List Lights that use PWM

[jon_slider]

klarus xt11

thank you, added to first page,
selfbuilt also reports the Klarus xt11 uses PWM, here

 

[jon_slider]

A photo of the faster PWM on McGizmo Haiku after 2012 from this thread

and some info about PWM inefficiency:

"PWM isn't good even if you can't see or hear it"

 

[Beard Man]

Tere is PWM from McGizmo Haiku which I received a couple weeks ago,
no PWM on High mode.

- Haiku XP-G2 3S
- 4500 CCT
- 3 modes: L,M,H

The PWM is super fast and I can't see it when using my light on any level.

The light just awesome,the beam profile even better

 

[jon_slider]

Thank you for the photos.
That does look like superfast PWM.
And I believe you when you say you can't see it in actual use.
All good things.

One of the benefits of PWM is that it produces constant color or consistent tint.
Congratulations on your beautiful Haiku!

FWIW, an example of different speeds of PWM:
Quote is from here

A close-up pix (close enough so it fills the frame and can't quite focus) of the emitter with a smartphone is a pretty reliable test.. here's an example of a current regulated, high freq PWM, and low freq PWM light

The example of fast PWM looks similar to the constant current feedback on zebralights.
Some people are affected by this type of fluctuation when they use the light as ambient source for long periods.

It is almost impossible to detect zebralight constant current flicker by waving the light. And most people say they do not notice in actual use, even though it can be captured in a photograph.

 

[rookiedaddy]

hmm... no Fenix on the list? let me contribute...

@jon, how do we classify a light that do PWM-like only on specific occasion?

The flashlight, Fenix PD40:

Fenix PD40, Eco mode:

and again, Fenix PD40, Eco mode:

taken from the LED end:

and another Fenix, an old Fenix LD05, really really really, seriously, really really really bad PWM!

Fenix LD05, Low mode:

taken from the LED end in Low mode:

Fenix LD05, Med mode:

taken from the LED end in Med mode:

now, back to Fenix PD40. how to get that PWM-like wave line? well, if you have a unit of PD40, do the following:
Step 1: Turn on your Fenix PD40
Step 2: Switch the mode on your Fenix PD40 to Eco mode (20 lumens)
Step 3: Turn off your Fenix PD40
Step 4: Turn on your Fenix PD40
Step 5: Now, wave or swing the Fenix PD40 like a crazily insane flashaholic with the lovely neutral white MT-G2 LED pointing at your own face... Voilà! instance PWM!

and to get-rid of that Fenix PD40 PWM:
Step 1: Turn on your Fenix PD40 (if it's off and/or your last memory mode is not Eco, 20 lumens mode)
Step 2: Cycle the mode to Eco mode
Step 3: Now, again wave or swing the Fenix PD40 like a insanely crazy flashaholic with the sweet neutral white MT-G2 LED pointing at your own face... hmm... no PWM!

:laughing:

 

[Beard Man]

Congratulations on your beautiful Haiku!

Thank you Jon!

 

[jon_slider]

I don't know a lot about PWM or Constant Current speeds, and have no scope. Here are a few collected photos, for sake of comparison.

One thought might be to count how many bars overlay the LED, to get a rough idea of relative speeds.

These photos all come from different people. The Manker photo is from my iPhone 5. It is surprisingly similar to the Zebra, and both are Constant Current lights.. btw, the manker CCFlicker cannot be seen by waving the light like a mad flashoholic. or in "normal" use. I only found it by extreme Closeup of the LED. I cannot hear any inductor whine, when holding the manker to my ear.

PWM from McGizmo Haiku
...

[beardman's image edited by jon_slider to add a caption]
...
The PWM is super fast and I can't see it when using my light on any level.

 

[LogicalBeard]

With the Beagle they said it was circuit noise that was only present in the prototypes. Who knows if that is true. I don't see any PWM in my Beagle: Which isn't a prototype. And nobody in the FB group has mentioned seeing it. I could try and do some checks for it for you guys. What's the best way to try and get it to be noticable?

 

[jon_slider]

What's the best way to try and get it to be noticable?

see post 104

 

[jon_slider]

interesting photo of multiple overlapping HDS power pulses

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...stems-EDC-19&p=5155771&viewfull=1#post5155771

HDS...

 

[neutralwhite]

Is this PWM rate acceptable ?.


" On the driver well it is PWM on the levels but not high as there is no reason for it to be on high. They are 5KHz "

 

[ssanasisredna]

Is this PWM rate acceptable ?.


" On the driver well it is PWM on the levels but not high as there is no reason for it to be on high. They are 5KHz "

Yes. You would be hard pressed to ever detect it, and it would have no ill health, optical, visual, or other effects.

 

[jon_slider]

please don't use this thread to debate whether or not PWM or Flicker is acceptable to you, or should be acceptable to others.

If you have a light that produces flicker, just post the pic of the evidence.

Here btw is the Moon on my Olight Copper S Mini

and the Moon on the Aluminum Klarus Mi1c (clic pic to see source of image)

 

[InvisibleFrodo]

Re: List Lights that use PWM or Constant Current that fluctuates

This thread got me curious, so last night I was playing around with a few lights to try to determine if they had PWM or not.

One of the lights was a copper Beta QRv2 (one of the earliest. I actually ordered a copper QRv1 and what came in the mail was the v2, and then the website got updated.) vs an aluminum Beta QRv1.
I had heard previously that the 2 mode Beta lights had no PWM. I could not detect any PWM on the older 2 mode Beta. However on the copper Beta, I could not get my camera to show the pulse width modulation. I can however hear a high pitched whine coming from the light on low and medium modes. The light is completely silent on high. I can only hear it if the front of the light is near or in my ear. The aluminum version of the light had none of that whine.
The Alpha from Prometheus had easily detectable PWM. That doesn't surprise me because I can hear the Alpha running especially on medium anytime the light is in my hand, no matter how close or far it is from my head. New Alphas come with an upgraded driver, and old Alphas can be upgraded. But on that particular light, the PWM actually stops me from carrying the Alpha because I don't use medium because it's so loud, so I feel like I only have 2 brightness settings that I want to use. I can't wait to get Icarus drivers in all my Alphas.

I could not get the Beagle to show any PWM on camera, and I also couldn't hear any sound.

Next I want to check my Spy 007. Dave says there is no flicker, but I believe he is referring to the newest driver and since I have an XP-G2 Spy, I have the STFu Mk.1

I'm not sure how scientific it is to try to listen for PWM, but I have noticed the sound on lights that use PWM. Could be another means of detection?

Also just to throw it out there, Jason at Prometheus lights does say that his newest driver uses super high frequency PWM and it's supposedly too fast to cause harmonics. That would make it past my sound test while still having PWM...

 

[jon_slider]

Re: List Lights that use PWM or Constant Current that fluctuates

please use this thread just for posting photos of PWM/Constant Current Flicker.
I sent you a PM and am happy to discuss your questions in more detail privately, or in another thread.

 

[Tomchrome]

Re: List Lights that use PWM or Constant Current that fluctuates

Thrunite TH20 - mine is moded with a Nichia 219 (only led swap) but it is rather common knowledge (at least at Polish torch.pl forum) that it uses some PWM (excluding High and Turbo).

 

[ven]

47 mini mkII , not on low or medium, but strangely on high only ..............

Now i dont normally check through my phone, so something must have caught my eye to check it!!! Its not easy to see anyway, and my uses will not be in high as its like 15s

 

[jon_slider]

it is rather common knowledge (at least at Polish torch.pl forum) that it uses some PWM

thanks for the pic, there is also a review here, that agrees there is PWM
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...view-Thrunite-TH20-Neutral-White-(1xAA-14500)

47 mini mkII , not on low or medium, but strangely on high only

thanks for taking the time to post a photo and share info. That is a very cute light.
this review also found PWM on high https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfPi13A_tBI

 

[ven]

Thanks Jon, right so its just the way the driver is then, not my sample being a little "iffy" so to speak. All good, luckily its not easy to detect as i tried deliberately after(like you do lol).

 

[jon_slider]

its not easy to detect

glad you don't mind
PWM or constant current flicker is most easily photographed if you take an extreme closeup, filling the whole frame, like the image Tomchrome posted.
you might discover PWM or flicker on the low mode as well, if you test it please share your results