Slightly off topic but I'm looking for an L2 2011 sand colored model. What happened to them? Solarforce don't got em.... I posted a WTB also in the Forum here.
It seems they only updated the black one. I just received a silver and sand a few weeks ago and they were the old style.
Foy
Foy, do you think Solarforce has cleaned up their act???
I read the thread where they sent you two gray L2P's and your comments about how it looked like a drunk had applied the laser etchings.
Then the thread died for 4 or 5 months and revived stating they had new website etc etc.... reborn you might say...LOL
Just lookin for a nice Solarforce torch ....don't want any second rate stuff.
My black l2p also has the coating, which wears pretty easily. Also, I'm not happy with the tolerances of the l2p as my light keeps mode skipping due to some serious battery wobble. Solarforce is sending me another one!
Duro, do you have the 2011 model or an earlier model?
No, if anything, their quality had slipped a bit. A few weeks ago a member said his L2 arrived with bad threads. I responded that I had never had that experience with any Solarforce host.
I received two old style L2s shortly thereafter; one silver and one sand. Sand is appropriate because that's what it felt like and I could hardly get the tail cap off. When I did, dozens of aluminum bits fell out and there was a ring/strand of loose aluminum still around the base of the threads. I took pictures and then promptly deleted them accidently but even now, that sand L2 has horrible threads. And, it's more gold than sand . . . I think it's ugly. It looks like spray paint.
I must also say that the black L2P included with the same order was traditional Solarforce fit and finish, as was the silver L2 . . . both absolutely beautiful. Seems like they've been a little inconsistent lately.
Foy
I recently bought a grey L2P for a friend at work, and the fit and finish was perfect. It is a lot better than my older style L2P, that has the bezel that I had to cut down to seat all the way, and the tail threads are a little rough. Overall though, they are the best for the money in my experience, and I really hope they do not slip in quality.
No idea. It was purchased a few months ago. It's an all black host with no markings as I requested.
All solarforce lights come bone dry. A few drops of lube around the threads and they're as good as new. That could be why you had some problems foy.
Yes, they usually arrive dry but this is the first one that came with strands of aluminum still in the threads. It's all good now but the threads on that sand L2 still feel much worse than the rest.
I still think Solarforce is the best host for the money you can buy. Just wish the consisitency would be a little better.
Foy
Solarforce-sales put out the best emails, Their replies always begin with; "dear friend" or "so nice to serve you" haha...Love it...
@Foy:
Is there any interchangeability of parts between the M6/M8 and the rest of the Solarforce line? I love my M8, but it would be fun to experiment with different options in the L2x series.
The M6 and M8 tubes interchange but I thinks that's about it.
Foy
I bought another L2T about 3 months ago. When it arrived after being on a slow boat and pony express, I disassembled the head and tail cap as is customary to inspect and lube threads and o-rings. As I unscrewed the head, I noticed it was very tight all the way off. Once I got it off, I could not get the head back on, as the threads on the host appeared to be stripped. I have purchased many Solarforce hosts, and this was the first host I had trouble with. I tried a couple of other Solarforce heads that I had, and no luck, as I did not want to ruin them with the "bad" host. I contacted them via E-mail, and after a few "go-arounds", they agreed to send me a new L2T host. After almost 2 months, I just got the new light, but it did not come in a package. It came in the infamous bubble wrap. It seems a little different, and looks a little different. I can't really explain it, but the color and feel seem different than the other 2 L2T's that I had. I am not sure if it was a "factory 2nd" or not, but that was my impression. I also have 2 newer L2P's (Special Edition w/ serial numbers) in black. Neither of them have the gold color inside. I am at a loss for that one???? (Guess I did not get the newer manufacture) All in all, my Solarforce collection is one of my favorites due to being very budget friendly and I like the overall look and feel of the hosts. I have several hosts, bulbs, and accessories and I am happy with all of them. I have XR-E's, XP-G's, and XM-L's, and they are all good. But I must agree, that recently, their quality control seems to have gone down a bit. Not sure why, but they have to go back to what they were doing and concentrate on quality control and putting out a good product! Quality not quantity. Just my 2 cents here.
duro, I know in the past that some of the Solarforce hosts have a longer than average battery tube and the battery will lose contact, causing mode switching, or even preventing the light from coming on. I have this problem with an earlier L2P. If I use a longer battery and a driver with a normal size spring, it tends to work okay.
I tried a usual spring, stretched it, even used a callie kustom 18650. It's definitely out of whack. Solarforce refused to admit there were anything wrong with it, but to their credit they're sending out a replacement.
Sand colored SF lights always had a tendency to golden spray paint. My 2009 LR2 surely does... but it depends on the lighting.
Well after contacting solarforce about my mode skipping and battery wobble they mailed me another host as mentioned above. I received the new l2p host tonight and am pleased. It is a tad shorter (mm) then my original. There is no mode skipping, and no battery wobble. I'm pleased. I have to say, their quality is pretty good if they can keep the tolerances correct.
On a side note, if anyone wants a one of a kind black l2p solarforce host on the cheap, let me know. It has no laser etching on the sides. Just an all black l2p, as that is what I made a special request for. Of course there's that slight wobble issue. But hey, use a magnet, or a small piece of dowel rod, or something...
I received a very nice pair of Solarforces from Lighthound. L2P Gray Excellent !
AND A
Beautiful L2 Sand, Not Gold, and Excellent EXCEPT FOR TAILCAP PROBLEM....MY God, I could barely unscrew it!... literaly got cramps in my hand and had to put it down. I thought the threads were FUBAR. Turns out, the threads were perfect. BUT the O-ring was way too fat !!
. After a few hours of messing around, I figured out the size needed for the L2. It's an 11/16" x 9/16" x 1/16" available at most Hardware. (got mine from Lowes) And guess what? It fits and works perfectly on the L2P also because of a tighter fit and stretch that matches up beautifully. So even though the fitment of oring and tailcap are different between them, the above sized o-ring works on BOTH L2 and L2P 2011.
Foy, check your o-ring on your Sand L2 model, could be same problem that I had. I did not have any thread problem on my Sand L2 however.
Streamer -
Yes, the gold L2's o-ring was too fat on mine too . . .
Foy