The S41-series lights automatically step down from maximum after about 35 - 40 seconds. They then remain at the second highest mode - about 800 - 900lm on my Nichia-equipped units - until the user changes mode, switches off or the cell runs down.
However, you should step down manually from that mode when it gets too hot, or you are liable to damage the light.
The next mode down is about 400lm and seems to be fine for continuous operation. I run my S41-series lights on 18650 cells and I can get a couple of hours at that level, although they do slowly fall over that period to about 250lm before finally starting the low-voltage stepdown sequence. 18350 operation would probably be more like 30 - 40 minutes.
Yeah, it´s a very annoying bug in the driver. My original S41 made by Manker does not have this, only the newer “Mateminco” models. Depends on which cell you´re using, seems like on 18650 high drain cells it happens more than on 18350 cells even if they are unprotected high drain versions.
Yeah, i just got my 18650 tube in the mail today, and i have the exact same as you describe (but i have VTC5 and ‘Enercig’ 18350).
Must say though, on VTC5 it’s considerably brighter and gets hotter much faster.
I got my S41s quad nichia colored with 18650 extension tube recently from banggood. Mine steps down from turbo to high after about 40s. I am using this cell LG 18650 MJ1.
Maybe it also has to do with the Vf of the LEDs.
Mine has XP-G3 which have the lowest Vf of the 3 options.
The 18650 VTC4, VTC5 and VTC6 are high drain cells (rated 30 Amperes) with very low internal resistance.
So i think my set up draws more Amperes than yours, because LG 18650 MJ1 is rated 10 Amperes.
Unfortunately i have no way to measure the current.
I’m not sure what it will do when the VTC5 is a little discharged (i tried a fully charged one), but maybe it’s only good that it drops down to low mode so it can seriously cool down after seriously heating up on 40 seconds “turbo”.
I would give it a little time. Something is going on with shipping from China. Maybe has to do with all the Smog. I ordered a VG10 on the 15th of November, and paid the upgraded shipping charge to make sure I got it before Christmas. On Dec 27, I contacted Banggood because tracking hadn’t been updated since Nov 20 (Host is preparing Shipment, or something like that). They were quick to refund. On Jan 5, I got a tracking notice, and received my light yesterday. I’m awaiting response from CS on how to repay.
Some of the FET+1 drivers (specifically the X6 driver, maybe others) have a Turbo > Moonlight bug caused by a spike from the FET causing the MCU to reset. Sounds like only the highest performing cells pump out enough juice to make it happen. Stacking or replacing the capacitor should fix the problem. (I’m only regurgitating what I’ve read elsewhere, like here)
I thought the S41S was using the A6 driver, not the X6. But who knows, maybe it sometimes can display similar behavior.
All of the drivers before the Q8 and Texas Avenger have the voltage spike issue, it was an issue all along, we just didn’t notice it with the tiny13 because it had a lot more tolerance for it.
After DEL figured it out on the Q8 driver the ones since then have the new components that fix this issue.
The MTN FET+1 is a middle ground, it still has the spiking issues but it is bled off with a zener.
Nah, C1 is still 10uF. You can see the TA driver with the link in my sig but basically the small 4.7ohm resistor before the diode/C1 is the most important thing to eliminate the spike. Then adding C2 smooths out the last little bit.
Adding R4 and R3 to the FET reduces the feedback and helps reduce the spike before it starts as well.
That’s interesting about the driver mods to fix the turbo>moonlight bug. My S41 exhibits this behavior as well (2nd production run, presumably not Manker) but I usually don’t leave the light in turbo the full time and notice the bug when I go to backstep to level 6 manually.
I do have a question that I haven’t seen mentioned yet (please forgive me if I missed it, I haven’t yet read the first 30% of the thread!).
On the S41SC, I saw that the colors are due to a heat treatment. What effect does the heat treatment have on hardness of the corrosion-resistant steel? Did they let the colors run and then quench? If so would it be safe to assume the hardness is across the board depending on location on the light? Or is something else going on here?
How would this hardness compare to the hardness of the (un-colored) S41S?
I don’t think it is really heat treated… We talked about it somewhere in the first pages of this thread. It is likely some sort of ‘rainbow finish’ similar to anodizing. They call it ‘colored’. There’s a name for it that i don’t remember right away. We’ve seen this finish on a number of mechanical ecig mods and parts one or two years ago. What gives it away are the too vivid colors, especially the green that is not part of heated steel color ‘spectrum’.
Thus it should behave the same as the plain SS version except there is a coating… No idea how resilient it is.