Sale on Solarforce P60 host AA & AAA Bodies & Tubes

Noticed ITC-Shop on Ebay is having a sale of Solarforce bodies & tubes.

Complete bodies (head, tube, and tailcap/switch) are going for $10.56 with free shipping; supposedly the sale lasts 3 more days. I do think these are lower than regular prices. My apologies if not. This is about $4 more than just the battery tube alone.

Only black available on all sale items :(

Solarforce L2i BLACK AAA battery flashlight body

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270490322672

Solarforce L2r BLACK AA Battery flashlight Body

http://cgi.ebay.com/Solarforce-L2r-BLACK-AA-Battery-flashlight-Body-/280428612537?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item414ad90bb9

These are among the very few AAA and AA P60-compatible hosts out there, and the most respectable. It seems to me the tubes all fit into the same head. Looks like the L2 switch works on the L2r (AA version) (not confirmed), and of course the AAA version comes with its own switch due to its width (I'd like to know if that switch works on other 3 x AAA lights).

If you just want the tubes, they're currently only $6.29 with free shipping. You can play like Legos. The AAA version comes with the adapter/battery holder.

Solarforce AAA x 3 Battery tube for Surefire 6P 9P

http://cgi.ebay.com/Solarforce-AAA-x-3-Battery-tube-Surefire-6P-9P-/270636034668?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item3f032a2a6c

Solarforce AA x 2 Battery tube for Surefire 6P 9P

http://cgi.ebay.com/Solarforce-AA-x-2-Battery-tube-Surefire-6P-9P-/270636034677?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item3f032a2a75

The normal 18650 L2 hosts don't seem to be on sale; ITC is selling them for $12.63 with free shipping, which is still a great deal for such a nicely made host. Lighthound however sells them from Texas (much faster shipping and probably better support) for not much more, around $13 with low shipping fees and a large of selection of other things. I guess what's different currently about ITC's L2's is they're selling non-black versions at the same low price; a few weeks back, Lighthound actually had the best deal on non-black finishes.

My interest in these was partly due to (or "justified by") 'preparedness'--the concept of having a decent flashlight which could use 'standard' alkaline cells. That, as well as they'd make great hosts for a gift, if you have a drop-in which is fine, but obsolete in your collection due to upgrades, yet would be a step up for a non-flashaholic friend. In the end, I justified paying the extra $4 per flashlight to get the complete body.

Solarforce-shop sells a 'kit' which includes one head, and 3 bodies (18650, AA, and AAA) for $20 plus shipping. Especially if you already have an L2 or L2m, the above links are better deals, which makes me think it is really a sale.

To newbies playing catch-up: obviously don't expect the 2 x AA version to light up every drop-in on two alkaline batteries or NiMH rechargeables. You can get 'low voltage' Solarforce-branded drop-ins from Lighthound and Solarforce, and I'm not sure how other common drop-ins fare with 3.0 volts. The (now mostly unavailable) NiZn from Powergenix would be a good choice, or have a multi-voltage drop-in and use two 14500's in either the very safe LiFePO4 chemistry (peak charge 3.6 to 3.8 volts per cell, depending on how abusively you charge them) or two LiCo (standard lithium ion) 14500's. I saw LiFePO4 14500's cheap at Kaidomain.com. LiCo 14500's are widely available but charge to 4.2 volts so 8.4 volts with two. Be warned the bezels on these are sharp and annoying. You can buy smooth bezels, or just screw the sharp bezel off and use the light without a glass lens; you'll just obviously inevitably get some dirt and dust in the reflector at some point (a bigger deal for smooth reflectors, if you ask me). Lighthound sells the smooth bezels for $3 plus shipping, ITC on Ebay is pricey at $5 shipped. I was able to use a smooth bezel from an Ultrafire 504b. The 504b's are nice too--they don't feel as high quality, but are very passable if not quite as Surefire-compatible as the Solarforces. I have interchanged heads, and some switches. You won't get the same level of compatibility with other-branded models like 501b, 502b, and 503b. The L2 series and 504b are copies or take-offs of the venerable American-made Surefire 6P flashlight, which despite a good design and supposedly peerless manufacturing, Surefire (like Mag Industries/Mag Light) did not do a good job of keeping up with the LED revolution (from incandescents). Surefire still focuses on multi-cell 3.0V primary CR123 tubes (I think the "6" in 6P stands for 6 volts, meaning the 2-cell version), which to you means that 18650's can't fit into them (although 17670's can). I think Solarforce originally specialized in selling accessories for Surefire owners (such as 18650-compatible tubes), but their own variants have taken on a life of their own. Many, including myself, consider them to be the best (and most Surefire-compatible) budget P60 hosts.

ITC products are often cheaper on their websites and you can combine products so that you pay shipping only once:

L2i 7.99 + 2

L2R 9.99 + 2

I don't understand how they can sell the L2i so cheaply at solarforce-sales, but the L2r and L2 are more expensive. It's a great deal.

I agree it is best to check out the website and eBay site to see which is offering the best deal, taking into account the shipping costs.

I have a L2p on the way, but it seems hung up in the mail. HKP says it left the country March 6, but USPS says they haven't seen it. Maybe they chartered a slow boat just for my package.

No Ebay fees , I guess.

i'm pretty sure that's the case with the sand .. bet it was a mistake that they thought might be sorta ne w military look ..I bet grey is tough as well.. people just default to black out of fear and lack of imagination .. they'd rather be boring then wrong .

Just thought I would let whomever cares know that when I ordered the L2 kit that comes with two extension tubes, the tubes were the non-shiny HA III finish ala L2P. This was not a problem for me but when I ordered the kit, the picture at Solarforce.HK lead me to believe the tubes were the same color HA II as the L2 that comes with it. They were not.

bufftubeFoy

They make HaIII extensions? And theres no such thing as HA II.

srfreddy - Whatever you call the shiny black stuff on an L2, then. They (Solarforce) call the finish on the L2P HA III and that is what the extension tubes they sent me were. I like it better for a future/another L2P project but if you see those tubes in the picture next to the shiny black L2 and assume they are the same, (as I did) they are not. Ha one, ha 2 or ha, ha, ha.

hahaheeheeFoy

Finish on L2: Type II anodization. L2P: Type 3/Hard anodization.

That's what I get for thinking these on-line sellers know their terminology. I'm not blaming them for me getting it wrong - I'm just sayin'.

foyknowshanowFoy

Yep, L2i (3 x AAA) is currently $8 + shipping on the website, including the Grey color, dammit. Dammit! (I think black is the stupidest color for a flashlight--for obvious reasons, but was the only color available on Ebay.) This is probably a temporary price. Argh, I guess that's what I get for "buy first, talk later". Sigh.

The L2r (2 x AA) is $10 + shipping and only available in black:

http://www.itc-shop.net/product_detail.php?t=FB&s=8&id=24

So apparently ITC-shop is a mirror of solarforce-sales.com? Are they the same entity? I never considered ITC had their own website--and originally following your links I assumed I was at solarforce-sales.

L2 is available different colors and some differing options. Base models currently $11.50 + shipping.

http://www.itc-shop.net/product.php?sname=&s=1&t=FB

Hm, they've got a version which comes with one of their forward clickes, albeit for $15.99 + ship.

They apparently don't let you see the shipping charge unless you register and log in (I hate that). So shipping is only a flat $2? If so, that would be better than solarforce-sales, which is why I turned to Ebay.

BobK, thanks for the firsthand experience and nice to meet you... Kind of surprising the L2r is brighter (lower voltage), but I suppose the Low Voltage drop-in's buck circuit negates the 3 x AAA's higher voltage, and at that point it's a race to who can produce more current (to a point). When you say L2i 'eats batteries', did you measure the current draw on either? And were those alkaline AAA's? AAA's suck of course, but obviously good NiMH would last longer with high draw. Have you tried 'regular' drop-ins on the L2r, such as XR-E and/or XP-G? Obviously the 3 x AAA does not need a low-voltage drop-in, so I'm not sure it's a fair comparison, but useful information nonetheless. And I know from the other thread that you know about the 22600 Li-ion batteries at Manafont which should work for the L2i, but others may find that useful. (BTW, you may want to edit out my original entire post you quoted in your reply.)

Bought there 2-3 times always 2 $ flat for shipping ...even for 3-4 items at once.

http://www.ITC-Shop.net

http://www.Solarforce-Sales.com

http://www.Internationaltradingcompany.net

eBay Store

Are all the same guys... the manager is Jo and I had some nice email chats with him. He was very helpful. I provided my experiences with them HERE. (Which I already hyperlinked in post #1 ;-) )

I'll give the L2i and L2r a try with NiZn cells. And a 4-18V XP-G R5 dropin from DX. I doubt the L2r will be able to supply enough voltage but we'll see. All cells fresh off the charger.

18650 output: 1581 lux 1187mA (284 lumens)

2xAA NiZN output: 311 lux 221mA (56 lumens)

3xAAA NiMH output: 1246 lux 849mA (223 lumens)

Looks like it is actually more efficient on AAA cells Runtime at that draw on 3AAA will be well under an hour. That is a pretty heavy discharge on a poor little AAA.

I have the low voltage solarforce XPG R5 3 mode in a L2R and today I received my L2i body. Mine is noticibly brighter on 3 AAAs then 2 AAs. I have an 18650 coming for it and hope thats even a little more brighter. I really like the L2i body over L2R, very short and fits in a coat pocket better. Also tail stands much better. I just wish now I got the whole L2i host instead of just the battery tube deal.

I have a L2i and with a XPG it seems like it is brighter on 3xAAA than an 18650. But the 18650 has more capacity, so it will give you better runtime.