I just received an Acebeam UC15 froM HKEquipment.
It seems that they have quietly redone the firmware to a significant degree.
None of this is reflected in the packaging (yet), but the (truly horrible) instruction sheet attempts to describe some of it.
First, new modes have been added and the existing ones have new values:
NiMH AAA:
- moonlight - 5 lumens
- low - 30 lumens
- medium - 60 lumens
- high - 105 lumens
- turbo - 250 lumens
10440 Li-Ion:
- moonlight - 5 lumens
- low - 140 lumens
- medium - 330 lumens
- high - 600 lumens (stepdown to 200)
- turbo - 1000 lumens (stepdown to 200)
The moonlight mode is exclusively available from the "OFF" position. Once the light is powered up, you cannot return to moonlight without powering it down first.
Turbo can be accessed directly using a double-click from various starting points
The UI is considerably more complicated, and involves the use of three different types of long button presses: 1, 2, and 5 seconds. The 1 and 2 second presses are indistinguishable on the instruction sheet (except where space allows for a text label) as the dotted lines in the flow chart appear identical. In practical use, however, you can work it out by simply holding down the button and watching the light cycle through all the possibilities.
Operations are divided into 3 functional groups: white, turbo white, and colored. Once you are within a group, you release the button and you can then (1 second) long-press to cycle through the supported functions (low-medium-high; red-uv).
The 5-second button push is exclusively used from the OFF position to implement the lockout function. The light will cycle through different modes, finally blinking 3 times and shutting down at 5 seconds. Holding it for 5 seconds from that state will unlock it and send it to the last used mode.
The 3-blink sequence indicating lockout is not documented anywhere.
Also, nowhere in the included instructions is there mention of things that are found in the online publicity materials:
- The fact that the backlight on the power button functions as a battery level indicator, changing color from green to red as the voltage drops; or what the corresponding ranges are for different battery types. [In fact, if you believe the instruction sheet, you would conclude that the sole purpose of the green backlight is to indicate that the flashlight is operating in "color" (red or UV) mode].
- The fact that the red LED will blink to indicate low battery condition.
