Need some insight

Warax

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Joined
Feb 17, 2019
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10
Hi everyone, i've been a long time reader of this forum. I'm a Paramedic and was using a Surefire 6px pro for the last 3 years. Thing is, the light isn't really bright anymore even with new batteries in it. I contacted Surefire and i must say i'm really dissapointed with their customer service. So i'm looking to replace the thing! I use the flashlight quite a lot as i work evening shift. I'm looking for quality but without breaking the bank ( i know it's hard, and you get what you pay for) I would love something with tail switch like the 6px, and something with a duty belt holster ( like the surefire polymer one, who broke....). What i'm affraid of, is working with body fluids of many kind, i got the habbit of washing my flashlight with harsh chemical, maybe that's what the Surefire didn't like at all, I don't know, but i need something that can resist to that...I've look at Elzetta and Malkoff and they get quite expensive here ( I live in Canada....) Any other idea? Surefire kind of lost it for me with the poor customer experience I got!

Thank you!
 

thermal guy

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Jan 28, 2007
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ny
So you have the 320 lumen model? I know you said your done with SF but there new model is Like 600 lumens.
 

Tusk

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Jan 21, 2009
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98
Streamlight is well regarded in the first responder community here in the US. They have a vast array of lights and generally won't break the bank.
 

scout24

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Dec 23, 2008
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Penn's Woods
Welcome to CPF! Is your light physically dimmer, or looks that way compared to the more current lights your fellow responders are now carrying? Would you elaborate on your customer service experience? And maybe a pic of your light?
 

jabe1

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Joined
Apr 25, 2008
Messages
3,091
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Cleveland,Oh
What chemicals are you using to wash the light? I'd be willing to bet you just have a contact problem caused by corrosion on threads and electrical contact surfaces.

That being said. Look int Peak led solutions lights which can be had in stainless steel. Heavy, but solid and corrosion resistant.
 

Warax

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Joined
Feb 17, 2019
Messages
10
Welcome to CPF! Is your light physically dimmer, or looks that way compared to the more current lights your fellow responders are now carrying? Would you elaborate on your customer service experience? And maybe a pic of your light?

It is dimmer than a cheap 1$ pen light.... It used to be really bright now it's hard to see the beam in.plain night... I've contacted their cudtomer support, their internationnal rep never contacted me, been writting to them since august and got an answer from their rep 2 week ago... Now i have to drive more then 100km to ship the thing because of the shipping company they use. Must be because i'm in Canada that it's that hard!
I use bleach ,alchool, and mainly spectrol to clean the light!
 

Warax

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 17, 2019
Messages
10
What chemicals are you using to wash the light? I'd be willing to bet you just have a contact problem caused by corrosion on threads and electrical contact surfaces.

That being said. Look int Peak led solutions lights which can be had in stainless steel. Heavy, but solid and corrosion resistant.


It's really not as bright as it used to be. Now even in the night we can barely see the beam... I wash it with bleach, alchool and Spectro. As for the customer service, i wrote to Surefire in august, and never heard back from their international rep. After 4 more email, their rep contacted me and ask me to ship the flashlight to them, but with a company that I have to drive 1h to send the flashlight to see if it's defect....

Also, I'm looking for something waterproof!
 

peter yetman

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Mar 23, 2014
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North Norfolk UK
Bleach (in concentrated solutions) is what I use to remove anodising from aluminium. When I do, it leaves a coating which needs polishing off.
I would imagine that you've damaged the conductive surfaces - no problem.
I think with a good clean with Deoxit, new O rings and lube, you should be able to resurrect this light.
I don't think any Aluminium light is likely to be unaffected by your cleaning regime, and a plastic light is still going to have metal surface to conduct electricity. It might be worth considering something in Stainless Steel.
But first off, take the light apart (if you can get the head off all the better) clean everything, isopropyl alcohol is good, and make sure it's dry inside. Maybe leave it on a radiator for a couple of days without a cell in and see. If there's any obvious corroson you can use wire wool the get the surface shiny clean.
You may have either wetted or damaged the switch, you can check by removing the tailcap and shorting the -ve end of the cell to the bare bit of the body tube. If it lights you just need a new switch, we can help with that. It may not be an original one, but it will work. If you've damaged the head (driver) it's more complicated and possibly fatal.
Please report back and let us know ther deal.
If this is just an excuse for a new lught (how would I know that?), you've come to right place, we can spend your money like water.
P
 
Last edited:

jabe1

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Apr 25, 2008
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Cleveland,Oh
Peter has some good cleaning advise. When done cleaning and drying, don't forget to lube the orings and threads before reassembly.

Waterproof may be hard, highly water resistant is not. Most high quality lights are rated ipx8. The ratings are for a prescribed time at a prescribed depth in water. IIRC ipx8 is continuous immersion at a depth greater than 1 meter, to be described by the manufacturer. One would hope that is sufficient.
 

Warax

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Joined
Feb 17, 2019
Messages
10
Did you use CR123 primaries in it the whole time?

I've used Surefire CR 123 the whole time in it! , I've done a good cleaning already thing i think is happening is that even if i try to put the light in high mode it switch a bit but the light doesn't have enough input. At first I though the glass was dirty or something like it, but everything is fine :(The cleaning did help and didn't had any corrosion or anything,but i feel it switch mode faster... Well at least try to ;) saintless steel what are your best bang for the buck ?
 

Dicaeopolis

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Nov 19, 2017
Messages
271
"I've look at Elzetta and Malkoff" Good Idea. Why are they so expensive in Canada? The shipping? Did cleaning the Surefire help? I think the Malkoff and Elzetta potting may help keep dirt, etc. from getting into places it shouldn't and they all sell spare parts on website. To Surefires credit, I emailed them not too long ago about a tail cap where the boot was wearing out and they sent me a new tail cap. I thought that was very nice. It was a G2X Pro and it has been a good light. I have Malkoff and Elzetta, both of which have been great. I have especially put my Malkoff through a lot at work. I mainly use Malkoff, due to the 18650 option.
 
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