FW3A muggle mode - question

so i wanted to try muggle mode

it does an unexpected thing

if i go to max level (100 or so lumens), it does that

then after about 30 sec to 1 minute, it drops down
not to the min, but just some random pretty low level

the batteries are fine, it wasn;t doing this in 5 months of non-muggle…
it isn;t warm

is it supposed to do that?

why would it do that only in mug mode?

wle

If the temperature sensor goes above the configured limit in muggle mode, it immediately drops down a bit. This usually seems to happen when the limit is relatively low and the sensor isn’t calibrated very well. A trip through thermal config mode should help.

Also, if it’s the first batch of lights, this issue is particularly noticeable since the sensor is much more prone to jitter. Later batches use much stronger noise reduction to get rid of spurious measurements.

but i’ve calibrated it, it doesn;t drop off after 30 sec in non-mug, and it isn;t hot when it drops off

wle

it;s almost like it is using some other max temp {besides the one i set} for muggle mode

the other weird thing is, if it drops off, i can turn it right back up(it;s as if now the temp is ok 5 sec later)
and it might stay up after that, or it might not

wle

My Gray FW3A, that I’ve had no problems with for about two weeks, started this behavior as well. When in “Muggle Mode” the output still repeatably but intermittently jumps down from highest output to some lower level.

I haven’t dropped the light, have gone through all the TS steps, and even topped off the battery.

I ordered my FW3A from Neal back on August 7th and it does not have the dual temporary action when in electronic lockout.

Yeah, the first batch had a lot more jitter in the sensor readings, so it was much more prone to sending temperature warnings due to just one or two measurements being way off. This is generally not noticeable except in muggle mode though, since it’s the only mode which responds so suddenly to those warnings.

Later batches use a pretty strong lowpass filter on the sensor values, which pretty much eliminates jitter and makes the response a lot more predictable. Later batches also have the 2-level lockout function, so that’s one way to tell which revision was used.

ooooohhhhhhh

so the non muggle modes have a slow response, but the mug mode forgot to have it?

it;s a bit annoying, i sort of turned on mug mode to have a dependable 100 lumen max, just to sort of see what it would be like

now i see what it is like = ‘intermittent’ :slight_smile:

wle

I think it is intentional so that muggles don’t get afraid because of the hot metal in their hands.

What is the two level lockout mode?
Is that where two clicks gives a brighter light on lockout?
All of mine except one do that. Except the one I just got from Amazon. Which has all the latest updates - brass ring, tailcap ring, one piece optic, lighter color and knurling.

Let me start off by saying that the “jump down in muggle mode” issue is nothing but a minor inconvenience; not a real problem.

Also known that I have already ordered a handful more of FW3Xs; including TK purple. And, I am already eyeing the FW1A.

Your response does makes sense up to a point.

And, maybe, I didn’t make my explanation clear enough. My FW3A is the first flashlight I’ve owned which uses the Andúril UI. Before being able to use such a feature rich flashlight, I had to learn the UI and set the TC. Then I spent a good half hour checking out all the features. As I had to learn all its features, I know that my light performed flawlessly for the first two weeks.

It was only this weekend when my light started “jumping” for no reason I could discern. Being in medical device manufacturing, I bothers me that I can’t explain the change in action from just a few days ago. I don’t have access to the professional equipment I use to nondestructively perform TS. So, I did not take the light apart. And therefore, don’t want to dismiss the fact that there could be: a poor quality solder joint on the temp sensor, an intermittent short, or discrete electronic component which shifted an identifying value; any or all of which the SW could see now as false triggers.

Admittedly, I can explain the mechanism which caused the change and am willing to accept filtering as the explanation. Also admittedly, I’m probably being overly dogged over a small issue.

Nearly all my Anduril lights jump straight down when I hit Max ramp but I just bump it back up and it stays there. Apart from my E07 Flashlight, I went to Muggle mode and the light had a melt down and is borderline unuseable now.

There was something on the D42V thread about your issue. Maybe ToyKeeper can help.