# OpticsHQ E-Series Heads for the E1 and E2



## Beastmaster (Jan 25, 2008)

Mike at OpticsHQ was nice enough to send me two E series heads for evaluation.

The E series heads that OpticsHQ sells are directly compatible with anything that has the SureFire E series body threads. This includes the Aleph 1x123 bodies, the Vital Gear Bodies, and (of course!) the SureFire E1 and E2 series bodies.

Shown below - E2e with OpticsHQ head, E1L with OpticsHQ head, E1e with incan head, and TW4 clone with VG 1x123 and KL4 head.







The head is just a tad larger in size to the current SureFire KX1/KX2 heads - it's about 1mm longer in height.






The reflector head, however, is quite a bit larger. 







The head itself (surprisingly) can be taken apart - the pill can be removed from the head just by grabbing the spring and unscrewing it.






The solder contacts (shown above) is what actually hits the body to make contact. Ironically, on the E1 head, the contacts were built up, and still didn't make contact with the body - so unscrewing the pill 1/4 turn was enough to make contact with the body so that the light would work.

The light - well, the light is clean, pure, and whiter than my SSC headed Novatac. 

The heads are deeper than most - so you get far less spill that I would have thought. Comparison pics below. In order, Novatac 120P, OpticsHQ E1, and OpticsHQ E2














One minor niggle and one major niggle of these two heads.

Minor niggle - the heads are SHARP - be careful on the body side threads.

Major niggle - the pills really should be tied down better. I worry about their use in this case.

The long term testing begins - the E1 head starts becoming my EDC unit paired with a VG 1x123 head tonight.

Night shots as I can get them.

-Steve


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## ttran97 (Jan 25, 2008)

Very nice review, Steve! Looks like this will make a great upgrade for the E series bodies! 

This review (and Beastmaster):


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## planex (Jan 25, 2008)

Good job on the review. It is nice to finally see some info on these.


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## Kelvino (Jan 25, 2008)

Thanks for the review, really appreciated:twothumbs


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## Beastmaster (Jan 26, 2008)

Okay - here's some night time beam shots. For those of you who read my BOG vs. Malkoff review - this is the same "alleyway" lane that I typify as what many officers would face in a night time situation. It has the combination of light clutter from street lights (30 yards away) and home lighting. Also - I use this area as a dog run, so there is yard floaties there. If you can see the yard floaties, and have good throw, you have (in my mind) a successful combination.

In order - OpticsHQ E1 head, OpticsHQ E2 head, KL4 with 1x123, KL4 with 2x123, Novatac 120P, and my standard - the Malkoff M60 Q5.
































The E2 head really gives great throw and good flood. It's good enough for use as a perfect tactical light. Combine it with a McClicky 2 stage tailcap and you've got one heck of a killer two stage combination that would kick the SureFire L2's tail.

-Steve


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## NotRegulated (Jan 26, 2008)

Sign me up for an E2 head.


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## Kelvino (Jan 26, 2008)

Thanks for the Beamshots, Beastmaster.

How do the E1 and E2 head work with one RCR? Brightness and runtime wise


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## Beastmaster (Jan 26, 2008)

Brightness for both on RCR 1x123's are the same on both units. 

Runtimes - I haven't done that yet. That's next. I figured that beamshots were more in demand.

And - if it beats out the KL4 and equals the KL1 third gen, it's a winner.

-Steve


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## Kelvino (Jan 26, 2008)

Good to know brightness is the same on one RCR.
If runtime is equal or close I will get the E2 because it can handle 2xRCR, just incase...


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## OpticsHQ (Jan 26, 2008)

Theoretically, these heads should also work on L1, L2, and L4 (maybe L5 as well, but I am not sure on the thread size)......


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## houtex (Jan 26, 2008)

Excellent review.


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## Beastmaster (Jan 26, 2008)

I just got back from the baseball games, so I'm starting the runtime tests now.

-Steve

Update # 1 - Both are running strong still at 1 hour 2 minutes. I'm running AW's rechargable 123a's on both. All balanced charged with each other and left to sit overnight before use.

I did have to put ice packs onto both units. They get very warm - not hot to the touch warm where you get burned, but enough to where it's an extremely warm handwarmer.

Update # 2 - the E2 unit just stopped at 1:07. E1 is still going.

Update # 3 - the E1 unit stopped at nearly 1:10 (1:09:49). 

Next up - the E2 head on the 1x123 body runtime. I've got another of AW's 123's on this one as well.

-Steve


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## WadeF (Jan 26, 2008)

Wow, the Malkoff M60 really beats them all easily! I've been wanting an upgrade for my E2e, but I'm not sure if these are what I'm looking for.


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## OpticsHQ (Jan 26, 2008)

WadeF said:


> Wow, the Malkoff M60 really beats them all easily! I've been wanting an upgrade for my E2e, but I'm not sure if these are what I'm looking for.


Malkoff is a drop-in replacement for the P60, these are conversion heads. Apples and oranges  Also, we did not try to design the best throw, but the best compromise between throw and spill (and I think we succeeded  )


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## Beastmaster (Jan 26, 2008)

I use the Malkoff as an example of what I would call the ultimate drop in for the SureFire 6P series of lights that use the P60 lamp assembly.

The OpticsHQ E2 head is close. Very close. I love the hot spot and the floodiness of it in a single package. 

As was mentioned - the E2 head and the M60 drop in are two totally different animals for two different series of flashlights.

-Steve



WadeF said:


> Wow, the Malkoff M60 really beats them all easily! I've been wanting an upgrade for my E2e, but I'm not sure if these are what I'm looking for.


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## bondr006 (Jan 26, 2008)

I was all excited to get mine for my E2D today. I took it inside and took the incan head off, and then put the Q5 LED head on....There was a very quick bright flash, and then nothing.  Needless to say, I am disappointed. I took a chance and called OpticsHQ and to my surprise, I got Mike. He apologized and said, just send it back and he'll have a new one in the mail priority to me Monday. :thumbsup: Dang, I sure was looking forward to testing this thing out tonight. Oh well, it's not as if I don't have a dozen or so other working lights. So, I should have the new one by Wed. or Thur. Thanks Mike. A+ customer service. :twothumbs


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## Beastmaster (Jan 26, 2008)

Before you do so - check and make sure that the pill insert is screwed down all the way. 

-Steve



bondr006 said:


> I was all excited to get mine for my E2D today. I took it inside and took the incan head off, and then put the Q5 LED head on....There was a very quick bright flash, and then nothing.  Needless to say, I am disappointed. I took a chance and called OpticsHQ and to my surprise, I got Mike. He apologized and said, just send it back and he'll have a new one in the mail priority to me Monday. :thumbsup: Dang, I sure was looking forward to testing this thing out tonight. Oh well, it's not as if I don't have a dozen or so other working lights. So, I should have the new one by Wed. or Thur. Thanks Mike. A+ customer service. :twothumbs


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## Beamhead (Jan 26, 2008)

Actually screwing in the LE/pill may cause you to lose contact between the LE/pill and the body, try unscrewing it a tad, gently. HTH


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## WadeF (Jan 26, 2008)

Were the above beamshots all taken with the same exposure? Has a price for the OpticsHQ converstion head been announced yet? I still may give one a shot.


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## OpticsHQ (Jan 26, 2008)

WadeF said:


> Were the above beamshots all taken with the same exposure? Has a price for the OpticsHQ converstion head been announced yet? I still may give one a shot.


http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=174036


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## Beastmaster (Jan 26, 2008)

Sure are. All beamshots for the night time alleyway have the following settings:

1/3rd second exposure time
Aperture - F/4
Focal Length - Lens is set to 28mm, however - with the Canon Digital Rebels, you have to multiply that by 1.6. So you get an effective focal length of 44.8, which is just a tad wider than the human eye.
ISO - 400

There is a thread for this in the CPFMarketplace. I don't have it in front of me. I believe that there is a special deal if you do it through there.

-Steve



WadeF said:


> Were the above beamshots all taken with the same exposure? Has a price for the OpticsHQ converstion head been announced yet? I still may give one a shot.


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## Beastmaster (Jan 26, 2008)

Beamhead said:


> Actually screwing in the LE/pill may cause you to lose contact between the LE/pill and the body, try unscrewing it a tad, gently. HTH



Sort of. It all depends on where the solder blob is.

See this pic:


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## Beastmaster (Jan 26, 2008)

Okay - 1x123 body with the E2 head. 1:27 brightness, and now it's dimmed by about 20 percent (visually).

I'm going to let it run. This too is also on a cold pack.

-Steve

Update #1 - 1:43 Down another 20%

Update #2 - 1:58 Down even more. It's at 50% of where it originally was. Light is still "useful", but it's definitely not as good as what it was when it started.

Update #3 - 2:11 and the light is down beyond where my Novatac 120p is at it's programmed lowest level of 0.33 lumens. So I'm calling this one done.


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## bondr006 (Jan 26, 2008)

There is no solder blob on mine...









Beastmaster said:


> Sort of. It all depends on where the solder blob is.
> 
> See this pic:


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## Beamhead (Jan 26, 2008)

There wasn't in mine either bond006, did you try to unscrew the brass LE a tad carefully?

Sorry for the hijack and great review Beastmaster.:thumbsup:


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## Beastmaster (Jan 26, 2008)

Interesting. Did you unscrew the pill slightly to see if it makes contact?

Also - Your pill looks different than mine does. Mine looks nearly identical to the E1 head that I pictured. Here's a closeup.

-Steve


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## Beastmaster (Jan 26, 2008)

No need to worry on my end. I'm fine with it - I'd like to make sure that it works too.....and I'm very curious as to why the E2 head that Bond is showing is different than what I've got.

-Steve



Beamhead said:


> There wasn't in mine either bond006, did you try to unscrew the brass LE a tad carefully?
> 
> Sorry for the hijack and great review Beastmaster.:thumbsup:


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## Beastmaster (Jan 26, 2008)

Okay, for the heck of it, I threw the E2 head onto a 1x123 body and put an AW into it.

Here's the flood shot.






And the E2 shot with an E2 body.






Not bad. It seems to work well.

-Steve


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## OpticsHQ (Jan 26, 2008)

Hmm...I wonder if you got 2 E1 heads by mistake? But that can not be the case since the output is clearly different in the pics (not to mention that E1 shouldn't be able to handle 6+V). I wonder if it is just a difference in the assembly...I will check.


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## bondr006 (Jan 26, 2008)

Yes I did try unscrewing it at several different positions with no luck. :mecry: Anyway...Mike is taking care of it. :thumbsup:



Beastmaster said:


> Interesting. Did you unscrew the pill slightly to see if it makes contact?
> 
> Also - Your pill looks different than mine does. Mine looks nearly identical to the E1 head that I pictured. Here's a closeup.
> 
> -Steve


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## Beastmaster (Jan 26, 2008)

Well, it's dark enough to do the E2 head on the 1x123 body.

AW's Rechargeable was used. Body was a VG 1x123.

Pics to compare - 1x123 body on the top, 2x123 E2 body on the bottom. Same head was used.

-Steve

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## Cuso (Jan 27, 2008)

Hmmm interesting, how do you compare the E1 on 1 cell , to the E2 on 1 cell?? Is the E2 brighter?? or is brightness just about the same??


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## Beastmaster (Jan 27, 2008)

Cuso said:


> Hmmm interesting, how do you compare the E1 on 1 cell , to the E2 on 1 cell?? Is the E2 brighter?? or is brightness just about the same??



To me, the E2 on a 1x123 body (using rechargeables) gives me a tad bit more light than the E1 head.

The hot spot also is different on the E2. It's a bit wider.

Now - OpticsHQ isn't really recommending that people run the E2 head on a 1x123 body. But I've done it just as a comparison to see if I can do what people do with the final gen KL1 - run it on both a 1x and 2x123 body.

-Steve


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## carrot (Jan 27, 2008)

Anything designed to work with E-series lights will have the same threads as the L1 and L4. The L2 is threaded slightly differently and so is the A2.


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## FrogsInWinter (Jan 27, 2008)

Thanks for the great review and information Beastmaster! :bow::thanks:
Looks like I'll be buying at least one of these replacement heads.

I hope you have enough free time to do a runtime test with 123A primaries next. Thanks again!


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## Beastmaster (Jan 27, 2008)

No prob. I gotta go buy some more primaries first. I'm swimming in rechargeables though.

-Steve



FrogsInWinter said:


> Thanks for the great review and information Beastmaster! :bow::thanks:
> Looks like I'll be buying at least one of these replacement heads.
> 
> I hope you have enough free time to do a runtime test with 123A primaries next. Thanks again!


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## nanotech17 (Jan 27, 2008)

This NANJING driver is very famous now a days.


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## Beastmaster (Jan 27, 2008)

nanotech17 said:


> This NANJING driver is very famous now a days.



I've never seen it before until I got the heads.

-Steve


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## Beastmaster (Jan 27, 2008)

Okay, at a PM'ed request, here's some more comparative beamshots between the E1 head and the SureFire KX1 and KL1 final gen heads.

This first one - comparison flood shot between E1, KX1, and KL1 heads, in order from top to bottom


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## Beastmaster (Jan 27, 2008)

Next up - white wall shots between the E1 head and KX1, and then the E1 versus the KL1.

E1 (Left) vs. KX1 (Right)





E1 (Left) vs. KL1 (Right)


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## nanotech17 (Jan 28, 2008)

Beastmaster said:


> I've never seen it before until I got the heads.
> 
> -Steve




I have plenty


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## IsaacHayes (Jan 28, 2008)

I wonder if the machined back on them is because the back was bottoming out before the circuit made contact with the battery tube? And was an adjustment afterwards...


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## Beastmaster (Jan 29, 2008)

Well, it's going back to Mike for a swap. The pill shouldn't be moving like that. As soon as I get the replacement from him, the original E1 head is going back.

And - You'll all be glad to know that the sharpish parts of the head does some nasty things to concrete. In an attempt to try and make the sharp parts of the head less sharp, the threaded part of the head (body side) was scratched against concrete slabs at an angle to try and lessen the sharpness.

OpticsHQ head - 1, Concrete - 0. Yep, I ended up getting concrete powder brought up and an even nastier edge. That wasn't my intention.


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## Cuso (Jan 29, 2008)

Beastmaster said:


> Well, it's going back to Mike for a swap. The pill shouldn't be moving like that. As soon as I get the replacement from him, the original E1 head is going back.
> 
> And - You'll all be glad to know that the sharpish parts of the head does some nasty things to concrete. In an attempt to try and make the sharp parts of the head less sharp, the threaded part of the head (body side) was scratched against concrete slabs at an angle to try and lessen the sharpness.
> 
> OpticsHQ head - 1, Concrete - 0. Yep, I ended up getting concrete powder brought up and an even nastier edge. That wasn't my intention.


Hold on a minute.. are you telling us you intentionally tried to destroy those threads by rubbing them against concrete and the concrete gave ?????  Either those heads are made of some nasty combo of aluminum, or I would be worried about the integrity of whatever those slabs are going to be used on...


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## Beastmaster (Jan 29, 2008)

It ground away concrete bits. And the worst was a small chunk of the bezel divoted slightly.

The slabs are the sidewalk slabs in front of my son's swimming school. So either long term exposure to chlorine has something to do with it, or something else does.

I ground away at the slab, then I tried a concrete pot holder, then a concrete cigarette ashtray. 

I tried taking a pic of the divot. I may retry with better lighting and my Canon DSLR instead of the quickie shoot Canon.







Update - I also tried rubbing (hard) the edge of the threaded bezel into an unused key (for a locking gas cap that's no longer being used). It cuts into the key. And - it's still sharp.

Please note - this sharpness is only present when you use a third party body, like an Aleph or a Vital Gear. The SureFire bodies will cover the sharp areas and it's seamless. 




Cuso said:


> Hold on a minute.. are you telling us you intentionally tried to destroy those threads by rubbing them against concrete and the concrete gave ?????  Either those heads are made of some nasty combo of aluminum, or I would be worried about the integrity of whatever those slabs are going to be used on...


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## Cuso (Jan 29, 2008)

Have you tried using a file??


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## Beastmaster (Jan 29, 2008)

Not yet. That's next, after I finish torture testing these on a SureFire Scout and a VLTOR Scout Mount. The E2 head survived. I'm not done beating on the E1 head yet.

-Steve



Cuso said:


> Have you tried using a file??


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## bondr006 (Jan 30, 2008)

Well, I got my replacement Q5 E2D head from Mike today. I love this thing. The finish perfectly matches my E2D body, and the beam quality is just magnificent. It is brighter than the Q5 BOG in my 6PD, and throws better. This was well worth the money I spent for it, and the A+ service that Mike provided, just topped it off. If it wasn't so cold, I would go outside and get some beam shots. But, that will have to wait. I am extremely pleased with this new head. It will get a lot of use.


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## Gene43 (Jan 30, 2008)

Wow! That looks very nice!


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## dano (Jan 31, 2008)

I received one, and noticed that the innards were rattling. I used the spring and tightened it up, so it doesn't rattle, any longer )just don't twist the spring hard enough to distort it or break the solder joints).

-dan


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## dwestfall (Feb 27, 2008)

Well don't go swimming with these conversion heads -- they are not submersible! Ask me how I found that out.



Beastmaster said:


> I'm swimming in rechargeables though.
> 
> -Steve


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## Beastmaster (Feb 28, 2008)

Well, that's changed a bit.

Here's how I know. The original beta unit OpticsHQ 1x123 head was placed into a SureFire weapons mount (KL4 head swapped over to an OpticsHQ unit).

Well, let's just say that a few rounds with an M4gery then with a G21 and an VLTOR Scout mount shook the thing totally apart - to where the pill came apart and the positive wire came off the board.

Subsequent ones that I've tested haven't come apart. So I took one apart to see why.

The original head consisted of these parts:

- Bezel
- Glass
- Reflector 
- Pill
- Body

The body to bezel threads have an o-ring. That was all the weatherproofing it had. No loctite, nothing.

Ones I got after the first one toasted on me consist of:

- Bezel
- Rubbery substance between bezel and glass
- Glass
- Rubbery Substance on the threads on the reflector threads
- Reflector
- Rubbery substance on the body threads
- Pill
- Body

So - newer ones definitely have more weatherproofing. It took me wrapping the head in separate parts of algamating rubber tape and using robogrip pliers to disassemble it. The rubbery goop seems to act as both some sort of shockproofing and weatherproofing.

-Steve


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## Patriot (Mar 1, 2008)

Nice review Steve. It looks like a very nice product. I was surprised to see a slight donut hole from your 120P. Usually they're very bright in the center. It's interesting to see differences though.


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## Beastmaster (Mar 1, 2008)

Thanks. I've been doing some more testing using the "Styrofoam Cooler" method of lightbox testing.

I have two styro coolers, one of them actually ends up being perfect at 1 square foot in inside volume (which is the large cooler). I also recently got two light meters, one cheapie one, the other is a LM631 from MeterMan. I've taken it apart and put them back together again over and over to make sure that I got the same results.

Here's the results. I even calculated Foot-Candles to Lux and it came out within 3%. 

Small Cooler with cheapie LM/Large Cooler with LM631 (in lux)

Novatac 120P AW ICR123
2620/2690

E1e/LF HO Bulb AW ICR123
2260/2260 (this was the most stable and the most repeatable....same numbers every time all the time)

OpticsHQ E1 Head/1x AW ICR123
2560/2500

OpticsHQ E2 Head/1x AW ICR123
3910/3910 (this also was the most stable and the most repeatable as well....)

OpticsHQ E2 Head/2x AW ICR123
3930/3980

My own BMX80 LED Lamp Assembly
3730/3410

X80 Incan
2400/2190

SureFire E1B
1340/1380 (This was a shock...I might sell off my E1B now...)

KL4/1x123 AW ICR123 (Known as the TW4)
2160/2240

KL4/2x123 AW ICR123 Head #1 sn A21333
4950/5640 (great binned LuxV !!)

KL4/2x123 AW ICR123 Head #2 sn A10117 (newest one - black HA off of a Scout)
3980/4240 

KL5/2x123 AW ICR123
2940/2900

More stuff as I get it.
-Steve


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## KDOG3 (Mar 2, 2008)

Whoa, how did I miss this? I'd love to get a black E2e with the E2 head....


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## Bob K (Mar 11, 2008)

Sooo...what's the verdict? Are these things well built? They're bright, but are they built solidly?


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## Beastmaster (Mar 11, 2008)

The latest versions are worth it. With the new rubbery goop that's potting everything together, it's holding fine. I figure that after beating it up with an AKMS clone and a Glock, it'll last through EDC fine.

I'd also do the E2 head if you have rechargeables.

Here's why:

If you're using rechargeables (AW's or even the unprotected RCR123A's), my home made Igloo light box shows that the E2 head gives similar Lux readings between 1x123 and 2x123 bodies.

Here's the kicker - the E2 head on an 1x123 body beats out:

-A Novatac in the 1m throw contest in Lux and in the Igloo light box
-A BOG Q5 in the Igloo light box
-A 8NX/8AX/8X in the 1m throw contest and in the Igloo light box

I've been carrying an E2 head with a VG 1x123 body since this test began. It's such a useful light and beats out 3 popular lights or drop ins. 

It's a killer light. Anyone who has a E series Surefire body needs one of these. 

-Steve


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## Cuso (Mar 12, 2008)

I agree, the head is awesome. Mine is set on a FB2 body...







But my real plan is this:








Haven't found a suitable tailcap yet, has the ano on the PEU body is very
light. I think LEEF did a run of light ano tailcap pieces , but those are nowhere to be found. Its a killer head.


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## minitech17 (Mar 12, 2008)

nice set up on the FB2


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## 2xTap (Mar 14, 2008)

Cuso,

Looks like we were both thinking the same way, I finished this one up just a couple weeks ago...............







These Q5 Head Replacements are nice.

2xTap


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## Patriot (Mar 14, 2008)

Cuso, what color/finish Pineapple is that? It looks great.


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## Cuso (Mar 15, 2008)

Patriot36 said:


> Cuso, what color/finish Pineapple is that? It looks great.


Thanks.Its natural HA , a very light shade of it...


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## Patriot (Mar 17, 2008)

Cuso said:


> Thanks.Its natural HA , a very light shade of it...



Very nice! I can't wait to see what tail cap you end up with. It's so trick looking you could probably get away with a number of different ones.


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## Patriot (Mar 24, 2008)

So..Beastmaster, I'm about to order one of these heads for an extra E1B body and cap. I'm looking for maximum output as run-time isn't really a concern. From what I've gathered I should purchase the E2 head. The E2 head will give me about 3900 lux on an AW123 vs. the E1 head which would give about 2600 lux on an AW123....did I get that right?

Thanks


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## NotRegulated (Mar 24, 2008)

You are correct. The E2 is the head to get to use with two CR123's or one rechargeable 123.


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## Patriot (Mar 25, 2008)

NotRegulated said:


> You are correct. The E2 is the head to get to use with two CR123's or one rechargeable 123.



Ok....thank you! I'm going to order one.

Thanks NR and also Beastmaster for this thread. It's been a good one.

:wave:


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## LiteFan (Mar 30, 2008)

Thanks for the review Beastmaster


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## jylong_away (Apr 3, 2008)

Beastmaster said:


> Subsequent ones that I've tested haven't come apart. So I took one apart to see why.
> 
> The original head consisted of these parts:
> 
> ...




Beastmaster,

Thanks for the great review! It's one of the things that convinced me to get one of those Heads. Have been playing with it for a while and and floored by the brightness that comes out of that thing!

HAve a question about the 'improved' build of it. Can you see the 'rubbery goop' between the bezel and lens from the outside, or is it internal? I've examined my lens, and can't see anything from the outside. The lens is actually misaligned slightly, and there's a part where I can get my fingernail in between the glass and bezel. It's small, but worried about weatherproofing as it's just gotten into a rainy autumn down here.

Dave


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## andylondon (Apr 12, 2008)

I have the conversion head for my Surefire L4 Lumamax, and it is very good. I would have preferred if it came with a smooth reflector for maximum throw. Am i the only one who thinks like this?


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## OpticsHQ (Apr 14, 2008)

We have had a few requests, but not enough to actually do a production run. If someone wants to put it together (it would have to be on a pre-payment bases) and there is anough interest (50+), we would consider making a run.


andylondon said:


> I have the conversion head for my Surefire L4 Lumamax, and it is very good. I would have preferred if it came with a smooth reflector for maximum throw. Am i the only one who thinks like this?


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## thegeek (Apr 15, 2008)

I don't suppose anyone has any of the beam shots they could re-post? The pictures in the first few posts don't seem to be working. (If I am the only one with this problem please let me know.)


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## openbolt1 (Apr 15, 2008)

thegeek said:


> I don't suppose anyone has any of the beam shots they could re-post? The pictures in the first few posts don't seem to be working. (If I am the only one with this problem please let me know.)



Correct. I am not seeing any of the pic's either. I can see pic's on all other threads though...

openbolt


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## andylondon (May 24, 2008)

I was wondering if the E2 head will work on full brightness using a 18650 battery, or will it be not as bright? I was thinking about a Leef body for the E series with a C tailcap.


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## voodoogreg (May 26, 2008)

This solves my new light situation (as long as it reliable..) I have been wanting a D-mini or other similar light, but got plenty of SF E-series bodies/caps.

so it sounds like the E2 head for us joe's that carry 1XRCR123's right?(an answer would be nice )
I want throw with this setup and this looks pretty good! I also would be in for a smooth reflector run...... VG


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## Justin Case (May 27, 2008)

I think that the E2 Conversion Head is a great upgrade for the SureFire E-series lights and also makes an excellent TW4 variant. My main complaints with my Conversion Head are that 1) it arrived with numerous finish flaws/dings, 2) there are dust and debris particles inside of the head (though no apparent negative effect on the beam quality, which looks excellent), and 3) the head doesn't function at all with my old round body E2 (whereas swapping a KL4 head from an L4 works fine on the round body E2).


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## OpticsHQ (May 29, 2008)

andylondon said:


> I was wondering if the E2 head will work on full brightness using a 18650 battery, or will it be not as bright? I was thinking about a Leef body for the E series with a C tailcap.


The E2 head will not, but E1 will.


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## OpticsHQ (May 29, 2008)

voodoogreg said:


> This solves my new light situation (as long as it reliable..) I have been wanting a D-mini or other similar light, but got plenty of SF E-series bodies/caps.
> 
> so it sounds like the E2 head for us joe's that carry 1XRCR123's right?(an answer would be nice )
> I want throw with this setup and this looks pretty good! I also would be in for a smooth reflector run...... VG


The E2 will work at full output on 2xRCR123s, but not on 1. The E1 might be better for that


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## OpticsHQ (May 29, 2008)

Justin Case said:


> I think that the E2 Conversion Head is a great upgrade for the SureFire E-series lights and also makes an excellent TW4 variant. My main complaints with my Conversion Head are that 1) it arrived with numerous finish flaws/dings, 2) there are dust and debris particles inside of the head (though no apparent negative effect on the beam quality, which looks excellent), and 3) the head doesn't function at all with my old round body E2 (whereas swapping a KL4 head from an L4 works fine on the round body E2).


I am not sure on the reason why it does not work with old style body. We will have a new version of the black heads with HA3 coating that will take care of the blemishes. The new versions will also be considerably better sealed.


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## LiteFan (May 29, 2008)

Does that include the strike bezel version?


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## Justin Case (May 30, 2008)

OpticsHQ said:


> I am not sure on the reason why it does not work with old style body. We will have a new version of the black heads with HA3 coating that will take care of the blemishes. The new versions will also be considerably better sealed.



It isn't just finish blemishes. The head has numerous dings. See here for some images. Are the current heads sealed against accidental dunking in a sink or swimming pool? Can I open the head to try to blow out the particles inside (if so, how?)?


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## voodoogreg (May 30, 2008)

OpticsHQ said:


> The E2 will work at full output on 2xRCR123s, but not on 1. The E1 might be better for that


Thanks HQ, I think thats the way i will go. be contacting you soon! VG


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## OpticsHQ (May 30, 2008)

LiteFan said:


> Does that include the strike bezel version?


The new E1 heads are available with and without strike bezel in both hatural and black HA3 and are dual output. The new E2 heads should be available within 1-2 months.


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## OpticsHQ (May 30, 2008)

Justin Case said:


> It isn't just finish blemishes. The head has numerous dings. See here for some images. Are the current heads sealed against accidental dunking in a sink or swimming pool? Can I open the head to try to blow out the particles inside (if so, how?)?


They are weather-resistant, not submersible. The new versions should be submersible as well. I will check with the factory to see if/how it can be taken apart.


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## Justin Case (May 30, 2008)

OpticsHQ said:


> They are weather-resistant, not submersible. The new versions should be submersible as well. I will check with the factory to see if/how it can be taken apart.



Thank you for checking. Any idea what, if any, submersible specs the new head might meet, for example IPX8? What are the changes to the head that will enable safe submersion (conversely, where is the current head vulnerable -- presumably at the window/bezel interface and/or bezel/main body interface)?


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## OpticsHQ (May 30, 2008)

Justin Case said:


> Thank you for checking. Any idea what, if any, submersible specs the new head might meet, for example IPX8? What are the changes to the head that will enable safe submersion (conversely, where is the current head vulnerable -- presumably at the window/bezel interface and/or bezel/main body interface)?


No specs on new ones yet. The main changes are o-ring in the bezel, better seal of the LED/circuitry assembly.


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## Patriot (May 31, 2008)

I'm looking forward to the new, updated E2 heads. I suppose they'll be available in all configurations as the E1 head is?


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## OpticsHQ (May 31, 2008)

Patriot36 said:


> I'm looking forward to the new, updated E2 heads. I suppose they'll be available in all configurations as the E1 head is?


Yes on the configuration.


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## Patriot (Jun 1, 2008)

OpticsHQ said:


> Yes on the configuration.



Excellent! I'm waiting for a Natural with impact bezel.


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## Justin Case (Jun 2, 2008)

OpticsHQ said:


> They are weather-resistant, not submersible. The new versions should be submersible as well. I will check with the factory to see if/how it can be taken apart.



Any word on how to open the head to blow out the debris?


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## OpticsHQ (Jun 2, 2008)

Justin Case said:


> Any word on how to open the head to blow out the debris?


Sorry, nothing yet.


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## DHart (Jan 14, 2009)

Wow... this thread has me really wanting to upgrade my 6-year old E2 Executive. I have a couple of questions....

1) will the AW RCR123a protected batteries fit into my 6-year old E2 body?

2) where are you guys finding those incredible custom bodies for the E-series? (let me guess... you're making them yourselves?) oo:

3) What are some good sources for E-series components (tailcaps, bodies, heads, etc.)

4) I was looking at the LumensFactory EO-E2R lamp to upgrade my E2... but now looking at the TLS CREE Conversion head you're talking about - how do they compare?


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## Kelvino (Jan 15, 2009)

DHart said:


> 3) What are some good sources for E-series components (tailcaps, bodies, heads, etc.)


 The CPF Marketplace and the custom B/S/T sub-forum is always a good source.
Also have a look at the Sandwich Shoppe.


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## aldagoods (Dec 27, 2009)

I know this thread is stagnant, but wanted to throw in some more input on the OpticsHQ TLS Cree Q5 2-stage conversion head for the E2e. I purchased this head back in October to try and get my older incan E2e back into service. For reference, I have used a Novatac 120P for several years as my primary light, which I have really enjoyed. 

After two months with the TLS head on my old E2e, I am very impressed. Compared to the old incan, the runtime is fantastic. The 220 lumens is very bright outdoors, even compared to my 120P [I know the lumens are much less], and my girl's Nitecore Extreme R2 which is also rated at 220 on high. 

With regards to the color tone of the light, I am very happy with it. It is slightly more bluish than the 120P and the nitecore, but only slightly. 

I spent a few days in the high desert last month, and was able to compare the above lights. I unfortunately do not have beam shots, but, gained a lot of perspective from the outdoor use. 

The TLS head beam compared to the 120P has a more focused hot spot and a tighter spill. I carried both the 120P and the E2e on this trip -- when I wanted lower light work for camping, I tended towards the novatac; when I wanted more area light or to light up a distance, it was no question the TLS over the novatac. The 220/30 settings for the TLS are bright; for extended periods in low light, the 30 lumen is a great level for walking outdoors. On high setting, the TLS lit up campsights 100-200 yards away to the extent that I felt bad shining lights at the other persons in the area. There were a few hundred people camping over a half mile square, and I did not see any other lights with comparable throw to the TLS. Several people commented on the beam and were overwhelmed by how much output the light put out. Then again, there were none of you guys around.

The Nitecore in comparison has again a larger hot spot and a larger spill, comprimising the throw, although the nitecore still throws farther than the 120P. The flood on the nitecore was broader than the TLS; the TLS significantly out threw both of the other lights. [Another thread, I'll talk about the nitecore, which has also really impressed. The R2 emitter is awesome, and has been a great light for her.]

Earlier in this thread, members commented on quality control of the light -- blemishes, weatherproofing. The head I received was pretty much flawless; there were no blemishes in the aluminum as others mentioned; the soldering on the interior is nice and tight. The head fit perfectly on the E2 body. In addition, those days in the desert were full of wind and lots of fine grain sand being blown everywhere imaginable. I mean everywhere. There was no dust intrusion whatsoever into the TLS head; it seems if there were intrusion issues, they are completely resolved. I have not taken the light swimming however.

Tailcaps: I initially had the old twist/pressure tailcap from surefire on the E2e. This tailcap does work with the TLS 2 stage head, but took just a little more effort. If you turned the cap until the light came on, but you could still apply pressure to the cap, you could easily change stages. I did however change the cap out to a surefire z57 clicky cap which really makes going between the two stages easy, as well as momentary on/off. It was not a necessary upgrade, but I do really like it, and as it was my birthday when I purchased it, .... ya know the drill. 

That said, when I showed my dad the TLS, and he pulled his C3 with the P60L drop-in, he was suddenly disappointed with his light. Dont get me wrong, the P60 is great, much more of a flood, but couldnt hold a candle in comparison [no pun intended]. 

If anyone is thinkning of converting their old E2e to LED, the OpticsHQ TLS head is a great mod. It is not the cheapest LED conversion, but the overall quality, and the gap it fills with my other lights, being a longer runtime hi-output thrower is absolutely fantastic. And its all still on the small E2e body. Quick thanks to Kobe at OpticsHQ. Amazing customer service in helping make the decision to get the TLS. 

Happy Holidays.


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## NotRegulated (Dec 28, 2009)

This is a good thread to revive. I have the two of the OpticsHQ TLS Cree Q5 *1-stage* conversion heads on my E2e's. 
After comparisons of it with my Malkoff M60 in a VME head on the E2e I actually like the OpticsHQ TLS head better.
Anyone who wants to revive their old E2e should take a long look at this head.

And, Yes, Kobe at OpticsHQ will take care of you!


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## Joe Talmadge (Dec 28, 2009)

Why do you like the OHQ head better? 

Also, size-wise, are the OHQ and VME heads the same diameter/length?

Thanks!


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## Justin Case (Dec 28, 2009)

aldagoods said:


> Earlier in this thread, members commented on quality control of the light -- blemishes, weatherproofing. The head I received was pretty much flawless; there were no blemishes in the aluminum as others mentioned; the soldering on the interior is nice and tight. The head fit perfectly on the E2 body. In addition, those days in the desert were full of wind and lots of fine grain sand being blown everywhere imaginable. I mean everywhere. There was no dust intrusion whatsoever into the TLS head; it seems if there were intrusion issues, they are completely resolved. I have not taken the light swimming however.



Is the glass window sealed via an o-ring or gasket? The debris I've found in my TLS E2 upgrade head is quite fine -- finer than any sand I've seen unless the sand is on the scale of baby powder. If you were in Iraq for your desert test, where the sand and dust is like baby powder, that would be a good test. I pocket carried my TLS head for many months continuous (to avoid any confusion, this was not in Iraq) and it suffered from severe dust intrusion. In contrast, my SF KL4 head, which has a rubber gasket sealing the glass window, was completely free of debris. I've inserted an o-ring into my TLS head to address this debris infiltration problem and it seems to be working so far.


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## aldagoods (Dec 29, 2009)

Hey Justin - 
I looked at my light, it seems like above the lens, between the top side of the lens and the ring it sets in against is a layer of black material. It doesnt look like a standard o-ring [i.e. the ones inside the light] and I am unsure of the material. I am hesitant to try and take the upper part of the bezel off as I thought I read they were sealed with lock-tite or something similar. But the black material is flush with the aluminum, between the aluminum and lens, on top of the lens. Is this a gasket??

As far as the desert...it was high desert outside of LA, Lucerne Valley, at a place called Soggy Dry Lake. It wasn't conventional sand by any means that you would find at dunes or at the coast; it is a dried up lake bed area, and the sand was pretty fine. My clothes and equipment were covered in what looked like white powder. Honestly, it was more like dirt. I havent been to Iraq, but as far as traditional sand you would associate with the desert, it was more dirt/fine grain -- if that helps at all.


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## Bob K (Jan 4, 2010)

Can anyone provide some advice on how to tighten the LED module inside a March 2008 era TLS upgrade for the E2?

After flawless performance for many months, the LED module appears to have unscrewed and the LED will not light up. I think it just needs to be tightened to re-establish continuity. However, I'm afraid of breaking the spring or damaging the circuit board it's attached to if I try to turn it much more.


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## Justin Case (Jan 5, 2010)

Does your TLS head look like the one here? If so, then get something grippy, like strap wrenches or some strips of rubber. Grip the main body of the head and the top bezel and unscrew the bezel from the body. The reflector and pill should be attached to the bezel (the reflector screws into the bezel and presses against the glass window, and the pill screws into the reflector). Use your strips of rubber or whatever again to tighten the pill in the reflector. Reassemble.


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## aldagoods (May 10, 2010)

Quick update - 

I have used the TLS head on the E2e on a few more camping trips recently. As before, I have been carrying both my novatac 120P and the E2e with the upgraded head at nighttime on these trips, and, they are really complimentary. For a lot of around camp use, I use the lows on the 120p, but for the nighttime hikes, the TLS is amazing. It really will light a path, and the high level, albeit almost overkill in total dark, really allows you to see very far ahead and scope the surroundings. The low level at 30 lumens is also a great pathfinder. 

This past weekend, we were camping at Leo Carrillo, and took beach hikes after midnight - there were several drunk people camping nearby and scattered on the beach. [not saying I wasnt walking with a mug of scotch also, but just wanted to keep an eye out for the hammered 19 year olds]. 

While on the beach Friday night, I spotted the point at Leo with the TLS, about 200 yards off - lit up the entire point, could identify the color of clothes kids were wearing on the point, and illuminated a building that I didnt know was there. Occasionally someone in the distance would use their light to scan the area, and loved returing the favor with the TLS. By far the brightest light out there [no CPF people around without a doubt]. I actually felt bad for lighting them up so much. 

The light is an absolute thrower. Had a Nitecore Extreme R2 with me also, same lumens but a wider flood, and noticably not the same throw. For comfort and sanity, it was great to have the light to be able to scan the surrounding hundreds of yards on the beach to make sure things were safe. 

Justincase - follow up on the dust particles you mentioned in the head: I still havent seen any noticable dust particles collecting in the reflector. The last few trips have been mostly sand and dirt [not the fine grained sand you mentioned before] and the light has done a good job of keeping that crap out. All said, still impressed.


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