Nitecore Tip: SEVERE Parasitic Drain in Lock-Out Mode !!

I’ve wanted this light from the second I saw it, but wasn’t going to jump on board until I saw a review. I’m glad I waited!
Have the version 2 models shipped out yet? If so, where can I pick one up?

Have you confirmed that the lockout fixed model can be recognized because it does not blink when the switch is touched in lockout mode?

yes nitecorestore.com is shipping the ones with the lockout drain fixed. Kitrobaskin has confirmed this.
There are 3 models,
220 Lumen w Nichia 90+CRI 3500k,
240 Lumen w Nichia 90+CRI ~4500k, and
360 Lumen ~70 CRI ~6000k.

“Have you confirmed that the lockout fixed model can be recognized because it does not blink when the switch is touched in lockout mode?”

No.
I comment the Nitecore reply to my question.

It can also be confusing thinking Nitecore owns NitecoreStore, since the website has the look and feel of Nitecore’s website. I emailed them and asked if they were owned by Nitecore, and they said were not. Just a US distributor who sells direct to the public.

Neither the first version nor the current version blinks while in lockout mode afaik. Hitting the mode selector button while light is off but not locked out will display battery level, which incidentally is still at >50% on my v2 unit after being locked out for almost 2 weeks now, and some actual use.

Nitecore store apparently has a brilliant marketing strategy because I’ve seen a number of commenters referring to it as the actual manufacturer and saying that they “bought it from Nitecore themself” when referring to the nitecorestore.com preorder.

Edit: corrected the bit about battery indicator

Haha, definitely brilliant marketing. They even say in the About Us, Nitecore Store is a division of Lumen Tanctical LLC And yes, they spelled “tactical” wrong…lol

You are correct! There is confirmation here that the V1 will blink, and V2 does not have Red Blink when touching the buttons while locked.

Good to know, I didnt have my V1 to test

News Flash, the Tip uses PWM

At least one person did get a light with the access-hole cut, but the warning blink still exists in lockout. So unknown if they screwed up again and just forgot to program the light, or the reprogram did not take and with no QC who’s to notice, or they had a couple revisions before settling on the final revision without the warning blink. The no warning blink is going to have lots of non-flashaholics thinking their light is dead if the lockout gets triggered accidentally which is pretty easy. Even plugging it into the charger does not release the lockout. It looks to me like just one more bad decision trying to rush out a product in time for the holidays. Hopefully most people will figure it out if it happens to them, or call support, or find a flashlight forum before they throw it out.

That is not correct. The original ones flashed the led if you pressed either button while the light was in lockout.

Correction, the TIP uses Pulses that do not drop to Zero, so technically the light is not using Pure PWM. otoh, the TIP is NOT using Constant Current.

Ive learned that PWM is a technical term that defines the pulses as dropping to full OFF between flashes. But there are hybrid pulsed circuits that fluctuate the current without going all the way to Zero. This is the strategy that HDS, Zebralight, Eagletac, and the Tip use. They are not true PWM circuits, but again, they are also NOT true Constant Current Circuits.

regarding the lockout drain, I believe it has been fixed, and users can confirm if the light they received has the lockout drain fixed, by confirming it does not produce a red flash when the buttons are touched while in lockout. This is a good thing. imo, when a light is in lockout, it should not flash, as that would cause battery drain. (although the lockout drain problem was there even if the light was just sitting on a nightstand, without the buttons being touched… but this has been fixed)

otoh, the Pulsed circuit remains, the Tip is still Not a Constant Current light, even though technically it is not a Pure PWM light either.

This is strange- I ordered the CRI version from Bang Good a few weeks ago. Although it was shown as in stock on the order page, after I placed the order it was shown in the order details as on back order. I wasn’t too bothered by this as I assumed that they may be waiting for the upgraded version.
Sure enough when it arrived the packaging was for the 240 lumens version (V1 is apparently 220 lumens ) and the blister pack had a hole for the usb plug to fit through- both apparently signs of the upgraded version.
However when the light is locked out and either button pressed a brief red flash occurs.
Do you think that the cunning supplier has just repackaged a V1 light?
I will leave it on lockout for a few days and see what happens, then repost.
Just thought I’d add to the confusion!

Hey!

i´d say that makes no sense ... i think some units might not have been successfully upgraded?

So glad I use PayPal…. :smiling_imp:

I have an early one (360 L), and just picked up the 240 lumen CRI version a few days ago. I’ll have to see if I can do a comparison. I have not had problems, but it seems the lockout mode on these lights is made for when you stuff it in your backpack, as opposed to long term storage. The light has to monitor for the key combination to unlock, and it’s only got a 500 mAh battery, so it’s almost asking for a dead battery. I’m glad they seem to have done something about it, and I’ll report back when I can do some testing between the old and new. Is there a way to tell if my CRI version is actually “new”, and not one that had been sitting around?

yes, but it requires that you read at least the posts on the same page you are posting…

sometimes I wonder why people show up and ask the same question over and over again, without taking the time to read what has already been discussed.

its kind of rude actually, kind of like walking into a room and asking everyone to stop what they are doing, to bring the new guy up to speed.

then again, sometimes I wonder why I think anyone would bother to read what Ive posted… since my posts are so darn intelligent and well thought out…

I guess we all have a certain sense of entitlement, that makes us “special” :slight_smile:

welcome to the club

I think Nitecore fails to distinguish between two very different modes:

Lockout — no electrical drain, accomplished by physically breaking the circuit

‘Numbutton’* — the buttons are protected from accidental bumps, in some way, e.g. by requiring both to be held simultaneously. This requires some electrical drain.

*Yeah, I made that up. You can shorten it to two syllables, if you prefer.

Never heard “numbutton” before.
What I have heard is “physical lockout” versus “electronic lockout”.

Yeah, “electronic lockout” still uses some electricity to watch for button presses, and requires some electrical engineering to accomplish well.

It’s my bad* pun: numb butt on

  • there are no good puns