Are these switches? Purchased from where?
Thanks.
UI change in the programming feature? (read below)
Received mine recently (3D) Installed a regular Alkaline primary cell and it worked great, real nice tint - very warm neutral, switch works fine and all modes are working. 
The programmable function is also working, but slightly different than described in the OP and earlier posts (the user manual still has nothing about programmable output levels) I first used the instructions from the OP, but these instructions posted in the Discussion thread also worked, except for double tap to exit (had to do a long press to exit):
However for mine there were only 3 programmable modes instead of 4, after I set levels for 3 modes it just goes to high and is no longer auto-ramping, it just remains steady on high, then a single click to strobe, then long press to exit.
I also posted about this in the discussion thread and someone else who ordered one in December replied theirs also had only 3 modes that were programmable. (I ordered mine on Dec. 19th) So it appears they may have changed it to remove programming for HI mode. I’m wondering if that was because when it first came out a few people reported a lower than advertised maximum output, only to discover the default programming for HI wasn’t set to the maximum level.
Can anyone else who also ordered one recently confirm this?
The differences between levels on high are very minor so it’s easy to miss. Make sure you are using a fully charged cell when programming. On a partially depleted cell you won’t see much if any difference between them.
I agree. I noticed the same apparent effect with an alkaline.
With a NimH or a lithium primary, the differences in the ‘top three’ were still close together, but noticeable. I don’t think an alky can surrender enough energy to fully satisfy the highest settings.
Thanks, I’ll charge up a 14500 and do the paper clip mod and check it again. will reply here with the results.
Large paper clip isn’t going to work, not thick enough, going to need a lot thicker wire, meantime I checked again with a new alkaline 1.6v…absolutely no auto ramping in the HI mode programming, not event the slightest bit, I even checked in total darkness. Just stays lit steady.
…looking for copper wire now
Got some 12ga copper…
14500 Button top fits nicely now, but only about 2 full turns of the threads, just barely covers the o-ring when snug…
Awaiting charging… then I’ll try programming again and post result…Can’t wait to see how this little guy rocks out on a Li-ion.
Also I just found out someone else who ordered one in December and only has 3 programmable modes, that makes 3 of us now…all 3 December orders.
I think people that are experiencing only 3 programing modes instead of 4 have batteries that need to be charged. Battery is not strong enough to provide maximum current for turbo. Try a fresh battery or charge the one you are using.
Can you try a fully charged NiMH cell?
I am afraid that even a brand new alkaline will not be able to deliver enough current to allow you to see differences between the various turbo levels.
Thanks Vwpieces for the switch info.
V V V
OK I got the 14500 charged and tried again. BINGO!
As Pete7874,Tumbleweed48 and 264 suggested the problem was the battery, the HI mode does not program with an alkaline cell, even a new one with 1.6v. With the 14500 I’m now able to program all 4 modes.
Thanks Pete7874,Tumbleweed48 and 264 for your help!
This wire looks way too thick. You just need something to help the tube end make electrical contact with tailcap contact ring.
I think those double springs do more harm than good. When you collapse one cone upon another, there is a dramatic increase in thickness - you can literally hear the ‘crunch’ when closing the cap on an unmodified light. Reach down in there with the end of a pencil, collapse those springs, and you’ll see what I mean. They pile up to about the same thickness that the wire trick reclaims.
Add some internal length with the wire trick, and the ‘crunch’ is gone. I’ll bet if one of those springs were removed, the length issue would be gone without the wire trick being necessary.
Am I going to try it? Maybe…but all of mine are now running flawlessly with the wire trick, so I’m reluctant to mess with success.
’Just throwing my $0.02 in….
I have received and tinkered with my Utorch Ut01.
First impressions are the light is excellent. Without programming, I found the highest setting to be shy of 800 lumens with a Sanyo UR14500P 840mAh Battery. After programming it is quite a bit brighter. The programming steps are pretty easy and many have posted them here.
After programming, I put an Ikea Ladda 2450 mah rechargeable cell in, Note: Many believe this is a re-wrapped Panasonic eneloop at a bargain price. The light at my estimate puts out about 350-400 lumens with the lesser current of a AA. I’m sticking to the 4.2V li_ion 14500s.
This light is a very god value for what you’re getting at around $10 US!
Built in charging like some of the of the Utorch offerings would be nice but I am just being greedy.
My UT01 (both CW and NW) also has that behavior, with button-top NiMh, it sometimes doesn’t work, have to put in a 14500 first, then swap out to NiMh before they work again.
Also, my CW is extremely picky with flat-top 14500 (NiMh are all button-tops, so no issues aside from the above mentioned), most of the time flat-tops don’t work on my UT01 CW. Also, the tail-spring board of my UT01 CW has a connectivity issue, which was ‘fixed’ by placing a piece of wire around it.
You mentioned driver can burn 1.5v booster when exposed to Li-Ion battery. I have an UltraFire UK68, which is supposed to work with both AA and 14500. I remember when I first received the unit, I tested it with AA NiMh and 14500, and it works. But ever since that first test, I have only tried using 14500. And it has since then refused to turn on when using an AA (NiMh or Alkaline). The reason you mentioned (burned 1.5v booster) could likely be the explanation.
Any idea if the UK68 can still be fixed to work with AAs if its 1.5v booster indeed got burned (how do I test if this is the case)?
(For the UT01, although regularly it won’t power on with AA NiMh, swapping in and out a 14500 seems to always fix that issue temporarily untl it happens again… so maybe it’s not a burned 1.5v booster?)
Thanks for responding with your advice of using a LiIon battery to reenable use of NiMh. I tried that, and also a NiZn and a LiFe battery, but no luck, it will only turn on with a LiIon so my driver must be in error.
But I got the 4’th level back, it only disappeared because the LiIon was nearly flat.
has anyone tried to mod this light? i’d like to drop in a nichia, and i would LOVE to change the UI so it was hold to change modes and single click on/off. I guess if i could get the head off I could reflow the led but I have no idea how to go about changing the modes.
I have a UT01 on the way, and plan on trying to use protected 14500s in it. Can someone detail how to do the paperclip mod to be able to use protected batteries? TIA.