LRI Photon Freedom

[this_is_nascar]

Glad to see they're still in use by many.

 

[scout24]

Just put a 3200k Yuji in one of mine. =) Excellent nightstand or getting-to-the-treestand light.

 

[this_is_nascar]

Just added a Freedom Covert UV to the Photon collection.

 

[lampeDépêche]

The Photon Freedom has never been excelled, in my opinion, for a coin-cell light running a 5mm LED. I have maybe a dozen of them.

One of them I use just about every night for reading in bed, on my Speshul Set-Up. It's so speshul that I'm telling only you!

I bought a pair of cheap plastic reading-glasses from the grocery store. They cost me--literally--US$1.00. Ugly bright blue things with plastic frames.

Then I took an 11/16th" (maybe 17mm?) neodymium magnetic disc and super-glued it to the corner of the glasses frames, outboard of the right lens, in front of the hinge. The flat side of the disc is almost perpendicular to a line tangent to both lenses, but it aims a little bit in, so that the light converges at about 30-40 cms in front of my face.

The magnet fits exactly into the recess on the back of the Photon. I can pop the light onto the glasses frame, and it swivels up and down on the disc.

Then I lie in bed with my Covert Red and read my book of the day until I fall asleep. It keeps the light out of my wife's eyes, and does not suppress melatonin.

Best of all, when I roll over asleep, the Photon pops off the magnet, but the magnet does not come unglued from the frame. Or when I drop my glasses on the floor, or they get tumbled into the bedclothes--the magnetic attachment keeps the glue from breaking off the frame. (Though I did once break the magnet from the frame by pressing on the on/off switch while the Photon was on the magnet. Now, I always pull the Photon off the magnet, turn it off or on, and then pop it back on).

I get dozens of hours of reading out of one 2032 coin cell. After it becomes too dim, I save it. When I have a pair of them, then I use my Petzl e+LITE as my reading light, using the two low-voltage 2032s until they are thoroughly worn out.

It's a great system! Okay, now you have to pay me a million dollars because I told you my Speshul Secret technique.

If you like Photons, then you should definitely get some of these 11/16ths inch magnets. They do lots of fun tricks together.

For instance: glue a disc onto the tailcap of your Zebralight headlamp. Now slide it through your headstrap and you can click a Photon onto it, and your ZL has a red light on it, which aims up and down. Or a blue light, or a UV, or whatever.

 

[this_is_nascar]

Great response. Thanks for sharing.

 

[eh4]

The only downside with the Freedom is the parasitic drain of the electric switch. In that one way, the Photon I and II are better as lights to set back and forget about until they're needed.
I've got a Freedom that lives in a winter jacket pocket, and it's always a little bit disappointing to find the battery run down without use after a year or two.

 

[this_is_nascar]

I have Freedoms that I found the other day which have been sitting for years and they're fine and fired.

That drain is so low, it hasn't been a factor for me. As I age, I find my EDC lessening. I no longer want or require a folder, big pry bars, etc, on my person.

A small Victorinox SAK and a 1xAAA light is really all I need. I'll have these Freedoms deployed within the house and as zipper pulls.

 

[lampeDépêche]

I'm surprised to hear that the Freedom has parasitic drain. Has anyone measured it?

In a pocket, it could also be getting squeezed on now and then. And of course after four sequential squeezes, it will be constant-on, which will definitely drain it.

 

[this_is_nascar]

The drain is almost non-existent.

 

[eh4]

maybe it's something else then, same light has burned a couple batteries that way.

 

[this_is_nascar]

maybe it's something else then, same light has burned a couple batteries that way.

Maybe a defective unit?

 

[gurdygurds]

Cool. I always like reading about how people downsize or become more minimal with their stuff as time goes on. I'm currently on a spending freeze but think I have a photon of some sort buried in the closet I need to try and find. SAK Alox classic is a true EDC item for me. I feel naked without it.

I have Freedoms that I found the other day which have been sitting for years and they're fine and fired.

That drain is so low, it hasn't been a factor for me. As I age, I find my EDC lessening. I no longer want or require a folder, big pry bars, etc, on my person.

A small Victorinox SAK and a 1xAAA light is really all I need. I'll have these Freedoms deployed within the house and as zipper pulls.

 

[Timothybil]

Back in the day (90s) I had Photon IIs on all the coat/jacket zippers in the house. I still have a couple in a drawer here. I currently have Tubes on my jacket and coat. I have thought about upgrading to Tips, but don't really see the need. I do have a Tip on my keychain though.

 

[eh4]

Maybe a defective unit?

Maybe, the simplest explanation would be that it got squashed twice somehow and was turned on low or high, unnoticed in the jacket pocket.
I've got a red bike flasher light that developed a severe drain over time, to the extent that it would glow dimly when off, and after it has happened twice I jumped to the conclusion that something similar happened to the Freedom...
If there's ever a Freedom II with a mechanical lockout for the battery, I'd snap those up.

 

[this_is_nascar]

Maybe, the simplest explanation would be that it got squashed twice somehow and was turned on low or high, unnoticed in the jacket pocket.
I've got a red bike flasher light that developed a severe drain over time, to the extent that it would glow dimly when off, and after it has happened twice I jumped to the conclusion that something similar happened to the Freedom...
If there's ever a Freedom II with a mechanical lockout for the battery, I'd snap those up.

You can enable signalling mode in the Freedom, so the switch only turns on when press and held.

This ensures it won't stay turned on in your pocket.

 

[gurdygurds]

If the Freedom can be set to signaling mode, what's the allure of the Photon Micro 1?

Edit: I may have answered my own question. I figured signaling mode was basically momentary, but if you hold for too long in signaling mode, it looks like it kicks you back to regular mode.

You can enable signalling mode in the Freedom, so the switch only turns on when press and held.

This ensures it want stay turned on in your pocket.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Gurdygurds,
Your inbox is full, sir

Here is a 2 minute video comparing stock Photon Freedom (notice the Pulse Width Modulation while ramping up) with a Yuji daylight Freedom, a warm Yuji with only a 2032 battery which may not be particularly fresh, and a newer amber driven by a decent 2032 in a knockoff Photon type host. Used a Zebralight SC62d to kick things off.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Rk5Oku4JAcssmb7l1

 

[gurdygurds]

Great video! Thanks for posting that! Very cool comparison. I found a little edit: titanium keylight, that someone sent as an extra with a VME head i bought and I hit it with sandpaper which smoothed out the beam and got rid of some of the blue. Of course I wouldn't do that with a Yuji. I think they all look great in their own way and I really like that amber. Inbox is cleared out and thanks again for the video!

Gurdygurds,
Your inbox is full, sir

Here is a 2 minute video comparing stock Photon Freedom (notice the Pulse Width Modulation while ramping up) with a Yuji daylight Freedom, a warm Yuji with only a 2032 battery which may not be particularly fresh, and a newer amber driven by a decent 2032 in a knockoff Photon type host. Used a Zebralight SC62d to kick things off.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Rk5Oku4JAcssmb7l1

 

[eh4]

Good solution, I'd forgotten about momentary only / signal mode. I also like how self explanatory the mode switch is... try momentary clicking 3+ times and you're in momentary, hold down momentary for a few seconds and you're back to ramping, very nice.

 

[this_is_nascar]

If the Freedom can be set to signaling mode, what's the allure of the Photon Micro 1?

Edit: I may have answered my own question. I figured signaling mode was basically momentary, but if you hold for too long in signaling mode, it looks like it kicks you back to regular mode.

Correct.