scrutiny on aux led hasn't caught up with proliferation of aux leds

LED Flashlights – General Info
21

fwiw, Anduril 2 recently implemented LVP for Aux… for example, my TS10 lights have Aux LVP…

I dont expect manufacturers to tell me how long the Aux will last on various modes… Im glad there are people here that share parasitic drain measurements.

Same for CRI R9… manufacturers dont offer that info, but people here share their independent measurements.

Same for PWM and Flicker data, not always available from manufacturers nor reviewers… but again, there are people here who share that info.
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btw, that is Opple data… the tool is on sale on Aliex… very helpful for comparing Tint duv also:
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I dont expect reviewers to provide info they dont have equipment to measure, but Im glad there are people here who share additional details.

22

80–20. Yes I am also very in, but i feel like you are being just a bit dramatic (I tried to think of a different word)

cmon…you really feel that way?

edit: For what it is worth I DO agree that at this point it should be treated as a 2nd flashlight.

23

#AskLuxwad

He would make such a good review of this. I have no affiliation, but I think he is making some of the best produced content I have ever seen. Talking outside of flashlights too.

24

I agree. Great combination of high level of technical knowledge, ability to get at what’s important, and great presentation skills.

25

My gf’s got a Cometa that I gave her as an around-the-house light. For me, well, I call mine My Big Blue Lighthouse for obvious reasons, but for her, it’s always on in a dark room in case the lights go out, and bright enough to find even from a distance. But I bug her to occasionally check and recharge all her lights, Just In Case.

I don’t keep ANY lights “armed” (ie, any cells inside) because of parasitic drain, if they’re not in active rotation. Even low-drain sideswitch lights, I either pull the cell entirely, or if a weirdo cell (overly long, etc.) I’ll stick back in any insulator disc to make sure there’s zero current passing through.

Hell, my DV-S9 diving-light has a mag-slider that draws 10mA and will run down a topped-off 26650 in about 3wks. So I only load it up if/when I intend to use it, and unload it immediately after.

So, it should go without saying that any aux lights, lit switches, any other beacons, should only be active in lights that you’re pretty much babysitting on a nightly basis.

Also to add, analysing that kind of drain isn’t always easy. Clamp-meters don’t measure sub-1mA very well if at all. Hell, most don’t even do DC at all. And wired-in current measurement does in at least a small way add resistance and affects the current itself. And that’s worse at lower current ranges.

Plus, some lights like the TS10 are tube-within-a-tube lights, so I wouldn’t even try measuring currents on those.

26

Oh yeh, the only lights which have always-on lights are my TS10, GTmicro, and Cometa.

My ’10 and ’micro, I have right here, and it’s easy enough to check battery voltage.

My Cometa is “semi-retired” for now, just because the My Big Blue Lighthouse is way way way too bright for me at night.

Only my MH20 has “beacon mode” (faint blip every few seconds on the sideswitch) which I can activate with a half-press from off. But any use on then off resets that. But that’s a carry-light, not nightstand light, so I rarely use that feature, even though I like it a lot, as it’s implemented perfectly.

Any other lights that have andy1/andy2, again, if I don’t have then in active rotation, then I keep them unloaded.

27

Maybe if you’re clueless and have nothing better to do with your time, otherwise you could just measure the parasitic drain and then you’ll know whether you’ve got 3 months or 3 years before the aux LEDs will drain the cell.

The OP’s point is that lights with aux LEDs should be scrutinized, i.e. measured.

28

As we are seeing, not everyone uses Aux in the same way. A few people have mentioned that they do not leave them on 24/7, but that is what river345 wants to do.

I think it is great that the OP is developing parasitic drain info, so he knows how long his 24/7 use of Aux would last.

I am also interested in 24/7 locator light application… and appreciate Parasitic drain info that people in this thread are sharing.

the assumption that Aux are Intended to be left on 24/7 is not a universally shared expectation. But it is certainly helpful to know how to measure parasitic drain, so that people who want to use Aux 24/7, can anticipate how often to recharge.

Anticipating how long a light will last on different outputs, both Aux and main LEDs, is a very reasonable objective. I am grateful to all the people that know how to measure parasitic drain, and share that info here.

I will share the Aux drain I can measure, from the new TS25, when it arrives. The order was just placed today, so it may be a couple of weeks before I can share the results. I expect it will also use the latest Anduril 2, with LVP for Aux, pending confirmation.

I expect the TS25 will also have a button indicator light, that can be used as a locator 24/7, pending confirmation.

Meanwhile, I am happily using Low Red Aux on 24/7 on my TS10 with Stock firmware. It has the latest Anduril 2 firmware, with LVP for Aux.
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Same is true for my reflashed SC21 Pro (not the stock Anduril 1). I use the Low Green Button locator light, on 24/7. This reflashed firmware also uses the latest Anduril 2 with LVP for Aux.
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imo a reflashed SC21 Pro is a great light to leave attached to some metal, for example, top of fridge. With indicator light facing the room, so the light can be located in the dark.

I plan to use the new TS25 in a similar way as the SC21 Pro, as they both have tailmagnets, and the same lighted button.

29

well
sometimes they are there for

tint correction

to add spill to a thrower

color effects

those could have pretty significant currents

30

fwiw, Anduril Lights before the TS10 firmware update of 7/19/2022, did not have LVP on button lights, nor on single color Aux.

Anduril builds for lights listed in this repository, https://ghart.com/blf/firmware/hex_files/sofirn_anduril2/
dated after the Wurkkos TS10 update, Do have LVP on the button lights, and single color Aux lights.

So I am happy to use the SC21 Pro, reflashed to Anduril 2 anduril.2022-10-12.sofirn-sc21-pro.hex
with the button light on low, 24/7, safe in the knowledge that the button light has LVP. I have also calculated that parasitic drain should last 10 months, if the light sits unused. I generally recheck my lights batteries every month or two, and I dont store w aux On

I am looking forward to the updated Wurkkos TS25 with firmware:
anduril.2022-08-17.wurkkos-ts25.hex
and lighted button, like the SC21 Pro. For locating the light in the dark, the button light is enough… I dont need aux to be on 24/7. And imo, the button light is more convenient, on a light with a tailmagnet… easier to aim the button in a way that it is visible, while the host is attached by magnet, top of fridge, under a shelf… or as desired

the idea to use aux as 24/7 locator lights, is not necessarily a proper use of Aux… totally depends how bright, and how much power they use

alternatively, people who want a locator function on Anduril lights, could choose to use a beacon mode instead of Aux or Button lights, subject to verification of the parasitic drain levels, and how long the battery can sustain the beacon.

imho, Aux are a novelty, a fun sort of Bling. They are not inherently intended to be left on 24/7 as locator lights… But if someone wants to Aux as locator lights, I think thats great, as long as they do their due diligence and are aware of whether their model has LVP, and have learned how long the parasitic drain would last, if used 24/7…

31

jon, are you saying the sc21 pro before update, will kill a battery if the button light is left on?

do they not have a hardware based low voltage protection?

32

yes, because the button light does not have LVP (unless it is on blinking mode). There IS hardware LVP for the main LED

however, on low mode button light, it should last almost a year, based on this:

so, if youre recharging more often than that, it is nothing to be worried about

otoh, on bright button, the drain will only take 13 days… so… dont leave the light unattended for 3 weeks w bright button On 24/7
otoh, if youre recharging once a week, the lack of bright button LVP is nothing to be worried about

It is really up to the operator, to check battery voltage periodically… best to recharge long before LVP kicks in…

also note, the blinking button mode Does have LVP

I dont know the parasitic drain for the beacon, but since it is not an Aux, it has LVP as part of the main LED circuit

and, if you dont store your light with button light On, the drain is even lower… or if you want to stop all drain, use physical lockout

33

jon, i believe you but how do you have all that inside info?

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Not really inside info, just using and observing the light.

35

glad to share info I collected from others

I read every post, in the BLF threads I participate in. :student:
I do a lot of searching by keywords so I can post links
I read the manuals for the lights I use

I also have a light meter, a DMM, and an Opple,
I check outputs, battery levels, and Tints often,
because I change LEDs in most of my lights.

and, when I learned to reflash the TS10, SC21 Pro, and SP10 Pro, I had a lot of help from some very smart people.

I think most of the info came from SammysHP, Adair21, gchart, the_freeman, ToyKeeper, and several other unsung heroes, whose names escape me at the moment.

36

oh i see
the key is apparently not being lazy
i guess i’ll have to pass on that one :slight_smile:

wle

37

lol thank you… Im just old and bored… still lazy :wink:
Im a retired teacher, so it helps me feel normal to explain stuff

Im sure youre not lazy, probably just different priorities
enjoy your lights, in whatever way makes you happy :wink:

38

I got a TS25 recently, and added the aux drain for the TS25 to the OP.

TS25 (Production version as of 2022-11-15)
Off: 87uA
Blue Low: 131uA
Blue High: 3.2mA
Blue Blink: 257uA
Red Low: 206uA
Red High: 6.25mA
Red Blink: 450uA
Green Low: 213uA
Green High: 2.1mA
Green Blink: 164uA
LVP of 2.8V works at all levels (low, high, blink)

39

I can’t find it now but I believe armytek has said the flashing indicator/switch will drain an 18650 battery in approximately 25 years. That’s a fairly small green flash every 4.8 seconds. It’s enough to find a light in low light conditions or in total darkness. I would assume the LVP works but I’ll be dead in 25 years so I’ll never know. There is some room for error in measuring these things. Edit. It actually changes to an orange flash rather than green when the voltage is down around 3.3v. I’ve only had it that low a few times. And the instructions say it will go to red at some point also. I don’t think I’ve ever seen red with the light off. I have seen red while using the light. So it’s function is to work as a beacon and a battery level indicator.

40

@Oli
Here is the drain of a Wizard C2 Pro. The color matches the state of charge, from green over yellow to red. Eventually it will turn off completely.

Voltage

Color

> 3.4 V

green flashing (every five seconds)

3.1 – 3.4 V

orange flashing (every two seconds)

2.8 – 3.1 V

red flashing (every second)

2.65 – 2.8 V

Firefly without switch LED

< 2.65 V

Flashlight turns off

And here a Prime C2 Pro (notice the different scale):