Owner’s Manual SPY 007 STFu MK1 V2 Driver (P4, XR-E)

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Owner's Manual SPY 007 STFu MK1 V2 Driver (P4, XR-E)


Quick Notes
all titanium Cool Fall SPY flashlight
O-ring knob enables "fastest light in the west"




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Seoul P4 emitter



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Cree XR-E emitter and McR-17 XR reflector




Table of Contents:
1) Quick start guide
2) Changing batteries
3) How to use the 007
4) Care and cleaning
5) Programming & the back door
6) Attachment rail
7) Lanyard hole
8) Holsters
9) Run time chart
10) Easter Eggs
11) Battery Spring, O-Rings, and Tritium Markers
12) Technical Specifications
13) Problems
14) Warranty



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1) Quick start guide
If your light came with batteries installed, you can simply turn it on by twisting the little round knob. Never look directly or let anybody look directly into such a powerful light - it gets very bright and can hurt your eyes.

The SPY knob (switch) clicks into 7 discrete locations. They are positions zero through six. Looking at the knob from the front of the light (the LED end), the knob functions like a standard volume control, rotating the knob all the way in the CCW direction till it stops, is the "Off" position (zero position). Rotating the knob CW turns the light "ON". The off switch setting is referred to as position 0. Switch setting 1 is the lowest power setting, setting 2 is higher, and so it goes all the way to full power with setting 6. There is a stop at Off and a stop at full power, meaning you cannot spin the knob all the way around 360 degrees.

If you tried to turn the light on and nothing happened, then it is because the light does not have batteries in it. Please see section 2 on how to change batteries. All SPY flashlights are shipped without batteries installed.


2) Changing batteries
If your light has batteries in it and you push on the tiny battery release pin with the pointy lead end of a pencil or pen, the battery cap will pop off! Please hold your finger over the cap as you push the pin so it does not go flying.

If your light does not have batteries in it and you push on the tiny battery release pin, the battery cap will DO NOTHING. It will not come off. You have to pull it off while pushing on the pin at the same time. Please be careful not to drop the battery cap in this process. It helps to have three hands when doing this. The battery cap goes on smoothly when it is aligned with the two hook pins on the body. It becomes easy to do if you play with it. There is a mark on the body by the lanyard hole to show you how to align the battery cap (if you take the battery cap off the light and rotate it 180 degrees and try to put it back on, it will not fit on).

After you have been using the light for some time, if you notice that power level 6 (high) and power level 5 are at the same brightness then it is time to replace the batteries. The SPY uses CR-123 lithium primary batteries. Cool Fall recommends that you use Surefire batteries in the SPY. Only use two new batteries in the SPY (two bats that have the same voltage level). Never use one old battery and one new battery; never never never. The SPY will operate on rechargeable RCR-123 batteries.

When you are putting the batteries in the light please observe that they have polarity. On the battery that goes behind the LED, please put the "+" end in first. The other battery goes in with the "-" end in first. The battery cap must be pushed straight on. If it gets crooked it will stick and you have to take it off and start again. You can not hurt the light by putting the batteries in the wrong way. When changing batteries use power-up-0; the switch set to the off position by turning the knob fully counter-clockwise when facing the flat top of the knob (see Section 5 for more info).

The SPY007 comes with two small beads which can be put on the lanyard and used to open the battery cap. To install a bead, first remove the lanyard. Then using dental floss, string the bead on the lanyard loop and slide it all the way up till it hits the plastic. Then using the floss again, string the lanyard back into the light. The bead will always be there when you want to pop the battery cap pin. Just place the bead right on top of the release pin and push.

3) How to use the 007
The multiple power levels let you rapidly choose the amount of light you need for any given task. Picking a lower light level will prolong the battery life.

Getting the light out and rapidly spinning or flicking the switch to full "ON" is not only fun but it is a very fast way to turn on the SPY. We claim that it is the "fastest light in the West".

We can't say what is the "best" way to hold the SPY, there are several common ways. Some like the knob down with your fingers wrapping around the light and others like the knob on top. Some use fingers to spin the knob and others use the thumb. In either case it only takes one hand to use a SPY.

Battery consumption
Power levels 5 & 6 will use up batteries quickly. Therefore, if you are on a long trip with only one set of batteries, use the lower power levels as much as possible to conserve battery power.


4) Care and cleaning
Titanium is a hard metal but not so hard that it can't be scratched by just about any other metal. If you want your light to stay relatively new looking don't ever put it in a pocket with any other object especially a hard plastic or metal object. Unlike hard anodized aluminum it will scratch easily. A simple and effective way to clean a titanium light is to use a wet paper towel with a little dish soap like Dawn. Wipe it softly with the grain of the machining marks. Dry it with a soft cotton cloth like a T-shirt.


5) Programming & the back door
When you put batteries in the SPY and then snap the battery cap on, that will "power-up" the STFu processor on the converter board. We will refer to "powering-up or power up" many times in this tutorial. So to power-up the converter, simply replace the battery cap. Power-up does NOT necessarily imply turning on the LED, it simply powers the internal electronics. What position the switch is in when you power up the light, determines what mode the light will be put into. Normally you should keep the switch in the off position when changing the batteries. In this case the light works normally. This power-up-0 mode is the normal operating mode.

The back door to the light lets you into its various features. Any power-up other than power-up-0 is going into the back door. These features are described below. However, none of these things are required reading, if all you want to do is use the light as is, please skip to the next section in this manual.

So as an example of how to perform a Power Up 3 (PU-3): Take off the battery cap and set the knob to position 3 (that is three clicks from off) then replace the battery cap. That is it, you just did a PU-3.

Once the user levels are set the uP EEPROM saves the data and it never needs to be redone, even if the battery is removed or drains completely.

For those of you interested in changing the power levels from the factory defaults, you will be learning to use the power-up-4 mode (PU-4). See below. The default factory power levels 1 to 6 are: 3mA, 30mA, 90-95mA, 240-250mA, 500mA, 1000mA.

This is a quick guide to the various Rel 2.X modes:

power-up-0 = normal change of batteries
power-up-1 = easter eggs
power-up-2 = enable and disable lock mode or auto power cutback
power-up-3 = factory reset and calibration
power-up-4 = lower a power level
power-up-5 = raise a power level
power-up-6 = battery level indicator

power-up-0 : normal startup
This should be used for changing the batteries. When you perform a power-up-0 the LED will flash one time and then shut off.


power-up-1 : easter eggs
The easter eggs were a surprise back in the old days as I did not tell anybody how to get to them. Now however they are all detailed in Section 10. Some would even say they should not be called easter eggs, at this point, I kind of agree.


power-up-2 : enable and disable the lock mode

STFu Flash software release 2.0
The first batch of 007's serial number 201 to 230 are the first to use release 2.0 of the STFu software.

The power-up-2 mode simply enables the automatic power cut back mode, by default it is not enabled.

Some background info and what it is it for; The naturally sticky nature of the o-ring can grab the inside of your pants pocket and turn the light on. If you are going to EDC the 007 in your pocket, take the o-rings off! It is just that simple. To date I have never had the light come on in my pocket without the o-rings on the light.

Having said that, I myself do carry my 007 in my pants pocket and yet I still do want to use the o-rings ( I just like them ). So I added an automatic cut back feature.

If you enable it by using power-up-2 it will let the light run for 150 seconds then automatically set the light to power level 1. There it will stay until you turn the light off. However, you can temporally deactivate the feature (until the light is turned off and back on) by turning the knob down a level or by spinning the knob on very fast.

This automatic power cut back feature is not perfect. It can be fooled and so I must reiterate that the only safe way to carry the 007 in your pants pocket is without the o-rings on the knob. If you like simple solutions, stop right here and take the o-rings off your light and then stop reading this post.

To see the new power cut back mode work, first perform a power-up-2 and shut the light off (test the light to see if it is working normally, if it is not, perform a power-up-0). Next turn the light off and turn the light to power level 2 or higher, wait 150 seconds and it will switch to low power.

To temporarily deactivate the feature, turn the light on to any power level 2 through 6 and then reduce the level one or more clicks. Now the light can be used normally till it is turned off again.

To permanently deactivate the feature, run the calibrate (power-up-3). It will reset the light to factory settings and deactivate the auto cut back feature.


STFu Flash software release 2.1

The second batch of 007's serial number 231 to 368 are the first to use release 2.1 of the STFu software.

The power-up-2 mode alternatively enables and disables the lock mode, by default it is not enabled ( the auto off feature in the old release 2.0 was deleted from the code ).

The purpose of this lock is so that you can throw the light in your back pack or any kind of loose pocket and not have to worry if the switch gets knocked to an on position. With the light locked it is safe and can not use the battery.

The naturally sticky nature of the o-ring can grab the inside of your pants pocket or back pack and turn the light on. If you are going to EDC the 007 in your pocket, take the o-rings off! I have never had the light come on in my pocket without the o-rings on the light. Having said that, I myself prefer to use the o-rings ( I just like them ). So I added a new lock feature.

The new lock is simple. Turn the light on (power level 1) and off three times quickly and the light will lock. When locked it will only run for 20 seconds. So each time the 007 is turned on you got 20 seconds of use. To unlock the light just use the same sequence again. It is just that simple.

With the light locked, if it switches on in your pack, it will not use much of the battery. If you get it out and forget you had locked it, it will still give you instant light, and that is very important feature of this lock! It is easy to tell if it is in the locked state or not because it runs at 1/2 power and sweeps to the commanded setting (this was the new egg, Griff).

Of course if you do not need the lock feature, do not enable it (power-up-2). The light comes with the lock disabled. Every time you run (power-up-2) it toggles the enable. If you run the calibrate (power-up-3), it will reset the light to factory settings and deactivate the lock feature.


power-up-3 : factory reset & calibration (CAL)
Perform a power-up-3 if:
-you have changed a power level and want to put the light back to its default settings
-your light is acting strangely
-you have modded the light and put in a new LED

When you perform a power-up-3, the LED starts a quick up and down sweeping for 10 seconds. This is just to let you know that it is about to run the CAL. After 10 seconds, it turns the LED on at about 100mA and starts getting dimmer. It will dim all the way down to the level 1's 2mA and then start raising the LED's output. It slowly records information as it converges on each power level. Once it gets to power level 6 it will start the quick up and down sweeping again for 5 seconds and then come on at power level 3.

When the CAL slowly sweeps through the power levels it records the Vf data and rates for your emitter. This calibration takes a couple minutes and requires new or strong batteries ( batteries that can run the light to the full 1000mA of power ). If you are performing a power-up-3 and the light appears stuck at a level and is flickering pick up the light and hold it in your hand for a few seconds. Remember, when the calibration is finished the light will sweep a few times and then come on to PL3. During a calibration the light does not read the switch position. So if you want to stop it you will have to pull the battery cap off.

power-up-4 : lower a power level
Once you do a power-up-4, you have nine seconds to move the switch to the power level you want to modify. During that nine seconds the LED is sweeping, it sweeps nine times. It does this just so you know you have time to move the knob. So move the knob to the power level you want to modify and wait for the rest of the nine seconds to pass. Watch and you will see the sweeping will cease and the LED will be on steady except every second it will flicker. Each time it flickers it will be a little dimmer. See the chart below to know how much dimmer it gets each time it flickers. When the LED gets to the power you desire simply turn the knob to the off position. At this point the light is back to the normal operating mode.
If after you adjust a few levels, you are not happy with how the light functions, perform a power-up-3.
FYI, Power level one is a voltage source level and can be adjusted all the way down till the LED appears off. it can be lowered till the LED light cannot be seen unless you are in a dark room and look directly into the reflector. It is dim even when compared with a micro tritium vial. In a pitch black room this is a fun thing to play with.


power-up-5 : raise a power level
The power-up-5 mode works the exact same way as the power-up-4 mode except each time the LED flickers, it is getting brighter.

As an example: Say you want to reduce the power of level 3 from the factory 90mA to a new value of 75mA. You take the battery cap off, then you set the knob to position 4, then you put the battery cap back on and then quickly (within nine seconds) move the knob to position 3. When the LED quits sweeping, it will be powered with exactly 90mA of current. Then count the number of times it flickers. When it has flickered 15 times, turn the knob to the off position. You are done.

If after changing a power level the light does not come on when you turn the knob, perform a power-up-0. If you get confused and the light is not doing what you think it should be doing, perform a power-up-3. This will reset the light to factory levels and do a calibration.

This chart shows how much each level changes each time the LED flickers and what range of adjustment you can perform:

Level +/- Range
===================================
1__________<.1mA_________off to 100mA
2__________1mA___________5mA to 100mA
3__________1mA___________5mA to 100mA
4__________5mA___________50mA to 1250mA
5__________5mA___________50mA to 1250mA
6__________5mA___________50mA to 1250mA


power-up-6 : battery level indicator
This meter reads the average voltage of the two batteries. It flashes out three significant digits. So if the voltage is 3.14V It will flash three times then pause then flash one time then pause then flash four times. If one of the digits is a zero, it flashes a very short pulse/strobe burst for that digit. The battery meter has an upper limit of 3.75 volts, so will not work with a Li-Ion battery charged to 4.2 volts. Demo video.



6) Attachment rail
The bottom of every 007 will sport a miniature Picatinny type rail. It is useful for mounting the 007 and for adding attachments to the 007. There will be available, as an accessory, a generic clip/bolt on attachment for the rail.

Attachments available:
- General Purpose Rail Adapter
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- Mag-Mount Magnetic Base (attaches to the GP Rail Adapter)
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Attachments
-GPA
-GPA with tripod

7) Lanyard hole
The concept is for this lanyard to aid in handling the light when it is in your hand. While holding the light and the strap at the same time you reduce the likelihood of dropping it. If you carry the light in a pocket the lanyard will last for at least a year then it may need to be replaced. If it does not look frayed, it is still very strong. When it starts to fray, replace it.

To put the lanyard on the SPY, you need 18" (40cm) dental floss. Put the floss through the hole in the light and then through the loop on the lanyard and then back through the hole in the light. Grab both ends of the floss in one hand and the big end of the lanyard in the other hand. Pull tight so that the lanyard loop pulls into a tight point. With the lanyard loop like this it will slide through the hole in the light with almost no effort. Make sure the lanyard loop is aligned properly to fit through the rectangular hole in the light; it only goes in one way. If you get it right it will not hurt the small loop end on the lanyard at all. To finish, thread the big end of the lanyard through the small end.

The supplied lanyard was designed to be minimalistic in your hand and your pocket. Besides the stock lanyard that is included with the SPY 007, there are many other options available, including buying pre-made lanyards from online stores or CandlePowerForums builders, or making your own.

If you want to tether the light around your neck, you are going to have to use a split ring. My recommendation is to use a small split ring and then put the para-cord right through the split ring.

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8) Holsters
If you are going to use a holster make sure it is fixed to your belt in a way that it can not come off. Tether the light to your belt if need be.

The following are some options for holsters:
-RipOff's Holsters : www.ripoffs.com - The CO-192 or BL-192 for Belt loop is a perfect fit.


9) Run time chart
CandlePowerForums member chevrofreak's runtime plots for the SPY 005 (Luxeon III LED). It should be close to what the 007 would give for runtimes.


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10) Easter Eggs
Hidden in the STFu are a few toys. This is intended for fun only. To get to the Easter Eggs on power-up-1, just play with it.
Execute a power-up-1 and then select level:
Lvl 1: SOS (too fast for Coast Guard code)
Lvl 2: Slow Blink
Lvl 3: Slow Pulse
Lvl 4: Locks Hz from set from lvl5 or lvl6
Lvl 5: Decreases Hz
Lvl 6: Increases Hz

11) Battery Spring, O-Rings, and Tritium Markers
Battery Spring
To replace the battery spring if it falls out, put the bottom half (end closest to the release pin opening) in first by twisting the spring in a direction that makes the coil smaller.




O-rings
Knob o-rings: The o-rings are very easy to take off with a wooden toothpick, just dig right under the o-ring and pry it up so you can roll it off. Putting them on is easy with the following trick. Wrap several inches of thread or dental floss around the outer groove to fill it up. Then put the first o-ring right on top of it. It will then be easy for the o-ring to be pushed/rolled over to the inner groove because it can't fall deep into the first groove. Take the thread off and put the next o-ring in the outer groove.

O-ring sizes:
Knob - Size 011, 5/16" ID and 1/16" diameter
Tailcap - Size 020, 1" English Size

Tritium
There are two slots where tritium markers can be epoxied in the 007. The size of the markers should be 5mm x 1.5mm. Use a strong epoxy to glue the vials in - the most-used is Norland Optical Adhesive No.61, available from Edmund Optics, and occasionally available in smaller portions on CandlePowerForums. It's totally clear, very durable, and extremely strong. Another method used is nail polish - nail polish remover a.k.a. pure acetone will dissolve the nail polish and it will wipe right out, if there is anything left. Or, simply use superglue. Whatever the case, be cautious with tritium and take any measure you can in making it securely adhered to the SPY 007.


12) Technical Specifications
Material: 6Al-4V Titanium
Weight: 150g w/ batteries
Dimensions: Approx. 3.05" by 1.55" by 0.95"
Batteries: Primary (3v) CR123A Lithiums, Lithium-Ion (3.0-4.2v) RCR123
LED: Seoul P4 -or- Cree XR-E (depending on which model SPY 007 you own)
Reflector: Seoul P4 - modified McR-18; Cree XR-E - McR-17 XR
Case: water resistant only, do not submerge
Off State: In its off state the STFu Driver Board consumes only ~5.8uA. This is so low that batteries can be left in the light for many years without being completely drained.

13) Problems
First and foremost, if your light acts up you need to replace the batteries with two brand new primary lithium batteries - preferably Surefire. Secondly, execute the CAL sequence (see power-up-3 in the programming section). Even if you did not think you changed the power levels (it can happen by accident). Thirdly, make sure there is no moisture inside the light. To do this open the light and set it in a warm place for 12 hours. A good place is on top of your computer monitor. If these steps do not remedy the problem please contact Cool Fall Inc.

14) Warranty
The 007 will have a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser of the light. There are a few exceptions due to abuse and leaking batteries. My intention is for the purchaser to enjoy the 007 and appreciate what went into its creation. If you like it, don't hesitate to EDC it, as the SPY is engineered to last.
Also, as was with the 005 the 007 is intrinsically designed to live through current LED technology and be upgradeable to newer emitters . Cool Fall does not offer upgrade services but a few of the CPF modders do. Please be advised that modding the light voids its warranty.




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Mike and his machine come on the scene​
 
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