# How to Clean Inside of E1e Lens/Reflector?



## JohnnyLunar (Jun 15, 2011)

I finally received my backordered Surefire E1e. When I turned it on and shined it on a wall, I immediately noticed quite a few artifacts in the beam. Upon closer inspection, it looked like the inside of the lens and the reflector were slightly dusty/dirty. 

When taking the head off the body and dropping out the bulb, you are only left with a little hole in the back of the reflector/head assembly. How do you clean inside of there? I'm sure someone has boiled the head in hot water and removed the bezel, but I don't want to risk ruining this light. I tried a bending a Q-tip and swabbing it around on the inside of the lens, but it didn't do much. Then I tried wadding up a lens cloth and twirling it around in there, but I think it may have picked up some grease from the threads, and now it's even worse!

Anyone have any tips for cleaning up inside the E1/E2 head? Is there a safe, effective method for removing the bezel without risking damage?


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## JohnnyLunar (Jun 15, 2011)

Well, I tried again with Q-tips and lens cleaning solution. Now the lens is clean, but the surface of the reflector looks kind of cloudy. I tried bending the Q-tips so they would reach down to the reflector surface, and tried using both lens cleaner and windex. It just won't get back to perfectly shiny. I'm not sure what kind of coating, if any, there is on the reflector, but is there something I should try that will shine it up?


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## ebow86 (Jun 16, 2011)

Hello JohnnyLunar. I''m afraid I have some unfournate news for you. You have most likely done irreverse damage to the reflector. The reflector is the most delicate part of a flashlight and should never be touched by anyone or nearly anything. Whenever you see dust, fingerprints or anything else on a reflector you're best bet is just just leave it alone. 99.9% of the time any efforts to clean it will result in the reflector being worse that it already was. As I said, you're better off leaving it alone. Have dust particles and such inside the lens and reflector is a common thing, even with higher end lights like surefire. Let this be a valuable lesson to you. You're best bet is to contact surefire and explain the situation.


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## JohnnyLunar (Jun 16, 2011)

> Let this be a valuable lesson to you.



Yep, did a lot of reading on cleaning reflectors AFTER I attempted to clean this one. Discovered the dangers of trying to touch the reflector with any type of material. I learned my lesson. No more touching reflectors for me. Do you really think Surefire would replace my slightly cloudy reflector with a new one if I explained to them what happened?


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## ebow86 (Jun 16, 2011)

JohnnyLunar said:


> Yep, did a lot of reading on cleaning reflectors AFTER I attempted to clean this one. Discovered the dangers of trying to touch the reflector with any type of material. I learned my lesson. No more touching reflectors for me. Do you really think Surefire would replace my slightly cloudy reflector with a new one if I explained to them what happened?



Hard to say for sure. Depends on who you talk to. They will have to replace the entire bezel though, not just a reflector if they go the route of just sending you the part instead of sending the light in for repair. You will just have to call and find out, using their 800# is much more effective than sending an email. Let us know what they say.


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## HotWire (Jul 15, 2011)

Cleaning a reflector is not something I would usually do. I've ruined a couple by twisting Kleenex and forcing it in the little hole. If you can't get it with a can of air it's usually best to leave it alone. My one success was with a Surefire M3 that I bought on ebay. It looked like it had been dunked in the lake. Full of silt. I took it off, ran warm water through the head, poured distilled water in and swished it around, then blew it with canned air. Then I left it out in the sun for a couple of days. It's not perfect, but it's much better. If Surefire will replace it--go for it!


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## ampdude (Jul 16, 2011)

Boil a glass of water in the microwave. Put on a pair of leather work gloves and hold the bezel end of the head in the hot water for a short time, less than ten seconds should be plenty. Do not drop the bezel all the way in or the reflector will have water stains. I recommend eye protection just in case the water flash boils when you put the bezel in. Remove the bezel and twist it apart. (will be much easier with the gloves, plus it protects your hands). Now you can remove the glass and clean it with lens cleaner. Once the lens is clean, put it and the rubber gasket back into place. Apply a small amount of blue loctite to the thread and screw it back together tightly. I recommend the blue loctite so that you can take it apart again sometime if you need to. May take a couple of days or more for it to cure, I don't recommend using the head before it has sat for at least a couple days in a dry place. If the loctite is still wet and the light is used it may create vapor which will fog your lens back up. You also can just put it back together without loctite at all, it should stay in place.

Only thing I've found that can sometimes remove smudges and spots from reflectors is dry kleenex wiping from inside to out, like you're cleaning a CD/DVD. But this only works on the metal reflectors sometimes and doesn't seem to work well on the coated smooth plastic ones. (like maglite).


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## jh333233 (Jul 17, 2011)

How about soaking the whole bezel in alcohol?
They dont leave stains but they dissolve lipids(all kind of fats, like sebum)
I dont think seperating the bezel ring and bezel is a good idea since you allow dust to get in which might get think worse
Btw...how come theres fingerprint ON the reflector...?
i dont think you can put ur finger inside through that little hole.
Otherwise it should be Sf's fault


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## ampdude (Jul 17, 2011)

Fingerprint on the reflector would be from the assembler, or someone else who handled the part at the factory.

Why would dust on the reflector be a problem when it's seperated? Just use a can of duster on the reflector before you put it back together.

I would do that regardless when taking it apart as dust gets in there anyways.


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## jh333233 (Jul 17, 2011)

ampdude said:


> Fingerprint on the reflector would be from the assembler, or someone else who handled the part at the factory.
> 
> Why would dust on the reflector be a problem when it's seperated? Just use a can of duster on the reflector before you put it back together.
> 
> I would do that regardless when taking it apart as dust gets in there anyways.



I thought they were assembled by a guy with gloves


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## ampdude (Jul 17, 2011)

jh333233 said:


> I thought they were assembled by a guy with gloves


 
They were, but Mr. Jackson passed in 09'. Now they got some schmuck who leaves his prints on everything.


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## RedLED (Jul 27, 2011)

Read my detailed instructions on this here:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?315951-Flashlight-Lens-Care

_*FLASHLIGHT LENS CARE*_ - _By_ _Redled_ 

From Ned Redway, Redway Photo Office -- PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA

Also I posted this today, but the other link has more info.

_*Posted Today by PSM:*_

_Re: Disappointment with Malkoff quality of M61s _
_




Originally Posted by *PoliceScannerMan* __

_
_I have received a M61 from Malkoff headquarters with a smudge on the flat part of the orange peel, not part of the conical reflector. Is it annoying? A lil, but these smudges will happen as soon as you install a lens kit in a MD2 head. I have put prints on plenty of reflectors, while they are a eye sore, I haven't noticed any affect on the beams._

_Gene and Cathy are great folks who stand by their products, if you aren't satisfied, just send it back. _

_FWIW, my LunaSol from straight from McGizmo came with Dons DNA on the flats of that reflector too.  _


_*My Reply to PSM:*_

_PSM and Gene,_

_Try a product called ROR. We use this for photographic lenses, and a safe lint free tisue, light, I mean light presser, and that should clean your lens. Just be careful. You can even use ROR on the camera sensor cleaners to clean your flashlight reflectors. B&H has ROR, or any real professional _
_camera store._

_*NOTICE: This is for cleaning a smudge on a reflector or lens on flashlights, I will not get into any camera CCD cleaning operations here. I can teach it, but this is not the place, and it can be tricky. _​_Good luck, hope this helps._

_All the best,_

_Ned Redway_


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## jh333233 (Aug 4, 2011)

Is compressed air good for removing dust
like those anti-static-charge spray before you apply a screen protector to the screen


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## ampdude (Aug 8, 2011)

jh333233 said:


> Is compressed air good for removing dust
> like those anti-static-charge spray before you apply a screen protector to the screen


 
I used compressed air on bare lenses, but make sure you tilt the can back a little bit when you use it so it is just air coming out.

I've used it on the inside of e-series incan heads as well, but make sure you carefully insert the tube into the head as not touching the lense or the sides so you don't blow gunk or oil in there from the head and don't use it at full blast either. I just use it if there is some small annoying lint or fibers in there.


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## tobrien (Jul 6, 2012)

so what size lens would fit the e1e? my e1e (that I got for darn near $0) has a cracked lens and I need to replace that. i eventually want this modded


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## bstrickler (Jul 6, 2012)

tobrien said:


> so what size lens would fit the e1e? my e1e (that I got for darn near $0) has a cracked lens and I need to replace that. i eventually want this modded



I'd just call Surefire, and see if they'll replace it.


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