I picked up my CW and NW lights at the PO yesterday and loaded them right away with AAs (alkalines). When first trying them I had the dead spot where the lowest setting should be.
Later on I tried them out with a D cell and liked the mode spacing, then an 18650 and really liked the mode spacing.
In order to compare the 2 with different batteries I put the AAs back in one and started cycling through the modes. IMO this light isnt very good on AAs, the modes are poorly spaced and the brightest mode isnt close to what it can be on an 18650 and still not as good as it is on a D cell.
But thats also when I noticed that the AA now had a super low moon mode working.
I just double checked both my lights (having 2 tail caps is handy) and confirmed that the lowest mode is there and is very dim. I know I checked for it and disnt see it when I first tested the light sitting in my dark car. I should have been able to see it if it was working then.
4 AA Alkaline cells in the 4 cell carrier the moon light works fine, it don’t work with NiMH cells with the lower voltage.
from a ton of testing i did with mine, Its odd that the moon light don’t work at the 2.4 - 2.6 volt range of the 2S2P with NiMH cells.
I tried four AA Alkaline cells and the Moon light works. ( as Alkaline cells are 1.5 - 1.6 volts each, giving a 3.0 - 3.2 volts to the driver.
The moon light also works fine with a single NiMH in a D-Carrier at 1.2 volts, and works with a single Alkaline D cell at 1.6 volts. Moon light also work fine with 3-series AA cells on both NiMH at 3.6 - 4.2 volts, and Alkalines at 4.8 volts. it also works great on all LiIon cells voltages ranges from 3.5 up to 4.20 volts.
Its like there is an unusual dead spot for Moon light at the 2.4 to 2.6 volt range of two NiMH cells in series. I even tried AAA cells and a C-Alkaline with the same results.
Check post #796
…from 1.8V-3.0V the moon mode can’t be switched on……
The driver itself works perfect with the higher voltage and gives a nice output in this range. I guess this could have been easy fixed, but the final driver never seemed to be tested by anyone in this voltage range…
sad that is the usual 90% perfection Rey does…
I seen that post though my point here was that the moonlight works above AND below that narrow voltage range “dead spot” is annoying and makes no sense.
i did the same mod with a plastic 3-AA carrier i had. ( 1S3P mode) This 1S4P mod above should give great run times regardless of the higher amp draws on the 4P 1.2 volt set up. i am curios though of run times too if anyone have tested it. ( the run times with 1S4P Eneloops should be much higher than a single D-alkaline cell.
I use mine quite often. Its my favorite Doomsday light, as it can run off any battery thrown into it. I made some custom carriers so it can use D, C, AA, AAA (Alkaline and NiMH) 18650, 26650, 14500 cells all in different configurations.
I own NW/WW SD10, but it comes with detectable PWM and when its turned off, the LED has faint glow, like one of those ultra low modes on other lights.
Luckily tailcap twist locks it out, but it was left once unlocked and it drained 18650, luckily it was protected battery.