I just placed my first order with Solarforceflashlight-sales on the 12th and it was delivered Friday, there was two different issues and I'm not getting very far with their support even tho we've now exchanged emails several times they just don't understand what I'm asking...
first do the switch parts kits (no tail cap, just the parts) come with the retaining ring? The pictures clearly show the retainer ring but when I received them they didn't have it, they did however have a black steel spacer that goes behind the switch (this is where they're getting confused cause they say it does include "the steel ring" but can't answer of it includes the retainer, I'm concerned its a translation issue).
Link to reverse click parts that shows the retaining ring but not the spacer
next question is should the L2 body tubes have any sort of print/ graphics on them? The two I got are bare which I really don't mind but they look a little cheap and again the stock photos clearly show them marked with "Solarforce" "L2" and a series number.
Third issue (really I'm just putting this here for documentation) is that I ordered a forward click tail cap (complete tail cap, not just guts) and I received a reverse clicky tail cap (as well as reverse clicky parts kit, which I also ordered, if they would of just mixed them up I could of swapped).
Yes, it happens sometimes. Two out of the three L2s I've ordered are blank. No difference in quality that I can tell.
Doesn't happen with the other models that I have though. All my L2T, L2N, L2P and L2T SS all have full print on them.
If they look cheap, it's because they are. My L2Ps are twice as old and twice as abused as the plain L2s, but have no sign of wear on them. The anodising really makes a big differences.
The two switch kits (one reverse one forward) that I ordered last year did not include the the threaded retaining ring. They did include the black plastic insulator that goes in the retaining ring.
The only body tube that I have ordered is an L2P HAIII and it has L2P and a SN printed on it.
I've only ever ordered once and it was a real chore. I didn't get a body with markings either, It was plain. I was not satisfied with the quality and trying to communicate with them was just about impossible. I even tried a group buy from them and could never get any info. I'm glad I didn't. I think it would be a major pain.
One was perfect, and one had excessive solder blobs even on the PCB grounding ring. I had to disassemble and rework it. Otherwise, both were complete as pictured, including switch assembly, black plastic spacer ring, aluminum locking ring, and 14mm black rubber boot / switch cover.
I assume JO at Solarforce has to click a translate button, so I recommend using clear, simple sentences without slang or vagueness. If you can make them understand that your order arrived without the aluminum locking rings, I think they will send some to you.
All the Solarforce body tubes I have seen are nicely marked with logo and serial. I would not like to see them without, but maybe that was part of some special pricing?
Today my replacement forward clicky kit with retaining ring and the other missing retaining ring got here along with another forward clicky parts kit (WITH a retaining ring) and two bodies (which was an order I placed). I don’t think the replacement would of happened so quickly had I not placed another order right away so consider that when you make up your decision about the final outcome but personally I’m happy and I didn’t even have to go to PayPal. From just the comments in this thread it seems like they’re all over the place with what you get in a set of switch parts but atlease for me they took care of me in the end.
I did notice the 3 retaining rings were packed in a different bag than the switch parts “kit” so it seems like the kits don’t come with a retaining ring but they’ll give you them if you ask (so maybe ask before you order, or in the PayPal comments). Also the spacer thing that goes behind the switch was way different from the two from the last order, those were thick very dense plastic (possibly phenolic) these are just thin injection molded ABS that’s L shaped, they do the same job just noticeably different, like the “parts kit” has been “updated” (aka found a way to be produced cheaper).
FWIW $1.99 is a good price for the forward click switch, it’s the standard one used in everything, $1.99 is actually the best price I know of for them plus you get the P60 retaining ring, sometimes… (Reverse clickies you can buy in bulk but not the forward for some reason).
I have ordered several l2p tubes from them, to mix and match with different heads and switches. Got 2 with text, and one without. Quality of all 3 is very good, i like the non marked, i can eventually create a very personal light of this, by etching or engraving it with a name or so.
I see no difference between the l2p marked ones and the non marked one.
Glad your issue was resolved, I now have to try to get them to replace a drop in for the me l2 I got last week. Drop in will only light up with about 1-2 lumens. Solarforce dropins are utter crap.
See if you can get a replacement or a refund but get to keep the bad one.
It takes some work to fit a standard 17mm driver but heatsinking / the emitter shelf of the solarforce pills is the best design of P60 pill (where the “pill” is a separate part from the reflector) I’ve ever seen.
It would be nice, but I got an email that they want me to send it back to them for replacement. Which will cost more than the product cost. I might just keep it and see if I can mod it myself or pay someone to mod it for me.
