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Today I received Solarforce L2R (for 2AA). I choosed gun metal and 3 mode 0,8-4,2V dropin. Very nice light for the price and GREAT knurling!
I had posted a picture if I hadn't problem with loading up pictures from the camera.
Just a question: did I get it right that all Solarforce, Surefire and Malkoff products are compatible? Would you recommend a Malkoff dropin? The present chosed dropin provides a good and even beam but very bluish. Also the low and mid mode have very noticable PWM. Anyway I don't complain over such a low priced light, I think it's great value for the money.

Regards, Patric
 
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Swedpat said:
Today I received Solarforce L2R (for 2AA). I choosed gun metal and 3 mode 0,8-4,2V dropin. Very nice light for the price and GREAT knurling!
I had posted a picture if I hadn't problem with loading up pictures from the camera.
Just a question: did I get it right that all Solarforce, Surefire and Malkoff products are compatible? Would you recommend a Malkoff dropin? The present chosed dropin provides a good and even beam but very bluish. Also the low and mid mode have very noticable PWM. Anyway I don't complain over such a low priced light, I think it's great value for the money.

Regards, Patric
Click to expand...
I noticed the PWM on my 0.8-24.2v 3-mode drop-in as well that I just got.

I don't think that all are interchangeable with each other, but a good amount can swap parts.
 
Solarforce L2R vs. FiveMega; L2R with a C-type tailcap?

Swedpat said:
Today I received Solarforce L2R (for 2AA). I choosed gun metal and 3 mode 0,8-4,2V dropin. Very nice light for the price and GREAT knurling!
Click to expand...
I, too, just received my L2R today! I must say, it looks as well-made as my FiveMega 2xAA body! It's much cheaper: $10 with head and tailcap at lighthound.com, vs. $53 with tailcap, no head for the FiveMega...when you could get it! The FiveMega is out of stock and is no longer made.

For now, I am running my L2R with a Dereelight XP-G R5 2.8-4.2V drop-in, powered by two nickel-zinc (NiZn) AA cells totaling 3.2 to 3.4V under load. I might switch to one of my two Malkoff M30WF drop-ins.

You can use any Surefire C-type heads, but not a Surefire C-type tailcap. The tailcap that comes with your L2R is the only tailcap that will fit. Consider yourself lucky: On the FiveMega 2xAA, the tailcap is permanently attached.

There are L2R features that I would like to change. At the front, I want to replace the crenelated bezel with a flat bezel. I don't want some TSA guard confiscating my light as a weapon.

At the rear, I would prefer a forward-clickie, like the one found in the Dereelight 2AA and the Lite-something 1AA/2AA. I own all of these, and unfortunately, neither of these forward-clickied will work or fit precisely on the Solarforce. What I REALLY want is the freedom to use Solarforce's larger, more robust C-type tailcaps, like the S-3 and S-4, both of which I already own. Can anyone tell me what size of step-up bushing I can fit to the L2r's tailthreads so that a larger Solarforce tailcap will fit and work?
 
Thanks Paul for the info!

Actually I ordered a flat bezel also with the package, because I thought about having the light in a pocket. The crenelated bezel is quite aggressive and I think it could damage the pocket after a while.
Though I prefer forward momentary on-off clicky the included reverse click works good. It's tailstandable which is positive.

As usual I did some runtime tests. The output on high was a bit lower than I thought it should be; very similar to the output of Fenix E20, which means around 100 lumens. The mid I found to be somewhere around 40 and low around 7 lumens. Well chosed differences in my opinion.
Sanyo Eneloop is clearly superior to the budget alkalines I used. While Eneloop provided absolutely flat output at high during 90 minutes followed by a very fast drop,the alkalines dropped very slightly until the real drop somewhere between 40 and 50 minutes where the output had dropped to +50%. But the alkalines were absolutely fresh and Eneloops a bit used in another light, so the difference is higher.
I don't know how much better result I would get with more expensive alkalines like Duracell Ultra or so, anyone who knows?

Regards, Patric
 
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Black Rose said:
Lighthound now lists the L2-B3, but are currently out of stock :(
Click to expand...
It's a step in the right direction. Cup half full ;)

I've gotten to use the SF 3-mode drop-in in my new SF host lately. I think it looks a bit blue and the modes aren't where I'd like them to be, but it looks like great modes for a camping flashlight. I also can't unscrew the switch out of the tailcap to replace the bootie with a GITD one. I tried needle nose pliers, snap ring pliers and also some tweezers that came with my Lumapower light. Nothing will unscrew the sucker.

I ordered another L2 body in grey this time though, but I haven't figured out a drop-in yet. I also ordered an Ultrafire 504B from DX along with some more 18650 cells. Hopefully this time they won't be leaking like the last set.
 
Superorb said:
I also can't unscrew the switch out of the tailcap to replace the bootie with a GITD one. I tried needle nose pliers, snap ring pliers and also some tweezers that came with my Lumapower light. Nothing will unscrew the sucker.
Click to expand...
Is it an L2 or an L2P?

The switch in my L2P was quite difficult to get out.
I really had to apply some pressure with snap ring pliers to get it out.
 
Superorb said:
I ordered another L2 body in grey this time though, but I haven't figured out a drop-in yet. I also ordered an Ultrafire 504B from DX along with some more 18650 cells. Hopefully this time they won't be leaking like the last set.
Click to expand...

Save yourself the aggravation, and just get some AW 18650 cells. I know first hand how p*ss poor unreliable those Ultrafire cells can be.
 
Black Rose said:
Is it an L2 or an L2P?

The switch in my L2P was quite difficult to get out.
I really had to apply some pressure with snap ring pliers to get it out.
Click to expand...
Regular L2. Is it possible to drill it a little deeper, or will I drill through components behind the current dimples?

Monocrom said:
Save yourself the aggravation, and just get some AW 18650 cells. I know first hand how p*ss poor unreliable those Ultrafire cells can be.
Click to expand...

Of course I'd like some AW cells, but at $28.50 shipped for a pair vs. $9 shipped for a pair of the Trustfires I can't afford the better cells.
 
Superorb said:
Regular L2. Is it possible to drill it a little deeper, or will I drill through components behind the current dimples?
Click to expand...
Do not drill it....there is a full width circuit board under that ring.

Superorb said:
I just checked Lighthound and it lists that bezel as COPY. It's not made by Solarforce?
Click to expand...
It is made by Solarforce.

I guess that was a typo...it's been changed now.
 
Can someone tell me whether or not the single -cell extension (L2-ECR) is wide enough for 18mm cells?
 
Swedpat said:
Thanks Paul for the info!

Actually I ordered a flat bezel also with the package, because I thought about having ..........positive.

As usual I did some runtime tests. The output on high was a bit lower than I thought it should be; very similar to the output of Fenix E20, which means around 100 lumens. The mid I found to be somewhere around 40 and low around 7 lumens. Well chosed differences in my opinion.
Sanyo Eneloop is clearly superior to the budget alkalines I used. While Eneloop provided absolutely flat output at high during 90 minutes followed by a very fast drop,the alkalines dropped very slightly until the real drop somewhere between 40 and 50 minutes where the output had dropped to +50%. But the alkalines were absolutely fresh and Eneloops a bit used in another light, so the difference is higher.
I don't know how much better result I would get with more expensive alkalines like Duracell Ultra or so, anyone who knows?

Regards, Patric
Click to expand...

I have the same Solarforce L2R (same drop-in as you and I also use the Eneloops.) I'm not convinced that the brightness that I see is what it should be either.

Since I'm very new here, I'm still trying to understand the boost/buck circuits and how LEDs are driven. Spent hours doing searches and reading threads till my bifocalled eyes wanna drop outta my head.

I'm hoping someone is able to explain what is needed to get the full 200? lumens out of this drop-in. I thought the Eneloops were capable if doing so.

I just purchased the L2M 2009 body and I'm trying to decide what battery combination and Drop-in to use. I have run it on a CR123A with the drop-in out of the L2r and it seems a tad brighter. Will a 18650 setup get the full brightness?

Any answers from anybody would be helpful..

Thanks
 
Superorb said:
Any tips for unscrewing this bugger?
Click to expand...

I just made sure my spring clip pliers (straight, not angled) was really well seated in the holes in the ring and slowly twisted the pliers and the ring released on my L2P.
The rings in my regular L2 tailcaps came out really easy.
 
I was testing runtime yesterday, and on 1x18650 I got 2:05 runtime on high. It didn't drop to low mode, it just turned off. I was able to turn it on to med, but it died again and wouldn't turn back on after about a minute. I had hoped that there would be some warning that it was about to die, but nope. Appeared to be very flat regulation until it cut though. This is the .8-4.2v 3-mode drop-in form Solarforce. The battery's protection engaged because it registered 0v when I pulled the cell from the host. This thing gets HOT during use, where can I find copper tape?

Black Rose said:
I just made sure my spring clip pliers (straight, not angled) was really well seated in the holes in the ring and slowly twisted the pliers and the ring released on my L2P.
The rings in my regular L2 tailcaps came out really easy.
Click to expand...
I don't have a vice to hold it in, but I'll give it a go again today.
 
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Superorb said:
I was testing runtime yesterday, and on 1x18650 I got 2:05 runtime on high. It didn't drop to low mode, it just turned off.
Click to expand...
Looks like there is no low voltage protection in the drop-ins circuitry to drop to a lower mode when the voltage drops to a certain level.

The protection circuit of the battery kicked in instead....instant darkness :)

The 3-mode drivers from Shiningbeam have low voltage protection, which switches to low mode when the voltage gets low.

I don't have a vice to hold it in, but I'll give it a go again today.
Click to expand...
I just held mine in my hand. I may have wrapped the tailcap in something to give it more grip.

I wonder if Solarforce are now putting something like Loctite in the threads.
 
Black Rose said:
Looks like there is no low voltage protection in the drop-ins circuitry to drop to a lower mode when the voltage drops to a certain level.

The protection circuit of the battery kicked in instead....instant darkness :)

The 3-mode drivers from Shiningbeam have low voltage protection, which switches to low mode when the voltage gets low.
Click to expand...
I sent Bryan a PM asking when he'd have those drivers back in stock a few days ago, but I haven't herd from him yet. It's looking like that'll be my best bet. Now I need to find something with a neutral white tint instead of the cool white on the Solarforce drop-in. I just haven't been able to find an existing drop-in with 3-modes and a low mode under 5lm that works best with a single 18650 cell.
 
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