I had the original one[V1] and it did not have any type of step down.The 30 seconds you see on turbo is when they measured the lumens. they measure it at “turn on” and @ 30 sec.!
The general “Rule of Thumb” for this light and his others were when the handle gets too hot, dial it down a level or Two.
I do like max output.However, I would NEVER let the handle get too hot. I dialed it down as soon as I felt the heat near the switches which is just below the neck.
Basically, even in the summer time it could be used on turbo for 10 to 15 minutes w/ no problem. In the Late fall, winter and Early spring, the heat was no issue whatsoever.Obviously this all depends on where you live! if you live in Florida/Texas or other hot/tropical environments, you would not be able to use it on turbo for extended periods of time. 
