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Old February 16, 1999, 02:09 PM   #1
ThomasH
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 16, 1998
Location: Cincinnati, OH USA
Posts: 216
Hi Folks,

I just accepted delivery on a pile of Sure-Fire flashlights, extra lamp modules, shock isloated bezels etc.

The 3 volt and 6 volt flashlights and lamp assemblies (I test them when I get them) were all "normal", they have a nice small circular "hot spot" that the Sure-Fire flashlights are so famous for.

But I had a problem with the 9 volt lamp assemblies, in the flashlight or the lamp assembly by itself. There is no circular hot spot. Instead the brightest part of the beam is spread into a large oval, or a banana shape! Not good! It gets much worse at any appreciable distance too, as the dispersed beam just gets weaker and weaker. It seems to be just a matter of the bulbs not being in the proper "focal point" for the reflector (especially the banana shaped beam).

So, I called Laser Products, and was connected to a Customer Service person, who kindly explained that was I was observing was true!!

That "for some" reason all the 9 volt lamp assemblies no longer focus to circular hot spot, but have larger, more dispersed, oval beam shapes. And that the same thing would soon be apparent with all their lamp (3 and 6
volt) assemblies, as they sell out of their old ones, and start selling the newer assemblies!!!

The nice Customer Service person said that this started a while ago, and they have received several complaining phone calls, but did not know why the company had "switched" to these new style lamp assmeblies.

If this wasn't the Nineties, I say "unbelievable"!!

Anyhow, I'm returning the whole order (not true, I'm keeping a nice circular hot spot lamp assembly for my 6Z). And I won't be buying any more Sure-Fire products. I am very (_very_) disappointed.

And for what it's worth, the Customer Service person did seem to imply that if the buying public made enough noise about the issue, maybe the company would address the problem! That's one of the reasons I wrote this, as well as to warn potential buyers. Even if the one you buy has a nice hot spot, what are you going to do when you need a new lamp!?!?!

Saddened,

Thomas
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