2 is a bit taller and depresses the contact more if you screw it down tight. I've noticed that sometimes after using it, the factory lamp would not work again without a bit of monkeying around with it.

balticvid said:

My center bulb went out on my A2.
I got a replacement from Lighthound. That didn't work.

They sent me another bulb. That didn't work either.
2 bad bulbs?
I just sent the 2 bulbs back to Lighthound.

The origional A2 bulb looks ok to me. I don't see a break in the
filament.

Any ideas guys?

Click to expand...

I had this problem with my HO-A2. The brass lug is a bit too long depending on your model of A2 (4-sided flat vs 3-sided round). I took a dremel tool to the bottom contact and it works fine for me. Take a little off at a time because if you take too much you're pooched.

The problem is that there are two contact points, one being the center post and the other is the bottom of the round silver disk. If the center post is too long it will keep the disk from making contact. If you don't have a scratched groove in the bottom of the disk this is your problem as it should be making contact with the silver rim that sticks out of the body. If you shorten the center post too much then the disk makes contact but it will be too short to reach the center contact pad in the body. 4-sided flat bodies seem to have a bit more space than the 3-sided round ones so that's probably why Lumens Factory makes their HO-A2 a bit longer.

Mine was the 3-sided round one. I know some of the newer A2 factory bulbs don't work well in the older flat sided model because of what you describe.

I have the early flat sided body.
I filed one of the pins a little. Maybe it wasn't enough.
What you said about the contacts make sense.

I didn't mail the bulbs yet. I'll open the package and
file some more when I get home.

Thanks again for your help.
I'll let you know what happends.

WHT_GE8 said:

What's up with all these threads about Surefires quality and customer service? Isn't that why they're so expensive? Everytime somebody asks why their so expensive people say because of the quality and hassle free guarantee supposedly. I love the beam profile they put out, but that's all they have in my opinion. Hope that doesn't start an uproar here...

Click to expand...

I'm no Surefire fanboy - I only have one Surefire and am not in a hurry to buy any more.
However the one I do have (A2) seems to be well made and it puts out a good beam. In fact it really throws a long beam for the size of the head - when I go camping I make sure to bring my A2 with me.

The main reason I am in no hurry to buy another Surefire is partly value for money - I get more from my dollar when I buy Quark, Jetbeam, Olight, Nitecore, Liteflux or whatever. The other part is battery requirement - I have AAA & AA & 16340 & 18650 & 25500 & 32600 batteries and lights that use them. Surefire doesn't seem to offer much in the way of lights that use anything other than CR123a cells. I use nothing but rechargeable batteries in all my lights - the A2 is running on some AW 16340 LiPO4 cells which seem to work pretty good (the runtime isn't a huge issue for me, I have spare cells and spare lights too).

If someone is a big Surefire fan and buys over a dozen of them that's fine by me. They are good lights that are well made and have great output, if the price doesn't bother you (if the price does bother you then there are lots of other choices out there) then why not buy 'em.

I filed as much as I could, trying each time as I took some brass away.
Still didn't work.

I'm sending them back.
I'll keep you guys informed.
Thanks,

Last time I had problems with A2 bulbs, the problem turned out to be the A2 itself. The center contact was a bit too deep and 3 out of the 5 bulbs tried didn't work in the light. I initially purchased my A2 with 1 spare bulb and I got 3 more from SF for free to try. They finally replaced the A2 itself and it was much better than the first one I had. All 5 bulbs work in this one and the red LEDs flood is not ringy anymore!

Well if nothing else works, I'll have to contact Surefire.
Thanks for the feedback.

I have Lumens Factory HO A2 bulbs in both of my A2 Aviators.

I receintly bought 2 more Ho A2 bulbs for spares, when they arrived I tried both of them in my EDC A2.

Both worked great.

balticvid said:

The origional A2 bulb looks ok to me. I don't see a break in the
filament.

Click to expand...

Other than the two MN61s I've fried while trying out 3x17670s none of my blown surefire lamps ever showed me that the filament is broken
the continuity test will almost always tell me its dead.

Also, while both lamps are working, the round will not work in the squares but 1 out of 3 squares [hey, all I had was 3 squares and a round at that time] will work in the round:shrug:

After 2006[?], all A2 lamps sent out by Surefire are meant for the round variety, I get nervous when using my squares. While replacements are readily available from surefire, they are most likely going to be incompatible:green:

Didn't know this thread was still around. The HO-A2 has been working fine except when you lightly press the switch and there's a half dim beam coming out the front.