Programming Convoy T4 For 'Emergency use by lay flashlight users'. Your input is requested.

[Kayaker530]

So the Convoy T4 appears to be a very good light for gifting to friends and family that are not interested in flashlights, but recognize a need for a light that will work when they reach for it. I purchased several T4's with the Nichia 519A in 4000K with orange body as gifts to non-technical friends and family. I will be setting them up with a 4 or 8 pack of quality NiMH LSD cells and a simple charger, storage cases, and simplified instructions. These will often be night stand lights, glove box lights , kitchen drawer lights. Owned by people I know that every now and then recognize a need for a light, and reach for one to often find it dead or almost dead. I hope to change their experience.

The current Convoy T4 configuration options are as follows:

group 1 (1%、10%、30%、100%)

group 2 (1% 10%、35%、100%、strobe、biking、batcheck)

group 3 (1%, 10%, 35%, 100% ,this group is the same as the first group, in the next batch this group will be deleted)

group 4 (100%、35%、10%、1%)

group 5 (1%、20%、100%、strobe、biking、batcheck、sos)
group 6 (1%、20%、100%)

group 7 (100%、20%、1%)

group 8(1%、10%、50%、strobe、biking、batcheck、sos)

group 9 (1%、10%、50%)

group 10 (50%、10%、1%)

group 11 (20%、100%)

group 12(100%、20%)

group 13(100%)


Modes that I think look the most interesting for gifting lights to others:

group 4 (100%、35%、10%、1%)

group 7 (100%、20%、1%)


group 10 (50%、10%、1%)

group 12(100%、20%)

So far I have been programming them as Group 10. That has been very well received. They don't know that the lights will go brighter. They get what I guess to be about 150 lumens on high, 30 lumens on medium, and about 3 lumens on low. I disable memory mode. When they turn on the light they get about 150 lumens. If they remember the training and realize it is a multi-mode light, they can turn down the intensity and preserve battery life. No strobes. Only 3 output levels that are useful. When they have their moment and reach for the light, they get a satisfying 150 plus lumens of light with a reasonable run time.

What programming group would you suggest and wny?

These lights will be powered by either NiMH, Lithium Primary, or Alkaline.

Thanks for your input with an emphasis on the WHY.

 

[jon_slider]

Mode	Mode Claimed Output (lm)	Claimed Runtime	Measured Lumens	Tailcap Amps @3V
100%	100%	–	289	1.40
30%	30%	–	110	0.42
10%	10%	–	33	0.12
1%	1%	–	2.8	0.00

those outputs come from this review

I agree w your guess that 50% = about 150 lumens
and I agree w your choice of group 10, however, for indoor use imo 33 lumens is great! so I would enable memory and give them the light preset to the 10% mode.

That way they will have plenty of light, and long runtime, for indoor distances. IF they want to use the light for longer than indoor distances, they will need to learn how to change modes. IF they do change modes, the light will remember the last mode used.. which imo is good, because it is convenient and will not force them to relearn how to change modes in the future, unless they want to.

IF you think they are going to be interested enough to learn to change modes, I would consider setting the light up in Mode 8, so they have access to battcheck.. Depends how long they tend to leave the light unused. I dont know how long the batteries will hold a charge, but hopefully long enough not to find them dead when they need the light.

 

[scalpel_ninja]

IIRC the original mode groups are numbered slightly off because group 3 was deleted. So all groups following group 2 are moved up by one. Therefore selecting group 12 on paper would actually be 11 blinks.

 

[jon_slider]

fwiw, since people who are not active flashlight users, dont check their batteries voltage, an alternative light I suggest for Emergency use is the Sofirn SC21 Pro because it has an indicator light on the button, plus a magnet.


If the light is placed somewhere that will be seen in the dark, for example, on top of the Fridge, they might notice when the button light changes from Solid Green to Blinking Green at around 3.1V.

The light has built in charging, so they dont need to store or maintain eneloops. And since the light uses Anduril 2, it can be set up to limit the ceiling to a safely low output, I would use level 90 as the ceiling, which is about 125 lumens. And then gift the light when it is set to Simple Mode, with the button light set to solid Green, on its low mode to prolong battery life (about 10 months).

 

[Kayaker530]

IIRC the original mode groups are numbered slightly off because group 3 was deleted. So all groups following group 2 are moved up by one. Therefore selecting group 12 on paper would actually be 11 blinks.

In the batch of lights that I just received from the official store a few days ago, Group 3 is still active. Group flash counts are as indicated above.

 

[TIFisher]

Why limit max output? 300 lumens is totally reasonable for a light of this type running NiMH. I run Eneloops in mine, group 1, mode memory off. The mode spacing in that group covers most use case scenarios without stepping on each other. Low to high is more natural for most casual users. I don't see the need for battery check with NiMH. By the time the cells get low enough to warrant swapping or recharging, the light will stop cycling higher modes.
Liion is a different scenario, and although I have dedicated matched cells to run in my T4, I stick with NiMH for longer term storage and ability to handle wider temperature variations. My version does not have the driver compatible with lithium primaries. If it did, they would be my choice. I would never put an alkaleak in any light I was counting on in a pinch unless it was a burner set for an emergency reload.

 

[Kayaker530]

Why limit max output? 300 lumens is totally reasonable for a light of this type running NiMH. I run Eneloops in mine, group 1, mode memory off. The mode spacing in that group covers most use case scenarios without stepping on each other. Low to high is more natural for most casual users. I don't see the need for battery check with NiMH. By the time the cells get low enough to warrant swapping or recharging, the light will stop cycling higher modes.
Liion is a different scenario, and although I have dedicated matched cells to run in my T4, I stick with NiMH for longer term storage and ability to handle wider temperature variations. My version does not have the driver compatible with lithium primaries. If it did, they would be my choice. I would never put an alkaleak in any light I was counting on in a pinch unless it was a burner set for an emergency reload.

I appreciate your input. For a light that is used by my wife, myself, and our flashlight minded friends, I entirely agree with you.

These lights will be gifted to friends and family that we know well. I have tried to help them with lights in the past; and failed. I learned from observations and discussions with them. They want AA compatible lights. They are not used to flashlights with even a Low / High setting and forgot that the past gifts came on in low setting, but high could be selected. They were frustrated several months later when their nice light was so dim! (On low setting with strong batteries). They want flashlights of about this physical size. They want a color they can find easily in dim setting.

Because they want a 'bright' setting, I want to have it come on High as default, but lower modes can be selected if they remember. Because they may not select a more appropriate lower mode, I want to limit the output to extend the runtime.

For some of these people, Lithium Primaries will be the batteries that I supply. For others, I may try Eneloops. I agree about avoiding Alkaline except for specific situations. When I have tried to talk with most of them about Li-ion safety their eyes glaze over and they checkout.

Again, I do appreciate your thoughts on this. I am learning about this for myself and for extended family and friends.

 

[TIFisher]

I appreciate your input. For a light that is used by my wife, myself, and our flashlight minded friends, I entirely agree with you.

These lights will be gifted to friends and family that we know well. I have tried to help them with lights in the past; and failed. I learned from observations and discussions with them. They want AA compatible lights. They are not used to flashlights with even a Low / High setting and forgot that the past gifts came on in low setting, but high could be selected. They were frustrated several months later when their nice light was so dim! (On low setting with strong batteries). They want flashlights of about this physical size. They want a color they can find easily in dim setting.

Because they want a 'bright' setting, I want to have it come on High as default, but lower modes can be selected if they remember. Because they may not select a more appropriate lower mode, I want to limit the output to extend the runtime.

For some of these people, Lithium Primaries will be the batteries that I supply. For others, I may try Eneloops. I agree about avoiding Alkaline except for specific situations. When I have tried to talk with most of them about Li-ion safety their eyes glaze over and they checkout.

Again, I do appreciate your thoughts on this. I am learning about this for myself and for extended family and friends.

It's a noble gesture for sure, but sounds like your intended recipients aren't really 'in the game' so to speak. If it were me, I'd be buying a box of those $1 Ozark trail (OL50) lights and handing them out instead. Lots of pretty colors, one switch, one mode, decent beam, 3AAA cartridge. I have several, and don't worry about losing them or getting destroyed by alkaline leaks.
Best of luck.

 

[Kayaker530]

This is another one of my experiments and efforts to help friends and family and neighbors. Some of them appreciate the efforts right away, some of them really appreciate it at a future time when the power goes out, and some perhaps never do. That's okay. I know that we made the effort too help them be safer and more comfortable.

I do appreciate the input.

 

[Eldan]

This suggestion made a lot of sense to me. I put a T4, group 10, no memory, in each vehicle. Thank you.

 

[letschat7]

Group 6 seems ideal for a daily user.

 

[Eldan]

The flashlights are not for daily use. They're left inside the cars for occasional/emergency use by "non-flashlight" people who may not even be aware that the flashlight has multiple modes.

 

[letschat7]

Get a CR123 light so you don't have to worry about leaks and it lasts 10-20 years.

 

[Eldan]

I think the ability to use any AA cells in a pinch is also a plus. I'm not worried about leaks because they have Eneloops now.