Torches with Battery Level Indicators and Warnings

I have been spoilt by my TM15, TM26 and HC50 because they all have a built-in voltmeter of some sorts. The TM15 flashes the LED around the power button in the format: FLASH – FLASH – FLASH – FLASH – PAUSE – FLASH – this would indicate 4.1v (four flashes, a pause, a further one flash).

The HC50 has a similar flashing power button setup with the advantage of colour coding green if over 50% and red if under (I think that's right?).

The TM26 is just a whole new level of battery indication due to the screen.

I've got some really low usage, emergency car kit torches that I find myself replacing with freshly charged LSD batteries each year just to ensure they are as fully charged as possible for any potential emergency.

IMO it's such a useful and convenient feature to have I'm surprised it's not present in more torches.

I thought it might be good to compile a list of the best torches with some form of built-in battery indicator.

Does anyone have any favourites?

Extra points for fancy ways of warning of low battery level; like a beep!

Pelican has a 2aa 2360 that if you do 6 half presses gives you a status series of flashes.

Haven't bought one (yet) so don't know if you get any "low fuel" flashes.

My PK Design Lab lights give you low fuel flashes then drop to a lower setting.

Oveready BOSS (and others using the Lux-RC light engine)

Zebralight and Armytek

Nitecore R40, indicator will show the voltage in 0,1volt steps. Very nice feature! For example : first 3 blinks, 1 second paused followed by 8 short blinks means 3,8 volt.

HDS blinks if the battery can't support the output of the flashlight and then automatically steps down to the next lower setting.

RedSquirrel said:

I've got some really low usage, emergency car kit torches that I find myself replacing with freshly charged LSD batteries each year just to ensure they are as fully charged as possible for any potential emergency.

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Batt meters are good for Li-ions which have nice steady sloping discharge curves, but if you mean NiMh for your LSD batts (or 1.5/3v Lithium primaries for that matter) then the meters will not be accurate and may actually mislead you believing you 3/4 capacity when you may only have 1/4. NiMh and Lithium primaries have very flat discharge curves through the middle 2/3rds of their capacity, even under load, and are very difficult to estimate remaining capacity via voltage check.

Take a look at HKJ's discharge curves.

I have the NiteCore HC50 HL and it's a nifty little feature, for sure. I have a Sunwayman D40A and it has a blinking LED when the batteries drop a bit and the blinks get progressively faster, IIRC, as the voltage drops.

Other lights will just step down, but that's more vague.

Chris