Hi everyone,
I have my Nitecore E4A completely drainning my eneloop (also tried with other Duracell long discharge cells).
Is it normal? I first though maybe the flashlight was defect, but I also tried on a second Nitecore E4AW, same results.
I leave the flashlight beside my bed, with the bliking switch. But after 7-10 days, no more power in the batteries.
I’ll try a different set of batteries, but I was wondering if any of you had the same issue.
Thanks
Yes, it’s an inconvenient truth. (sorry, had to do that, I should go to bed.)
It’s called parasitic drain, and the micro-circuit drains little current to power the circuit and the electronic switch.
I think you can lock it out, so that no current is flowing by twisting the barrel a little bit.
Does that apply to the E8A too? I have it also right beside my bed, so far so good. But maybe it has twice the batteries… 
Yes, I presume that’s the case with the EA8 as well, but it does take twice the amount of batteries, so theoretically it would take twice as long to drain them, given that the parasitic drain current is the same.
I think some members were actually able to measure the current, but I can’t seem to find it.
I’ve noticed the older models blink the switch for a lot longer, which results in more parasitic power drain. Mine is a very quick blip, and it takes months to drain the cells.
Unfortunately, there is no tailcap lockout, so the only long term storage option is to remove the cells.
I have had the same batteries in mine for 3 weeks and yesterday I checked. The light said there was still 5.2 volts left. Nothing like the loss that you are getting.
i dont think that it is possible to measure standby drain current on this model.
I see, thanks for chiming in, as I don’t own a EA4, although I would love to. 
i have had the same set of energizer lithium primaries in mine since i got it. i have used it quite a bit, though i tend to grab my mag mod or blf a8 for most tasks. i just checked and they measure 6v.
i have had mine since early February
Sounds like you just left it in standby mode which does drain the battery.
If you’re not using it anytime soon, you can lock out by holding the button down for a few seconds. The light will flash once and the button will blink a few times. To turn on the light again you will need to hold the button down for a few seconds and the light will come back on and operate as normal.
This lockout mode still drains the battery, but at a slower rate. I’ve had mine on lockout on and off for over a month at least (I haven’t used the light that many times - sitting in my scooter).
As noted above, there is no hardware lock out mode on this light (ie. loosening the body from the head).
I’ve had the same cells in mine since I bought it and they’re still reading 5.2 V I think, but this is off, not standby (hold the button and then it flashes the volts then turns off).
If you took the light apart you could measure standby current this way.
yes, i always lock mine out.
while light is on, hold the button all the way in for a few seconds, the light will flash as stated. the flashes on the side switch is the battery voltage. so say the side switch flashes 5 times, pause, then 7 times, your voltage is 5.7v. if it flashes 6 times, voltage is 6v
Cool info… I didn’t know that the flashes when going to lockout told you how much voltage is left.
I’m aware the lock out mode, but I think it drainned by battery.
And when I was referring about “drainning”, it’s to zero. Couldnt start the flashlight anymore.
you have Uni-T multimeter and EA4?
are you able to measure standby and lockout drains? ;)
I don’t think I can get it apart so easily. ;_;
I have two of them and they both have serious parasitic drain problems as you describe.
Vraklower: Did you have the problem even in lockout mode??
I would think that locking it out as described above should do the trick. Sometimes I forget to lock them out - I’ve got too many lights to keep track of all of them!
I’m pretty sure that I had the same problem in lockout mode. But I’ll test again.
How about your experience?
Each of the EA4 have been purchased in differents places
Honestly, I don’t remember if I had them in lockout mode. Both were also purchased at different places. I’ll test them out and report back here in a week or so.
Still, I cant believe a little blinking LED and a memory can drain 4 AAs batteries in such a short time.
But i’ll do another test run.