'secret' Photon auto-off mode? Freedom and Rex; 3 min. w/ ramp

bazzers

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Jun 7, 2007
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Hello,

Have I found a 'secret' method to activate a 3-minute auto-off behavior for Photon Freedom Micro, and also for the new Photon Rex (rechargable 4-LED keychain light)? All web posts I've seen so far about this (even from Photon staff) say an auto-off mode is not available on the Freedom -- are these posts wrong? (Note: what I've seen does _not_ seem to be the 10-second, no-flashing, Point-of-Sale (POS) mode.) Can anyone else replicate the below on their own Photon lights, and/or tell me where I should have been looking to learn this or other 'secret' Photon features/firmware Easter-eggs?
= Activate Auto-off: =
1. Enter Signal/Morse-code mode by rapidly pressing button 4 or more times in succession. (button should act as momentary-on for any press < 2.5 seconds)
2. Press and hold button. Continue to hold after light turns off; continue holding until after light emits a short flash, then release button . (No hurry, you can wait many seconds after you see short flash to release button)

= Use Auto-off: =
3. After step 2,, light will be in normal (Continuous) mode with Auto-off activated. Turn ON light with either short button press (straight to full brightness) or press-and-hold for ramp-up from dim to full-brightness. (Can then also ramp-down to a lower brightness, and/or advance to a flash or SOS mode)
4. Around 2 minutes, 50 seconds after ON, light will blink once, then begin slow dimming ramp. Ramp is about 10 seconds for full brightness, shorter for dimmer
5. Around 3 minutes, 0 seconds after ON, light will reach 'off' in the dimming ramp.

= Deactivate Auto-off: =
(enter and leave Signal mode)
6. Enter Signal mode by rapidly pressing button 5 or more times in succession.
7. Press and hold button until light goes off, then release button. (e.g. do not wait the extra seconds for 'blink')
...or...
(engage 'smash' protection)
8. From off, press and hold button about 40 seconds, until light cycles through modes a few times, then turns off. Release button.
...or...
9. Other methods???

Dimming ramps seem to be from the current brightness setting.

The flashing and SOS modes will also auto-off -- so this 'secret feature' could be a safety hazard if it is active one is in expecting light to signal or summon help for hours/days unattended. I hope that in my next emergency-beacon-requiring situation that I remember to deactivate auto-off..

Note also that this is still not a perfect 'lock-out' to prevent unintentionally draining batteries when light is in pocket or bag and not in Signal mode. Battery drain could still happen with a 40-second 'smash' (deactivates auto-off) followed by single press (turns on light; stays on until battery drained or user notices). But this seems much lot less likely than the normal path to battery drain: a single press. Also less likely to happen than the beats the 3 second press, single press condition required to drain batteries from Signal mode.

Above works for both my years-old Photon Freedom, and my days-old Photon Rex. Worked across multiple turn-ons as long as I stayed away from Signal mode.

I just noticed this last night, so not sure how long auto-off stays activated if one does not deactivate it-- for example, could deactivate after given amount of wall-clock time, number of turn-ons, or auto-offs, or after other press combinations/functions, or battery change (likely) or recharge. Maybe if can find some time to experiment...

Let me know if this works for you, or if I just have some weird lights....

Cheers,


Bazzers
 
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PhotonLight

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Apr 20, 2006
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Yes, you've found a hidden feature. The auto-shutoff has been built into the chip for some time (a couple years I think), but is not an advertised feature. I'm not certain, but I believe there was some legal issue with advertising the auto-shutoff feature, so it was just left as a hidden 'easter egg' feature. To my knowledge, you're the first person to discover this secret auto shut-off mode. Congratulations. :)
 

this_is_nascar

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Mar 29, 2002
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Gloucester, New Jersey
Nice find bazzers. Now I'm wondering what other hidden features are out there that we're unaware of. I'm assuming you know of the 50% brightess/power trick, correct?
 

Crenshaw

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Singapore
nothings happening......im actually scared that it will overheat...lol..too much time around crees..
oh well, it needs new batteries anyway....

Crenshaw

EDIT: about 30 seconds later...

UBER COOL!!!!
lol i love how Photonlight confirmed it straight away....the freedom circuitry really is marvelous, probably the best UI we've seen

PS: Bryan (Photonlight) was wondering, is your job by any chance to watch CPF for photonlight and alert them to anything concerning it, sounds like a fun job...? or are you the owner of photonlight? :aaa:
 
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lotsawatts

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Apr 21, 2006
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WOW! Thanks. This also works with my original 6 led proton, Cool.
Question, Does leaving the light in this mode draw any current from the battery?
 

phatalbert

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Sep 15, 2005
Messages
232
Awesome find! This is implemented now on my freedom and will be on my Rex!

Photonlight: Any other secret modes we should know about??? ;)
 
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Ready

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Feb 25, 2004
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Atlanta, Ga.
How long do you have to wait for the "flash" after putting into SOS mode, then holding button down till it shuts off? I have held it for 2 min and no flash.

I think this would be a great feature to have. Good find.

Ready
 

AlexSchira

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Dec 7, 2005
Messages
435
Not having auto-off was one of the primary complaints against the Freedom. There goes the weakest link. This light has been on my neck for two years now, this new feature will come in handy for my kits and bag strap lights. It also got me drooling for a ReX and Proton.
 
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PhotonLight

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PS: Bryan (Photonlight) was wondering, is your job by any chance to watch CPF for photonlight and alert them to anything concerning it, sounds like a fun job...? or are you the owner of photonlight? :aaa:


I'm the owner of PhotonLight.com. Unfortunately, I don't get enough time to check CPF as regularly as I would like, but just happened on this post since I've been trying to follow the ReX comments the last couple days.
 

Crenshaw

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I'm the owner of PhotonLight.com. Unfortunately, I don't get enough time to check CPF as regularly as I would like, but just happened on this post since I've been trying to follow the ReX comments the last couple days.
Awesome, congratulations on such awsome little lights :goodjob:

Crenshaw
 

PhantomPhoton

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Jan 15, 2007
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NV
Grats and :welcome:.

I love the Photon UI. Now I love it even more. God I can't wait to get my Rex and my new Cree'd Pro.
 

Burgess

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Apr 10, 2006
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to bazzers --


Way to Go ! :twothumbs


Oh, and welcome to CandlePowerForums !

:welcome:

Looks like yer' gonna' fit right in. :D

_
 

this_is_nascar

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Gloucester, New Jersey
Welcome to CPF bazzers. NICE FIND!

@this is nascar: what is the 50% power trick?

On the Freedom or the Proton (I'm assuming this still works with the Pro, since the UI is the same), press to activate and as soon as the 1st blip of light comes on, let go. Then, press again to get to what level you want. This will allow your light to be running in 50% power/brightness mode for that particular activation. On the white Freedoms it's really nice, since you only have a white beam to deal with. On the Proton and Pro, it works in the RED LED mode only.
 
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