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Posted: 2/19/2010 2:59:35 PM EDT
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I have a Surefire Scout (kx2c) and it started flickering. A little at first and then it just got worse. The batteries were low, so I changed them and it seems to be working fine at the moment.
I got it new last year and have not used it much since. That was actually the first set of batteries I had used in it. SF brand. Is it normal for a SF to do that when the batteries are low, or is my scout defective? I also have a SF Kroma and it has never done that. Thanks in advance. |
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Flicking that stops when the batteries are replaced is a good sign the batteries need replacing.
Sometimes Chinese batteries will flicker in some lights straight away, so use American batteries such as SureFire SF123As to get the best from your lights. Taking voltage of batteries like that isn't a precise measure of how much life they have left in them. If they are under 3.0V then they are likely used. There are battery-testing devices that try to mimic the load the batteries are under in the device and determine their capacity based on this. I'm not convinced such a tester is worth it though. Rather than get one I just got some more batteries! |
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Batteries drain when you leave them in your light. You don't have to use the light for the batteries to get low. If your light will sit around for long periods of time, take the batteries out and it will give you the 10 year shelf life. If you leave them in, they will slowly die.
Only use SUREFIRE batteries in your Surefire lights, otherwise it voids your warranty. You can read about it on their warranty page. Surefire batteries are affordable if you buy online in 12 packs. So there is no reason not to use them. |
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Quoted:
Taking voltage of batteries like that isn't a precise measure of how much life they have left in them. It may not give you the exact capacity in ampere hours, but with a little practice it will surely give you a good idea as to what is left. Get yourself a good digital voltmeter and you will see what I mean. For instance I use the same brand of batteries in the same light everyday and have been able to establish a trend. A new battery is over 3.2 volts. If it is going to be a busy day at work I will replace at anything less than 3.0 volts. Less than 2.9 volts be ready for the led to flicker or just not work and have never seen the light work with less than 2.8 volts. 
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Quoted:
Batteries drain when you leave them in your light. You don't have to use the light for the batteries to get low. If your light will sit around for long periods of time, take the batteries out and it will give you the 10 year shelf life. If you leave them in, they will slowly die. That's not true - no SureFire models drain the batteries when the light is off. When SureFires are locked out there the switch is effectively removed from the circuit. But even when it isn't - there is no circuit connection when the switch is 'off'. There are several other manufacturers that do have models that use a parasitic drain on the batteries to maintain electronic memory for modes and switching etc. If you use CR123A batteries, even if only briefly, then they will 'self-discharge' at a faster rate compared to ones that have never been used. Keeping batteries outside the light has several benefits but not prolonging lifespan. I've got several SureFires with batteries in them for five or more years However, for high-drain models, especially multi-cell models I prefer to only use fresh SF123As and do store these empty if I'm not going to use them in the next six months or so. |
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Size 15s: Is my M961 a "high drain" model since it uses 3 batteries (3 cells = multiple cells?) Thanks! Yes, and especially when you use the MN11 High Output Lamp Assembly. The point is that partially used batteries can self-discharge at different rates. This can lead to mismatched cells which in high-drain applications can sometimes (although very rarely) increase the risk of something going wrong with the weakest cell. It's best to use fresh new batteries in multi-cell models, keeping them empty for long-term storage, rather than leaving partially used batteries in the light. If you start using CR123A batteries its better use finish using them up and replace with a whole set of fresh CR123As before returning the light to storage. Al |
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