Tape Switch Dimmer 0 - 100% - What Options

[looman]

Being a hunter, the biggest gap in the market as far as I am concerned is the severe lack of tape switch controlled dimmers.

Being able to have the light on a low setting to sweep for retinal eye bounce and then to gently ramp up to ID and check backstop is kind of a useful feature.

The only one I am aware of is Olights offering and even then it only works on a few of their torches.

So why is it that 0% - 100% dimmer tape switches are just ignored by makers ?

And how do they work - is the componentry in the tail cap or is it in the driver or is it both.

How easy is it to mode these as there are lights I would like to use it on that are not supported by their makers and really would become superb all for the want of a dimmable tape switch.

 

[stevenkelby]

I assume what you want is commonly referred to as an Infinitely Variable flashlight.

I think it would be possible but difficult to a mod a light to have IV, I've never seen it done.

There are many companies that make IV lights, most use a magnetic control ring.

I agree that in some situations it's great to have IV, it sounds ideal for hunting as you say.

Check out this great thread for a list of lights with IV, I own and like the Sunwayman V10 Ti and Nitecore SRT-6, both great lights but I prefer well spaced fixed outputs for my uses, as found on Zebralights.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...th-infinite-variable-brightness-control-rings

 

[looman]

I already have a Jetbeam RRT-1 Raptor that has the magnetic control ring but when it is gun mounted, it is difficult to reach and one has to break position to reach it which is rather self defeating.

http://www.ledfiretorches.co.uk/olight-tactical-3-key-remote-switch-dimmable.html

This is the type of unit I am talking of in tape switch format. Middle is on/off and there is a + & - either side which is IV but in a remote.

A IV torch with either a control ring or a DUI is still no good for the hunter - of which there are many.

Yet Olight are the only peeps who accommodate this very desirable option.

Most of my permissions are pest control - so the instruction is if I illuminate it, I drop it. I am not instructed to land manage.

What this means in reality is that animals become very lamp shy so if I use a torch, and it has a control ring or a DUI then I have to break position to adjust and by the time I am back into position, bugsy or Charlie have Foxtrot Oscar'd.

So - IMHO manufacturers would do well to visit this area (especially in the USA hunting market) and start giving some hunter options. Most solutions seem to be either generalist (which is jack of all trades - master of non) or dedicated to LE or Military.

The other issue is the modes tend to be 100% first setting then ramping down or includes strobe. Hunters prefer the exact opposite - low then ramping up.

I also have a Thrunite Scorpion which has tail button IV but it is the Mk1 so the ramping is deadly slow :-( and its way too floody - hunters generally want throw not spill.

My RRT is the better thrower but the control ring is pretty useless when the action starts.

So please please please - lets have some options likeOlights 0-100 tape switch

 

[tobrien]

i didn't even know Olight made a variable tape switch to begin with, that's cool though.

maybe try modding, it may be your only option for near term

 

[looman]

i didn't even know Olight made a variable tape switch to begin with, that's cool though.

maybe try modding, it may be your only option for near term

That's why I asked if anyone knew if the business bits were in the tail cap or the driver or if the two had to be compatible. A friend has one of the Olight tapes and he tried it on a few of his lights. It seemed to work on some and not others. I want to know why that is so!!!!!!

As I am into hunting - and most of it is at night, I am looking at the NV side of things to so a torch Like the Dereelight NM800 with the plug and play pills and an aspheric is brilliant. The LED IR illuminator is superb and blows the Laser illuminators out of the water.

The LED IR's tended to have good even spill but very limited range and the NM80 has changed all that.

SO a torch I can change from white light to a coloured LED (much better than a filter lens) with an IR option is stonking. If it had a proper 0-100% dimmer (even for the IR LED, then that would bea catch all situation.

I think a couple of the UK fiddler's are looking at the dimmer side so I may just be a bit patient and see what they come up with.

I don't know what other hunters out there think of a tape switch operated dimmer, but I think it is a real gap in the market both in the visible and infra red ranges.

 

[tobrien]

That's why I asked if anyone knew if the business bits were in the tail cap or the driver or if the two had to be compatible. A friend has one of the Olight tapes and he tried it on a few of his lights. It seemed to work on some and not others. I want to know why that is so!!!!!!

you may be able to check in the custom and modified subforums and see if someone can machine an adapter for you out of aluminum or something. your thoughts on that?

 

[stevenkelby]

I didn't know that, sorry for misunderstanding. Fenix has the AR102 remote switch that works with a bunch of their lights but I guess none are IV.

Good luck with the project!

 

[looman]

you may be able to check in the custom and modified subforums and see if someone can machine an adapter for you out of aluminum or something. your thoughts on that?

Indeed - my response crossed with your so I have kind of answered this question already.

The NM800 by Dereelight is a great bit of kit but by the time it hits the UK shores and the distributor (who has arranged exclusive rights to distribute) it becomes a silly expensive light if you go for the cell extenders and all the colour pill options and the X-Searcher head etc.

There are a few peeps on some NV forums who are taking P6 hosts and drop ins to make DIY Aspheric throwers that have the variable coloured LEDs and the IR.

The IR pill is low powered as they are designing it to run on a Yukon Photon which is a combo of a dedicated scope and an NV attachment permanently attached to the front. It gets washed out by the NM800 IR.

BUT, if the out put on the IR can be made to be 0-100................oh happy days...........