Received my ultrafre zoomie xml t6 today from wallbuys, looked really great at first.
Then i realized it has next mode memory… Can someone please explain to me why any light should even have this?
I don’t think i’ll use the light just because of that… lucky that it only costed me like 5$ 
Would it be possible to swap the driver of this light the driver from a sipik sk98 or screw with the current driver to make it reset when shut down?
I would be interested too if this driver can be modded as it is a pain the way it is. I have never changed the driver in a light yet but this just might be my first!
I don’t have one yet, but from what it sounds like. When turned on, it goes to the next mode. For example, you left it on high, when you turn it on next time it’s on medium… next time on low etc?
I have one. It’s a very good XM-L zoomie with good heatsinking for its output (unlike SK98). I ran it for 5 minutes, ceiling bounce lux does not drop much - meaning the heatsinking is adequate for the job. It is quite surprising as it does have hollow pill, probably the press ring works its magic to improve heat transfer.
The next mode is the only thing I don’t like, I plan to try a resistor memory bleed for that.
I’ll post back if I manage to get it working.
Yes it works that way. I should have been clearer in my title, I understand what next mode memory does, but does it have added value? I can’t think of any reason why anyone would prefer this over normal memory or no memory at all :).
This method? Attention! Solution for most of those next mode memory drivers!
Looking forward to your results! I really like the light being solid and it’s nice to hear it won’t spontaneously combust like the sk98
Tried to open my light, can’t manage to unscrew the aluminium inner ring, guess i’ll try to live with the memory flaw :d
I understood what you meant. It is a very annoying feature and I cannot think of any practical use of it. As I have collected more and more lights, I will not buy one that has next mode memory, nor will I buy a light that requires cycling through strobe/SOS modes, which unfortunately is most Chinese 5 mode lights.
It was a 5$ deal, just couldn’t stop myself from buying it =)
Yes, I have quite a few of those 'couldn't resist' lights myself... 
It’s there specifically to boost sales of both lights and driver’s…. 
I’m now trying to skip the modes in between as fast as possible and to remember how much i should it lightly completely shutting it down so i’ll have the right mode on startup :d
Looking forward to hear how you get on.
yup i hate that next mode memory crap. very dissapointed that the jacob a60 has that. everytime i use it, i have to remember to turn it off on strobe mode so that it can be on high next time i turn it on.
but to be sure your light is really a next mode memory driver, trying using your light for at least 5 seconds before turning off, then turn it back on and see what happens.
I’ve tried this resistor mod in the past. The end result for me is one mode; the next mode that would have occurred before the mod. Here’s why.
The cap is there to give the chip time to save the next mode when the power is cut. If you bleed this off before it has time to save it, then the next mode memory will never be updated. The next time you turn on it reads the mode it should be in and will always stay in that mode. it will never switch modes.
If this is what you want, then you can remove the cap as an easier mod.
Edit: Just be sure to turn off the light in the mode before the one you really want, then do the mod.
I will note that I only tried this on one type of CAB1 chip, so YMMV. I’d like to hear if anyone has different results than I did.
Never found it to be a problem, just half-click through the modes and stop at the one Before the one you want it to turn-on to the next time.
There are only 5 choices on most budget lights.
I like mode memory as much as anybody, but not having it is not a deal breaker to me.
Different Strokes and all that.
Later,
Keith
I prefer the various mode memory types in this order:
- Short-off mode memory (quick press and you are in the next mode)
- Short-on mode memory (turn on then turn off within 2 seconds, like a NANJG 105C or AK-47A)
- no memory (always start in high for throwers and walls of light, always start in low for EDC)
I have no preference for next-mode memory, so I refuse to add it to the list. It is tolerable in a small three-mode light (H-M-S or H-M-L).
If I get a light with 5-mode next-mode memory, I will usually change the driver, or gift it to someone.
No one likes next mode memory… It’s just simpler to implement, so that’s why they do it.
I think this it the same light I modded for someone at work: I replaced the driver with a NANJG105C (with custom firmware).
And here you go:
1Mohm resistor resets memory in 6-7 seconds. Ooops. I underestimated the size of the capacitor, 6 seconds won't do for me. So I just add another 1M for a total of 0.5Mohm. That gave slightly over 3 seconds before memory reset back to high, a bit better.
I used resistor size 0603 but it's a little small. 0805 will do better in this case.
See the pill, it's huge. No wonder the heatsinking is good.
This driver is great if not for the next-mode memory, since the PWM on med and low is not noticeable at all. It's gotta be at least NANJG 105C level. Now this resistor mod will simply make this quite a usable cheap light with great PWM.
Why not removing the capacitor?
My sk98 had this next mode memory too. I swapped driver because its my favorite light. And as we are talking about drivers, for what are those resistor bars good, which you can see so often. Like on the picture above, there is only 1 resistor soldered in but sometimes you have half a dozen.