Spy Questions
- Thread starter Hodsta
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PoliceScannerMan
Flashaholic
Will Fenix or NiteCore or DX or (insert China light name here) rip off the spy design? It seems like its bound to happen. If it does it will suck.
On the interior walls of my SPY007, where batteries are inserted, there is writing: a "74" on one side, and a line on the other. Appears to be a permanent marker.
- Do I win some type of prize?
- Is there any significance to the number?
- What is the meaning of life? Is it truly "74" and not "42?"
- Is this finally proof positive of life on Mars?
Thanks!
-Jim
- Do I win some type of prize?
- Is there any significance to the number?
- What is the meaning of life? Is it truly "74" and not "42?"
- Is this finally proof positive of life on Mars?
Thanks!
-Jim
Scottiver
Enlightened
Yep, mine has some sort of writing inside of it too. Can't quite make it out though.
Yes:nana:
tino_ale
Flashlight Enthusiast
What design are you talking about? A real clone in aluminium for example or just the two batteries arrangement ?
PoliceScannerMan
Flashaholic
The whole shebang. Side by side batts with a knob next to the led that operates the multi-level light. Most likely it would be Black HA type III.
OK - I have a question for the smart guys, well smarter than me anyhows. I'm expecting a wide response here as that is a pretty wide category of Spy folks
.
I'm using AWR RCR123s in one of my Spys. Fully charged they read about 3.81v off the charger via the inbuilt battery meter and they are fairly new cells. Firstly, I would expect the reading to be higher - closer to 4.3v. Does the inbuilt battery meter test under load, would this be why the voltage is not as high as expected?
Secondly, given that the fraternity of LiIon battery experts seem to recommend that RCRs are not discharged below 3.6v (way above the limit of the protection circuit) should I be recharging the cells at 3.6v as indicated via the inbuilt battery meter or at a lower voltage?:thinking:
The Spy is rock solid, and that is one of the best things about it, however I suspect this would lead to an interesting specticle if cells were ever to vent with flame or undergo rapid disassembly whilst contained in this cool little titanium vault! Understandably, I think, I want to be fully up to speed on safe battery usage in the Spy.
My final question is born of pure curiosity and it will make no substantial difference to my life if never find the answer. Using a fresh set of primaries I tested my new Spy over 3 days (about 15 intervals) and got readings that started at 2.98v, ended at 3.03v fluctuating between 2.96v-3.06v inbetween. This makes absolutely no real world difference to me just interested what factors cause the variation.
The only reason I went through the above was to check I did not have "off battery drain". I suspected I had, until I came to appreciate just how much Level 6 at 1250mA rips through cells!
thanks in advance
Hods
.I'm using AWR RCR123s in one of my Spys. Fully charged they read about 3.81v off the charger via the inbuilt battery meter and they are fairly new cells. Firstly, I would expect the reading to be higher - closer to 4.3v. Does the inbuilt battery meter test under load, would this be why the voltage is not as high as expected?
Secondly, given that the fraternity of LiIon battery experts seem to recommend that RCRs are not discharged below 3.6v (way above the limit of the protection circuit) should I be recharging the cells at 3.6v as indicated via the inbuilt battery meter or at a lower voltage?:thinking:
The Spy is rock solid, and that is one of the best things about it, however I suspect this would lead to an interesting specticle if cells were ever to vent with flame or undergo rapid disassembly whilst contained in this cool little titanium vault! Understandably, I think, I want to be fully up to speed on safe battery usage in the Spy.
My final question is born of pure curiosity and it will make no substantial difference to my life if never find the answer
. Using a fresh set of primaries I tested my new Spy over 3 days (about 15 intervals) and got readings that started at 2.98v, ended at 3.03v fluctuating between 2.96v-3.06v inbetween. This makes absolutely no real world difference to me just interested what factors cause the variation. The only reason I went through the above was to check I did not have "off battery drain". I suspected I had, until I came to appreciate just how much Level 6 at 1250mA rips through cells!
thanks in advance
Hods
Hodsta,
OK, I forgot to tell you that the battery meter tops out at 3.75 volts. It will not read much above that. Soooooooooooooooooo, for rechargeable batteries, you can still use it to tell you when the batteries are at their bottom as long as that is below 3.75V. The temperature of the batteries and the light will affect the voltage reading. Letting the light set in rook temp for a couple yours before taking a reading will provide a more consistent result. I have tested the STFu reading against my Fluke DMM and found it to be very accurate.
The battery meter tests the batteries when they are under almost no load.
It is always a good idea to stay up on your rechargeable battery technology. I do not use rechargeable batteries and because of that I know very little about them. Even primary batteries can explode if they are defective but that will not turn the SPY into a pipe bomb. The battery cap on the SPY is specially designed to vent the the internal pressure before it reaches a dangerous level.
Never put two used batteries in the SPY, only new batteries that you know are of the same voltage.
Finally, the battery off drain problem is way behind us. That was a coding fault of mine that was remedied before the first 007 was made.
Cheers
Dave
OK, I forgot to tell you that the battery meter tops out at 3.75 volts. It will not read much above that. Soooooooooooooooooo, for rechargeable batteries, you can still use it to tell you when the batteries are at their bottom as long as that is below 3.75V. The temperature of the batteries and the light will affect the voltage reading. Letting the light set in rook temp for a couple yours before taking a reading will provide a more consistent result. I have tested the STFu reading against my Fluke DMM and found it to be very accurate.
The battery meter tests the batteries when they are under almost no load.
It is always a good idea to stay up on your rechargeable battery technology. I do not use rechargeable batteries and because of that I know very little about them. Even primary batteries can explode if they are defective but that will not turn the SPY into a pipe bomb. The battery cap on the SPY is specially designed to vent the the internal pressure before it reaches a dangerous level.
Never put two used batteries in the SPY, only new batteries that you know are of the same voltage.
Finally, the battery off drain problem is way behind us. That was a coding fault of mine that was remedied before the first 007 was made.
Cheers
Dave
Dave, thanks for the quick response. The failsafe built into the battery cap is nice to know, even though it is highly, highly unlikely it will ever be needed by any of us, given a little care.
I should have assumed you had considered this detail seing as you have considered most others
.
PoliceScannerMan
Flashaholic
Does anyone elses Spy flicker on level 2?
I think its something I did with a powerup....
Both my Spy's do it.
I think its something I did with a powerup....
Both my Spy's do it.
Morelite
Flashlight Enthusiast
Does anyone elses Spy flicker on level 2?
I think its something I did with a powerup....
Both my Spy's do it.
Mine is fine on all levels, but I haven't played with any of the power-up features other than the lock-out.
Does anyone elses Spy flicker on level 2?
I think its something I did with a powerup....
Both my Spy's do it.
A small amount of flicker is normal. The lower you adjust power level two the more it can be seen. You have to look for it though as it usually goes unnoticed. It is a result of my constant current tracking algorithm working in the course range of the control loop.
Cheers
Dave
souptree
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2005
- Messages
- 1,175
Is this true on all levels or just level two?
just level 2
PoliceScannerMan
Flashaholic
:thinking:
Thanks Dave! I did lower my level 2. Its not a major flicker, just kinda like a mild candle flicker.
I've timed the lock out mode that is toggled/enabled with powerup-2, several times and my Spy007 runs for 13 seconds with the lock enabled before it powers down. The CPF user generated manual says the lock out mode should provide 20 seconds of light before shutting down. Has anyone else noticed that the lock mode only provides 13 seconds of light? Or is it just my Spy007 that times out too soon?
