Thanks for the clarification… so it is most likely i got a ‘bad’ batch of batteries with overly-sensitive protection boards….?
I’m not sure if I’m prepared to deal with non-protected batteries as I am still a newb when it comes to li-ions… crap… another suggestions for new batteries?
thanks again!
I got mine yesterday. It looks fine, no visible flaws and I grabbed the 2xTF’s with it, both read within 3.86-.87v. NW seems to be a good tint, noticeable next to my 60w warm cree bulb and U2 XML.
It does not want to switch modes if I do it slowly however when an more abrupt, rapid moment is used it is not generally an issue. High pwm, though slightly noticeable. I still have to charge them though, so I’ll report back if that changes the switching function.
it's the battery problem. I asked TF to change the protect PCB.
some orders to US by ePacket is fast,others are on the way.
Is the driver software redesigned or the same crappy bugs in it?
confirmed on my end… battery works only at 3.8V, or less… :~
thanks to fleibaka for the suggestion/diagnosis
This is a real good question. I sure hope someone cough Rey cough took the time to have Trustfire clean up their code and remove that preflash when going into low. I really hate that in my original BLF Mini.
still there… :(, but intermittent… i am finding the threads a bit rough compared to my other lights… perhaps because its ss? or maybe rear spring is too big (too much pressure)?
Got mine yesterday. Fired right up and looks pretty good. Nice tint, good heat dissipation (toasty!), great size. The threads are a bit rough (you can see the machining issues between the threads) but some Nyogel has it feeling pretty smooth. BUT, I am also having the mode hiccup, at first when the light got hot running the TF “880s” right out of the box (but I found that if I cycled through a few times I could still get to “high”), but with the first TF run down, recharged and hot off the charger, I couldn’t get to “high” mode at all (just a bright flash), so it was a 2-mode light. Once the battery ran down a bit (to about 3.85v) I got all three modes. And when the light is hot and turned off, then on, I only get “low” mode, until it cools down a bit. Doesn’t that last problem sound like a driver problem and not a battery issue? The modes cycle flawlessly with a 3v CR123 but I bought this light for output, and @ 3v it’s not much different that my 1XAA lights.
And one more thing: a 47s-branded CR123 doesn’t fit but a regular Panasonic USA model does (and I thought Panasonic made the 47s 123s…)
Rey: If the problem lies with these batteries can we get them replaced?
givwn the price I paid for the cells, I wont be worrying,I’ll likely just source some others at some point, I intend to build a couple of 16340 lights now anyway and I dont intend to drive them hard.
out of interest, what are people reading on high at 4.1v?
IMR 16340 (Not all that many cycles on it (I think)).
4.06V since I got bored waiting for the charger
40mA low
630mA med
2140mA high
Since that’s about 2.5C on high for an RCR123 I’d seriously consider using IMR cells as anything above 2C is out of my comfort zone for cheap LiCo cells. But it may be that the internal resistance of cheap LiCo cells is enough to limit the current.
Mine is an NW version by the way.
I’ll fully charge the cell and try again at 4.2V. Results in a bit.
I can do the same for my CW Mini-01 if you want.
no thats fine thanks Don, my meter got very very wet and needs calibrating/replacing, its a bit high for my confort on such little cells as well tbh, I’ll probably hunt down some inr’s at some point.
for my builds I was only planning on a max of 1.5a so hopefully the cells will be fine at that.
Take a look on eBay for ex-MoD Fluke 15s. They’ll be out of calibration but it shouldn’t cost all that much to get them recalibrated - and they tend to cost around 20 quid delivered. The MoD has recently (In the last couple of years - last time I looked on the Bay I found hundreds of them) disposed of an awful lot of them.
I got a Fluke 77 Series 3 which cost me about 30 quid to get recalibrated and the fuses replaced - and about 15 quid to buy.
Where I work, they bin the Fluke or Tektronix meters when the calibration certificate expires. I can check when the next lot’s certs expire and arrange that the bin is where I can get to them. (Just occasionally, working for the Man has its uses)
No guarantees when that will be though.
And the first Tektronix is mine!
I use a yezl and a nitecore in my mini 01… No problem so far with the serious current. I also have used the BLF mini driver in another host with an nitecore 14500 for longer run times without problem and one time a trustfire 14500 but the undervoltage protection tripped fast.
@Tolite: The minis need some lube to operate smooth one drop of oil s should be enough, some reported that after one week with battery inside the spring was a bit more compressed so that this made it smoother too…not sure about that.
How are the lights compared, is the 02 much better or about similiar? How is the feel?
I am fine with the original mini01(i have it on my keys and use it every day) as I want to start in high(brighter is better)
The BLF mini01 driver has another issue beside the pre flash, sometimes there is a 4th mode with 0% duty cycle, which means its switched on but no light comes out…I wrote this in the BLF mini 01 thread after finding it out but no one answered…
I searched eBay for the meters but couldn’t find any fluke in budget range. Can you provide a link?
My pet annoyance about the Mini-02 is that it doesn’t “close” properly. Pics to follow. the Mini-01 (Mine has flashy modes) does this better.
keep us informed on the meters don, mines a megger I’ve had a long time, I’m hoping the calibration firm can repair it to be honest, I’ll have a look on the bay as well though.
Meggers are good. Take a look around for folks who can repair it. The population round you (Greater Manchester has more folks than all of Scotland) is around the population of my country!
There’s sure to be someone who can sort if for sensible money.
thats my thought, its usually fine once its dried out but the ranges are shot now (47.6v li ion anyone?). I’ll get it into the calibration place next week, I’m getting away with my clamp meter but I want my dmm back up and running.
This is the PCM of the battery, no 4th mode
fleibaka
Don’t think you mean Pulse Code Modulation.
Please explain.
PCM: Protection Circuit Module 
PCB: Protection Circuit Board
it means the same
fleibaka