LiteFlux LF3XT Inductor Whine

[Art Vandelay]

Has anybody made a recording of the whine? I'd like to hear it. How much does this have to do with the light, and how much is it related to the hearing of the user?

 

[Norm]

I didn't see the box to tick for the user whines loudly :kiss:
Isn't it great to be old and deaf to anything above 12kHz.

 

[Armed_Forces]

Norm, didn't you mean "whinges"?

 

[mr.snakeman]

I must be one of the luckily lotted as none of my LiteFlux (LF2X, LF3XT, LX5XT) or my Litecore (D10, EX10) lights make any sound at all. To control that my hearing isn`t at fault I checked it by using my tone generator and my Sennheiser HD650 headphones and discovered that I still (I`m close to 64) can hear up to about 18khz. Me happy

 

[baterija]

Re: Age & LiteFlux LF3XT Inductor Whine

At 50% in a quiet area, actively trying to notice it, I can detect mine close to my ear with the noise increasing as I ramp up. In FUI my usual max mode of 60% is detectable down near waist level when it's very quiet and I am listening. None of my other FUI programmed levels is noticeable even right up against my ear. Even at it's loudest it disappears into the ambient at about a foot to a foot and a half from my ear when I am sitting in front of my laptop with it's cooling at idle.

 

[Flying Turtle]

Wouldn't a gob of silicone caulk work well enough as a reversible, sound damping compound in this case?

Geoff

 

[bondr006]

I cannot hear the whine at 100%, but both my wife and 6 year old son can. They both say they can clearly hear it. I guess too much rock and roll and NAVY jets on the flight deck for me, because I cannot hear it at all. I am 48 and retired Navy btw...

 

[litework]

I can hear it at 100%. It isn't noticeable until I put it pretty close to my ear.

 

[StandardBattery]

Both my LF3 and LF5 have inductor whine and it's just a bit annoying. I chose 'slightly', but as others have noted that is likely due more to my hearing than anything. I hear it mostly at night when everything is quiet and it seems to change and even disappear from time to time. They are the only lights I own that I know to do this.

 

[h2oflyer]

I'm 66 and I can hear mine start whining on the ramp up at about 80% - constant from their to 100% . Very slight whine. I never noticed it until I read this thread.

On the lighter side: -- The difference between a puppy and the LF3XT is the puppy eventually stops whining.

Walter

 

[dirtybore]

Well, out of 29 owners (myself included) responding - 18 have a light that whines. I suppose that I'll keep mine as this just appears to be the nature of the beast. If it weren't for the whining I'd like it more than my Fenix P2D. Not one other of my LED lights whines. It's too bad LiteFlux has this issue on an otherwise nearly perfect (IMO) light.

 

[BabyDoc]

Well, out of 29 owners (myself included) responding - 18 have a light that whines. I suppose that I'll keep mine as this just appears to be the nature of the beast. If it weren't for the whining I'd like it more than my Fenix P2D. Not one other of my LED lights whines. It's too bad LiteFlux has this issue on an otherwise nearly perfect (IMO) light.

If the problem with your light has bothered you enough to start an entire thread to find out if others are suffering, why don't you just exchange your light for another one. You have shown that a number of people experience this problem to some extent, but there are a lot of people who don't. I would bet that it is not the nature of the beast, but of the sample you got. You can prove this by having a number of people listen to your light. If they all hear it whine, the problem isn't in your super acute hearing but in your light. I am quite certain that EliteLED would select a light for you that doesn't wine in exchange for yours that obviously does. Then you will be able to enjoy your LF3XT as thoroughly as you should.

 

[h2oflyer]

I don't see what's wrong with starting a thread about an annoying whine.

I suppose if someone wanted to start a thread about less than stellar output compared to other 1xCR123 lights (as per reviews )would that be due to a poor sample ?

A lot of LF3XT owners are objective rather than sycophantic about the light. We all learn from threads such as this one - if we keep an open mind.

Walter

 

[StandardBattery]

Well, out of 29 owners (myself included) responding - 18 have a light that whines. I suppose that I'll keep mine as this just appears to be the nature of the beast. If it weren't for the whining I'd like it more than my Fenix P2D. Not one other of my LED lights whines. It's too bad LiteFlux has this issue on an otherwise nearly perfect (IMO) light.

It's definitely the nature of the beast, that does not mean there are not some number of them that don't. I have several lights and for my ears only my two LiteFlux whine. If the electronics are unpotted you could try to disassemble it and pot the driver, or try to find some small ferrite cores and see if putting them on the inductor leads helps. Or adding some mass to the inductor might help or just changing it's mounting. I noticed mine can do it on a few levels, but it also often stops.

 

[h2oflyer]

You're right StandardBattery, it is the nature of the beast. I guess there's no such thing as a perfect light.

I wouldn't be aware of this little defect if it wasn't for this thread.

Walter

 

[BabyDoc]

I don't see what's wrong with starting a thread about an annoying whine.

I suppose if someone wanted to start a thread about less than stellar output compared to other 1xCR123 lights (as per reviews )would that be due to a poor sample ?

A lot of LF3XT owners are objective rather than sycophantic about the light. We all learn from threads such as this one - if we keep an open mind.

Walter

If you are suggesting I am sycophantic about the LF3XT and don't have an open mind, I find that rather offensive. Furthermore, I never said there was a problem with this thread. I just don't understand if someone is so bothered by a defective sample, why he doesn't return it for one that isn't. I wouldn't be comforted by this survey knowing that there are other lights with this problem, if I could have gotten one that doesn't.

This thread has shown there IS a problem with the LF3XT if a signficant number of these lights have a whine of some sort. However, NOT every sample whines loudly, or are you suggesting they all do to some extent? Since these lights have a warranty, why not take advantage of it and get a light sample that doesn't whine, before concluding that it is the nature of every one of these lights? Finally, if more people returned their lights, perhaps LiteFlux would improve the product. If you recall, there were a number of people having a "tap-off problem" with the LF5XT. As a result of the discussion that went on here and people returning their lights, LiteFlux quickly resolved the problem for future runs,and fixed any defective light returned to them.

Furthermore, for the record, as much as I like the LF3XT overall, it isn't perfect, and I have voiced complaints before about the light. The instruction manual sucks. The sharp corners on the end cap could be improved upon. There is no clip or place for clip to be easily attached. The switch gums up too easily because it is exposed. The light may have the best beam going, but its throw isn't all that good compared to other lights its size. If this sounds sycophantic, then I don't understand this big word.

 

[dirtybore]

If the problem with your light has bothered you enough to start an entire thread to find out if others are suffering, why don't you just exchange your light for another one.

I don't see what's wrong with starting a thread about an annoying whine.

If you are suggesting I am sycophantic about the LF3XT and don't have an open mind, I find that rather offensive. Furthermore, I never said there was a problem with this thread. I just don't understand if someone is so bothered by a defective sample, he doesn't just return it for one that isn't.

Uh, guys.....? It's OK - really.

I was just interested that's all.

BabyDoc, it appears as if my thread annoyed you. I realize that things such as voice inflection and facial expressions can be lost with the written word, yet at the same time you are obviously quite literate. I assume from your member name you are a medical doctor; this also leads me to the conclusion that you are an educated member of our society.

That being said, I believe h2oflyer (Walter) was commenting on the manner in which you put forth your question, as well as your obvious passion for this light. We can only infer your meaning by what you type here.

Being passionate is important. I don't think we should be criticizing one and other here, especially for being passionate about our forum's subject matter. That's why we're all here; right?

I sure none of us would be eager to ask a question (or start a poll) if the responses were less than friendly. As I stated above, I really have no idea if this was your intention or not. Maybe others read it as being a little abrupt that's all.

Alright then, I suppose I'll have to ask the obvious question:

What's so wrong about me whining about a little whining?

 

[h2oflyer]

I think this thread has accomplished what it set out to do. Over 51% of respondants said the light has a whine. End of conversation.

Walter

 

[Flying Turtle]

Hey dirtybore. If you haven't done this already check out the thread concerning the whine in the LD01. https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/220381 I guess I never realized the cause is likely due to the use of PWM in a light. While we can't see it in the LF3XT it's still there and audible in varying degrees. Sorry you got a loud one. Now I'm off to stick some lights in my ear to test the PWM idea. :shakehead

Geoff

 

[madi05]

i hear the whine, yoohooo, lol i read this again so i did some experimenting ,, i took another light of mine and the lf3xt and turned off everything in my daughters bedroom being it is smaller than ours and her curtains make it darker ,, and i turned off the lights and turned on both lights and low and behold i didnt hear it ,, well thin when i went to shut my lght off ,, my third mode is set at strobe btw ,, i double tapped to get back to my lowest setting and i heard something on strobe ,, and so i put it next to my ear and low and behold i heard it making a digital sound on strobe ,, very faint and doesnt bother me at all but i do hear it ,, and so i switched it back to high mode and heard it there constant ,, but nothing on low mode ,, so in conclusion i do hear it slightly but i have to listen for it for sure , lol

after reading these others saying that i was thinking u guys were hearing things, lmao but it is i who wasnt listening well, lol

anyway in conclusion i feel it really sounds like it has something to do with the juice getting put to the driver when on high and nothing that annoying imho

madi05

btw i wouldnt trade it for the world ,, i still feel this is the best in its class and i appreciate babydocs and many others time on it

i love my new pvd body as well and it is smaller when i removed the crenulations ,, now i going to try another one with another pvd color, just because