Surefire ARC2 Up Close and Personal, Info, PICS, custom made charger

djjoonie

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 9, 2018
Messages
137
Location
NY
Hello all, I didn't want to invade/hijack an old thread so here is my own little amateur review and some info that I found, ill start with a custom build charger :)

This is the oem 3 pin connector that came with the vehicle charger, pins are numbered: (1)negative(black), (2)positive(white), (3)green(ground? but not connected)
VNv1ZaW.jpg


aD5HxPc.jpg


to find out which is positive and negative, used a reverse protected 12v vehicle battery trickle charger:
0idxHfB.jpg


xIX9Dtr.jpg


found out that my balance boards connecter has same 3 pin connector so I cut them and rewired them to vehicle plug:
qohVMST.jpg


xGdw7XD.jpg


6ryMZXc.jpg


temporarily using a dominator charger to test out the build (success :) )
3yNam3R.jpg


bought a ac to dc adaptor on amazon it is rated at 15amps 180watts
(I'm using 14 awg wire so the light can be charged while in-use with this 180watts charger. (the light draws 70w to charge and additional 70w to charge while in-use according to manual)
B6SwCyK.jpg


7kKJ3SG.jpg


found out that oem surefire connector is WEIPU SF 12 3 pin connector, just purchased 2 to swap them out and build another set for home and vehicle.
kssFKP8.jpg

91TrPN0.jpg


built quality is just amazing
zTNK6OH.jpg


the HID bulb seems like it is modified to fit in ARC2 for the reflector. I'm sure I can mod an existing HID bulbs to fit in the reflector since surefire seems like they are mostly sourcing the parts and I'm 100% sure its not in-house hid's :)
M5pUYdu.jpg


NP2KOVY.jpg


BCUzGBJ.jpg


This is the Charger port and Lanyard hole from the battery. I ordered a defective battery pack from ebay I will try to dismantle it and see whats inside soon.(arriving in 2 days)
7fEJ3QG.jpg


IsqtYyy.jpg


to access the hid bulb and reflector:
Ily50xW.jpg


qFRB4Ef.jpg


battery contacts:
0m56TcS.jpg


contacts from the head part
qlBK55W.jpg


for size comparison:
2CWEb9f.jpg
 
Last edited:

djjoonie

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 9, 2018
Messages
137
Location
NY
Looks like the bulb and reflector are integrated into one unit, making for a very expensive and more difficult bulb replacement, likely $600 to $1000 to replace, if they still had any replacement parts. Based on their response, it doesn't bode well for you in the future.
This really sucks for you because the resale value just plummeted, based on the response you got from Surefire. No support on this light of any kind. So much for a "serial production" product.
Thanks for your help, but I'm pretty sure they used an off the shelf HID bulb modified and fitted in the reflector.

I do wonder if you would be better of sending it back the the seller if you have the option too and getting a XeVison XV-LX70 or XV-LX50 which in my opinion seems a better light all round.
Looking at a few of the specs of the lights:
Arc2
4500lumens
1600m Throw Distance
5.8pounds weight
3ft water resistance
$2538

XV-LX70:
5300/7500lumens dual power 50w/70w
1900/2300m Throw Distance
4.8lbs weight
164ft water resistance
$2587

I think you get a lot more for your money with the LX70, has a Phillips DL50 bulb so down the road will be easier to swap out a new bulb and i am sure replacement battery packs wont be $1300 either
:)
.
Not so important but I also think it looks way better too just far more pleasing to look at imo, but i could never stand the way the surefire UDR dominator and there arc series lights looks too much like a hellfighter with a battery stuck on the back or a toilet plunger haha.
Although quite liked the SF Beast kinda looked like a mace
:)
.

I do think also since PK left SF, things have never been quite the same, IIRC PK designed the Beast i seem to remember seeing a pic with them on his desk, maybe thats why i liked it seemed a more pleasing design.

I do hope you get it sorted out though sounds like annoying situation to be in tbh and welcome to the forum
:)
.

Thanks so much for your input, I still don't want to return the light, I really love the look of it and I'm 99% surefire fanboy lol, I'm willing to buy lx50 or lx70 next :)
Thanks for the welcome! love this forum and so much info everywhere!
 
Last edited:

XeRay

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 3, 2006
Messages
1,333
Location
Ogden, Utah
djjoonie said:
Thanks for your help, but I'm pretty sure they used an off the shelf HID bulb modified and fitted in the reflector.
I'm willing to buy lx50 or lx70 next :)
Thanks!
The bulb appears to be "potted" to the reflector with a ceramic material. Based on the tip of the bulb glass shape it's no common HID bulb, not automotive from Philips, Osram or GE. Not a standard P32d base on it or an integral igniter. It must be a much rarer and not easily found bulb. I've not seen anything like it for Xenon Metal Halide HID. Not sure why they went this route instead of standard HID bulbs used on the Hell fighters.
 

djjoonie

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 9, 2018
Messages
137
Location
NY
The bulb appears to be "potted" to the reflector with a ceramic material. Based on the tip of the bulb glass shape it's no common HID bulb, not automotive from Philips, Osram or GE. Not a standard P32d base on it or an integral igniter. It must be a much rarer and not easily found bulb. I've not seen anything like it for Xenon Metal Halide HID. Not sure why they went this route instead of standard HID bulbs used on the Hell fighters.

I found an old d2s bulb that was lying around in drawer and they look pretty much the same for the tip of the glass...maybe its an older style d2s bulb modded?
xz3ZAze.jpg


nQ8F90V.jpg
 
Last edited:

bulbmogul

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
361
Location
NW Ohio
Why were you not provided with the factory charger that comes with the light..? I have 3 of them as it also is the same one provided with my new Hellfighter5...
 

XeRay

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 3, 2006
Messages
1,333
Location
Ogden, Utah
I found an old d2s bulb that was lying around in drawer and they look pretty much the same for the tip of the glass...maybe its an older style d2s bulb modded?
xz3ZAze.jpg

Nope that "D2S" bulb in your hands is Chinese crap. Aftermarket replacement. No way Surefire would use that kind of sourcing.
The other bulb with the brown return ceramic, is likely real, not Counterfeit or a very good looking copy.
I have been in the HID bulb and ballast business for more than 16 years, the bulb mounted in the reflector is NOT common manufacture, it is relatively obscure. BVH might have a good guess who made it.
 
Last edited:

djjoonie

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 9, 2018
Messages
137
Location
NY
Why were you not provided with the factory charger that comes with the light..? I have 3 of them as it also is the same one provided with my new Hellfighter5...
the light came with the vehicle charger, but I need an extra for my other car, and I need one for my home :) so I wanted to order them but sf doesn't have them anymore.
I thought hellfigher uses 5 pin connector btw.
 

bulbmogul

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
361
Location
NW Ohio
the light came with the vehicle charger, but I need an extra for my other car, and I need one for my home :) so I wanted to order them but sf doesn't have them anymore.
I thought hellfigher uses 5 pin connector btw.
I also was provided with a car charger as well as a home charger and I use the same charger to charge both my Arc28C as well as my new Hellfighter5..
 

djjoonie

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 9, 2018
Messages
137
Location
NY
Nope that "D2S" bulb in your hands is Chinese crap. Aftermarket replacement. No way Surefire would use that kind of sourcing.
The other bulb with the brown return ceramic, is likely real, not Counterfeit or a very good looking copy.

icic.. I have bunch of hids lying around, I'm still keeping my hopes up lol... sf is using Chinese charger, Chinese connectors, probably other parts as well. bulb might be Chinese too, who knows. my next project would be finding out the source of the bulb.
 

djjoonie

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 9, 2018
Messages
137
Location
NY
I also was provided with a car charger as well as a home charger and I use the same charger to charge both my Arc28C as well as my new Hellfighter5..
That's good to know! the hellfighter 5 and arc2 might be sharing same lamp assembly as well by looking at your video. thanks!
 

XeRay

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 3, 2006
Messages
1,333
Location
Ogden, Utah
icic.. I have bunch of hids lying around, I'm still keeping my hopes up lol... sf is using Chinese charger, Chinese connectors, probably other parts as well. bulb might be Chinese too, who knows. my next project would be finding out the source of the bulb.
Ask BVH if he has any good guesses. Who made it for them. The Chinese suck at making HID bulbs, impossible that Surefire would use a bulb made there. A very small chance it came from South Korea. Most likely it is very low volume USA made, also NOT European at all.
It's possible the newer Hell fighters use this bulb and reflector, if so, only very recent vintage in say the last 2 or 3 years.
 
Last edited:

djjoonie

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 9, 2018
Messages
137
Location
NY
I also was provided with a car charger as well as a home charger and I use the same charger to charge both my Arc28C as well as my new Hellfighter5..

It kinda looks like it has 4 pin plug in this photo? were there multiple version of hf5?
Thanks
tdiQ9Cr.jpg
 

djjoonie

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 9, 2018
Messages
137
Location
NY
Ask BVH if he has any good guesses. Who made it for them. The Chinese suck at making HID bulbs, impossible that Surefire would use a bulb made there. A very small chance it came from South Korea. Most likely it is very low volume USA made, also NOT European at all.
yes, I will, thanks so much XeRay. If the oem bulb is impossible to find, my option 2 would be retrofitting a differnet version of Hid or Led conversion down the road, I'm sure there are plenty of creative ppl in this forum who can make it happen like making p60 drop ins, ie malkoff, pflexpro etc. so I'm sure theres a way for this light to live indefinitely.
 

bulbmogul

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
361
Location
NW Ohio
It kinda looks like it has 4 pin plug in this photo? were there multiple version of hf5?
Thanks
tdiQ9Cr.jpg
This does not look like the back of my new HELLFIGHTER5, can not provide any more pictures as I am still at my winter home in Sri Lanka and not back until the middle of April. Will get you a picture then, however i do know I use the same charger for both lights as mentioned above..
 

XeRay

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 3, 2006
Messages
1,333
Location
Ogden, Utah
yes, I will, thanks so much XeRay. If the oem bulb is impossible to find, my option 2 would be retrofitting a differnet version of Hid or Led conversion down the road, I'm sure there are plenty of creative ppl in this forum who can make it happen like making p60 drop ins, ie malkoff, pflexpro etc. so I'm sure theres a way for this light to live indefinitely.

Always a way, just a question of resourcefulness and MONEY !!
 

djjoonie

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 9, 2018
Messages
137
Location
NY
This does not look like the back of my new HELLFIGHTER5, can not provide any more pictures as I am still at my winter home in Sri Lanka and not back until the middle of April. Will get you a picture then, however i do know I use the same charger for both lights as mentioned above..
Just found out they had 2 versions of each battery packs, just did a quick google and found some pics:
these 4 pin connectors are probably for remote switch.
jR72340.jpg

9WsulJw.jpg


and here is what yours looks like:
gtmnGa7.png
 

djjoonie

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 9, 2018
Messages
137
Location
NY
Always a way, just a question of resourcefulness and MONEY !!
you are absolutely right.
for the bulb, I just realized its totally different than the automobile hids since the burning (capsule) point location is very different.
In Arc lights the illumination point is all the way down at almost starting of the reflector and the d2s etcs are at the center.
So this may be really impossible to find... Or it may be easier to identify?
 
Last edited:

bulbmogul

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
361
Location
NW Ohio
Just found out they had 2 versions of each battery packs, just did a quick google and found some pics:
these 4 pin connectors are probably for remote switch.
jR72340.jpg

9WsulJw.jpg


and here is what yours looks like:
gtmnGa7.png

Yes your last picture is what the back of my HELLFIGHTER5 looks like and that is the same pin format as my Arc28C
 
Top