FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public

The lens is melted, the Carclo optic is also melted.

Thanks. I’ll send Neal an email

I think you’re confusing the two parts. The melted plastic piece is the Carclo optic and the glass with singe marks is the lens.

Respectfully Bob, Thank You. I just took a closer look and it too is melted, Thank You. I’ll edit my post.

If you want US vendors:

https://www.ledsupply.com/triple-carclo-led-optics/ for Carclo optics
and
Watch Crystals | Glass Crystals | Watch Glass Replacement for generic uncoated lenses

My God, are you saying the glass melted?! Does this firmware not have a default value for the overheat protection?

Thank You.

I already own many lights that use the Carclo optics :).

Are you in New York? I have a spare carclo, but my sapphire lenses from Neal are somewhere between here and China. They appear to be in the US but are doing the shipping partner shuffle.

MTN sells the Carclo in the US, but I don’t see a link for the front lens.

Default thermal stepdown is 55°C or 60°C (I can’t remember which).
It can’t measure how hot the optic and glass lens gets, it just measures the flashlight body (temp sensor built into the MCU of the driver). Normally the optic and lens don’t get very hot. The plastic that Carclo uses is good for about 120°C. If you leave the light face down on a dark table (it may not have to be that dark) you get a lot of heat absorption into the table. This heat is then trapped. You create a little oven with the optic and lens inside. As the air is sealed off, the temps get higher and higher and they get damaged.

I don't think it's glass. I read an FW3A update about switching to an all in one different vendor's optics that didn't use a glass window.
Perhaps this lens is one of those :shrug: I'm waiting for a response to my email to Neal.

Edit: I just checked the Light Blond wood it was set down on, Triangular blackened burn marks etched into the wood. Yikes. I think I'll mill

some crenulations into the bezel so I can see if it's on.

No, the new lens is one piece. If you have two pieces it is the old lens

Its prob residue from the optic plastic or AR coating on glass

Ah, so it’s probably not really glass.

OK

The melted plastic adhered to the Glass lenses anti-reflective coating. I was able to razor blade most of it off. Micro abrasioned.

I did this to my light, showing off its burning capabilities… In my case the singe on the lens scared me at first… But it cleaned right off - it wasn’t the lens material, rather a deposit from whatever I was vaporizing over and over……

Here’s what it looked like this morning, there was no residue on the exterior, just the inside next to the optic

pic link

They got back to me an hour ago. I should be OK now.

I’ve found if you let the light get too hot, the grease in the bezel threads can flow between the optic and lens and start smoking.

Any carclo UK suppliers we know of please ?

Fancy trying a few different optics in my Fw3a.

https://www.futureelectronics.com/

Thank you.

Well I broke down and had to order my second FW3A, Blue with the SST-20. How can I pass up High CRI.