Hmmm…. I must not be getting it because a half press doesn’t go directly to turbo on my A6 or S1.
I’ve been using three clicks to turbo……Not 100 percent reliable and takes too long…… I’m one of those who wants instant gratification from a light — one click and I’m there. This doesn’t seem to be it.
The lack of a direct shortcut to turbo isn’t because this is a budget light. This is actually a very thoughtfully designed driver by BLF member Toykeeper.
The limiting factor is that this light uses a mechanical clicky switch instead of an E-switch.
Mechanical clicky switches are usually found on the tailcap. They include a rotating internal part similar to what is found in a pushbutton ballpoint pen. The main current from the battery through the light travels directly through the switch. When the switch is in the off position, current is completely interrupted and there is no power to the driver. On the upside, this means there is no standby current drain. However, the downside is because the driver circuit isn’t powered when the switch is off, the UI options are limited. With no power to the circuit, the light can’t tell you’re pressing the button when the light is off.
In contrast, lights with direct shortcuts to moonlight and turbo all use electronic switches. With an electronic switch, the main current from the battery does not travel directly through the switch. The driver circuit is typically powered up all the time. The switch is merely an input used to give the driver circuit an instruction. Electronic switches usually require an extra wire to the switch. The switch can be smaller and simpler than a mechanical clicky since main current does not flow through it and the rotating clicky mechanism is not needed. Because with an electronic switch, the circuit can tell you’re holding down the button and for how long even when the light has been off for hours, the UI interface with an electronic switche can be much more intuitive and often features direct shortcuts to moonligh and max from off.
Electronic switches are usually, but not always, mounted in the side of the head near the driver. Very few lights with tailcap switches have an e-switch.
Examples of mechanical clicky switches: Just about any tube-shaped light, most budget lights, but also many premium lights including many tailcap switch lights from Eagletac, Fenix, and other brands.
Examples of electronic switches: All Zebralights, Sunwayman and Eagletac side-switch lights, Mecarmy PT series, DQG 18650 Tiny III and IV.
Examples of electronic switches in the tailcap: Liteflux LF2XT, All HDS lights, some cheapie budget 3AAA lights sold at Costco.
I’m really pleased with mine in general, especially for the price.
The backwards mode switching part of the ui really frustrates me though. It would be a good feature if the times were much shorter, but mine takes about 3-4 seconds to reset, which leads to me regularly going back a mode when I really want to reset to low instead.
A clever idea, but I wish it were a removable feature.
Does anyone have a fix for the UI — a one-click way to turbo?
Without mode memory, turn it on. Long half-press to turbo.
Alternatively, activate mode memory and turn it off when it is in Turbo. When you turn it back on: Turbo.
I must have been lucky, I got a perfectly finished Astrolux from Banggood, with an excellent tint and a short tube. Everything screws to together as it should as well.
ANY mass manufactured light is going to be a study in compromise. Hatman’s “fix” for “one click to turbo” ruins the light for someone else who wants it to start in moon mode. I use mine to put my kid back in her bed if she falls asleep with my wife, if I accidentally kick on turbo, I’m going to hear about it. There’s a group standing over there who wants several different strobe modes, and an equally large group over there who hates what they derisively call “disco modes”.
There is - One. Bloody. Button. To interface with the processor. If you want the light to come on in a different mode, you can enable mode memory and turn it off in turbo. You could also dig into the code and change the order of the modes, then flash it to the firmware.
Or replace the driver, or use the Bistro firmware (on a different driver, it won’t fit on the AT-tiny 15 in the A6) with only one mode enabled. Or write your own firmware, if all you want is turbo, it won’t be that difficult.
I got lucky and didn’t have any manufacturing flaws, and my short tube fits if I crank it down tight. The major problem that came with my A6 is that now I know what an LED flashlight is capable of. So I now have an X6/X5 set in aluminum, and a couple S1’s (edit - whups A01’s) for the kids, and I’m on the list for a Q8, and, and, and.
Buy an A6, use it, decide what you want to change, then figure out how to make it happen. My apologies if I sound harsh, I just don’t understand how everyone seems to want the light exactly one way or otherwise it’s broken.
If you don’t like the ui, put in a different driver. Sensitive mode switching is often caused by the rubber pillar in the button being too tight against the switch and preloading it. Shaving 1/2 a mm from it fixes the problem. If that isn’t it then somethings loose inside and a slight jog causes power interrupt.
Thanks……Please help me to get to memory mode because I’ve failed so far. 
Here’s the graphical instructions:
LOL — been there, thanks!……. Can you translate? 
Like I said, I’ve failed so far.
switch on -> taptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptap -> blink blink———-blink TAP !
Thanks, I can get to the blinks, about half the time, after SIXTEEN taps.
Still can’t get from there to turbo with one click.
As per diagram, switch on and then tap tap tap 15 times until you hit config mode. Remember it’s tap tap tap, not click click click 
. The light will go through the modes as you tap.
It’s a long press, turbo is backwards from the on position if you don’t use mode memory iirc.
This is actually one ‘problem’ that I do have with the A6 - describing how to use it to someone. If you give the light to a co-worker so they can see something, there is clearly a communication barrier. Describing a tap versus a click, is not a simple thing for me. Long versus short, while a little easier, are still pretty subjective. Hatman, have you sat down and played with the switch? Forgive me if you already know the difference, I have had to explain it to most everyone that I show the light to, since I don’t know any flashaholics in person.
It works best in the dark, since you won’t get fooled into thinking moon mode is off. Turn on the light then, using your thumb with the light held in your fist, gently press the switch as slowly as possible until the light goes off. If it audibly clicks, you went too far. There is a sweet spot in the middle where the electrical part of the switch has broken contact, but the mechanical part has not changed state. This is as far as you should push the switch when trying for a tap. When I was a kid, I used to do this with the old ray-o-vac slide switches, try to get the switch right at the right place for the light to turn on or off with just a little pressure one way or the other on the switch, but not enough to have it slide to the other end. This was, of course, the hair trigger on my laser beam gun and, obviously, where any self respecting flashlight tag warrior needed the switch to be.
Man, It would be awesome to send 12 year old me an X5 or X6. THINK of the power I could have wielded!
After 15+ short taps, you go into so called configuration mode. After 15+ taps, light goes off and then there will be two sets of two blinks. The first set of two blinks toggles 7-/4-mode, and the second set of two blinks toggles memory mode on/off. You toggle a setting by turning off BETWEEN the two blinks. To toggle mode memory, after 15+ taps, light goes off, blink, blink, and then blink. You now turn off — before the second blink. You now set mode memory. Turn off the light. Turn on the light and go to Turbo. Turn off light and then turn on. You should now get Turbo.
Now that worked!
I bought 3 of them with the intention of giving 1 away
All three required a good shot of air from the compressor to remove and debris + silicon grease o rings, 1 of them the head doesn’t fit very well to the body meaning the glass rattles (have a paypal dispute ongoing for that)
1 of them the tailcap doesnt mate with the body very well, but its ok
I replaced them with XPL HI, but the thermal interface grease was cheap and not enough was applied.
The soldering of the MCPCBs was poor on all 3 but this is only an issue for aesthetics.
UI is great love it!
Overall though for £20 its a good purchase it just needs some finishing off like a lot of Chinese lights.
One thing that bugs me is that you cant put a mag ring in the tail cap. The tailcap should of been made to accept this ring in my opinion.