HDS Systems #23

My HDS rotary only works on rechargeables and not primaries.

Here is the fastest way to teach your HDS that you want it to use CR123:
1. With the LiIon inside, clic the light ON.
2. Remove the head, remove the LiIon, Install a CR123
3. Reinstall the head. The light will turn on for 7 seconds and then will turn off. Do Nothing until it turns itself Off.

or, here is the simplest way to teach your HDS to use CR123
1. Starting with the light OFF, remove the head, and wait 1 minute (or longer) before reclosing the light w a CR123 inside.
2. Reinstall the head. The light will turn on for 7 seconds and then will turn off. Do Nothing until it turns itself Off.

Now you can use the light with CR123. You can replace the CR123 with another CR123, as many times as you like. As long as you do not install a LiIon, it will continue to work w CR123.

IF you install a LiIon, it will forget you want to use CR123, and the next time you decide to go back to CR123, you have to follow either the fastest or simplest steps above.

backstory
LiIon has a higher voltage (over 4V fully charged), than CR123 (3.3V max).. IF the HDS senses LiIon Voltage (above 3.3V), the light enables Low Voltage Protection (LVP), that turns the light off at 3Volts, to prevent overdischarging the LiIon.

If a CR123 is swapped in to replace the LiIon (without the head being removed for 1 minute or more, or without following the first group of steps 1-3 above), the light will assume the new battery is still a LiIon. Therefore LVP remains active and it will shut the light off when the CR123 battery gets to 3V.

That is the reason your light is not working w CR123.

otoh, IF the HDS learns that we want to use CR123, the light will disable LVP. This allows the light to drain the CR123 below 3V.

The next time a LiIon is inserted, the HDS enables LVP automatically, and then the light wont work w CR123 after that.

---

HDS potential pitfall that could defeat LVP and cause overdischarge of a LiIon

IF an HDS battery gets low enough to trigger LVP at 3V and the light turns off
and
IF the operator opens the light, and waits 1 minute or more to reclose it, the LiIon could be overdischarged
IF the battery is below 3.3V

because, the HDS battery detection would see less than 3.3V, and would disable LVP, because it assumes the battery is a Primary CR123, instead of a LiIon.
 
Last edited:
Okay, so I know this guy that posted a question on his HDS , however, he forgot to subscribe to this thread for responses and then life got a tad hectic! My apologies to everyone that replied!

I have tried everything stated here to no avail. Several different brands of rechargeable and fresh (2029) Surefire 123's. No luck.
I am going to buy a new pack of Surefire and try those though.
Thanks again for everyones replies!
 
Well, the pick and place machine is now up… and should be running in a week or two. This is a big step for us producing the electronics in house. It means being able to do short/small runs and not having crazy lead times and perhaps more special emitter runs. Still setting up the "machine" for doing our own "machining". This has been all Henry. I worked 120 hours last week scraping people off I-10…. And am working 96 hours this week, but will be at HDS on Monday.
 
Well, the pick and place machine is now up… and should be running in a week or two. This is a big step for us producing the electronics in house. It means being able to do short/small runs and not having crazy lead times and perhaps more special emitter runs. Still setting up the "machine" for doing our own "machining". This has been all Henry. I worked 120 hours last week scraping people off I-10…. And am working 96 hours this week, but will be at HDS on Monday.
Ironically with the recent events in the news about pagers and Walkie-Talkies blowing up and injuring terrorists, I'm reminded of a certain EPIC thread from quite a few years ago of yours. At one point, a cheap No-Name lithium battery is inserted into a flashlight by a terrorist group so that it'll blow up and injure others.

Funny how Life imitates Art. That's all. Just seemed incredibly ironic to me, and I remembered the storyline. (Though those electronic devices clearly had actual explosives in them.)
 
Will this include more special metal runs? (e.g. BeCu, Ti, Brass, Naval Brass, SS) 🤞🏼
As I understand, pick-and-place machines handle putting components onto circuit boards, so that's why it should allow for shorter lead times for special emitter runs. It's really cool that they've got one set up.

The metals side of thing would still have all the normal issues of machining a special run in a different kind of metal (which, depending on the metal, could be a minor difference or a pain-in-the-rear difference, haha).
 
I purchased F04 Diffuser but the inside diameter is too large. It seems that this was F04-A.
IMG_8771.JPG
 
Yes, the old F04 fit 1 inch diameter lights like the HDS, but the F04 is no longer made. It was replaced by the F04-A for 1.125 inch diameter lights. The F04 can sometimes be found on the secondary market. Alternatively, the translucent cap from an ordinary plastic water bottle can be used as a diffuser on an HDS.
 
Last edited:
I purchased F04 Diffuser but the inside diameter is too large. It seems that this was F04-A.View attachment 68386
When I see the Picture with your red, blue and White diffuser, the White one is a F04-A. It is clear to see. I am sorry you got the wrong diffuser.

Today F04 diffusers are not easy to get. Once in a while they can be found at ebay for ~18-20USD.

I am glad I got some new F04 in Germany some time ago for small money. My 1" Surefires and HDS lighs have enough diffusers.
 
If you buy from this ebay, the shipping cost is double the price of the item. These filters can be found on the second market in Japan, so we will continue to look for them. The F04-A I purchased by mistake was the right size for the elzetta alpha, so it didn't go to waste.
 
I purchased F04 Diffuser but the inside diameter is too large. It seems that this was F04-A.

I meant to reply to this earlier but i completely forgot to. See if you can find the accessory kit for Maglite Mini, the diffuser for that fits nigh-perfectly on a HDS flashlight.

IMG_9674.jpg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9672.jpg
    IMG_9672.jpg
    318.3 KB · Views: 21
  • IMG_9673.jpg
    IMG_9673.jpg
    229.3 KB · Views: 26
  • IMG_9672.jpg
    IMG_9672.jpg
    318.3 KB · Views: 24
  • IMG_9673.jpg
    IMG_9673.jpg
    229.3 KB · Views: 21
..., the shipping cost is double the price of the item.
That is the problem, I have some "spare diffusers"...



... but shipping from europe is like stealing money for a item that is maybe $10! My guess on shipping from germany would be ~20-30€

--- edit ---
If you see on the picture some cool reflectors ... nope there is nothing for sale!
 
Last edited:
That is the problem, I have some "spare diffusers"...



... but shipping from europe is like stealing money for a item that is maybe $10! My guess on shipping from germany would be ~20-30€
That is the problem, I have some "spare diffusers"...



... but shipping from europe is like stealing money for a item that is maybe $10! My guess on shipping from germany would be ~20-30€

I'll take some spare diffusers!!
 
That is the problem, I have some "spare diffusers"...



... but shipping from europe is like stealing money for a item that is maybe $10! My guess on shipping from germany would be ~20-30€
International shipping can be expensive, I too focus my international shopping and ebay on items I can't buy domestically. And nice collection picture!
 
I didn't know you could also use accessories for mini mag. Sounds like a good idea to prevent rolling.
It's decent, the package includes a clear, blue, and red lens as well and some pocket clip stuff, it works on my Surefire Tactician, all of my BLF FW3A, the only flashlight of that form factor it doesn't fit snug and nice on is ironically the Maglite.
 
Got the NLT with the latest software, decided to check the auto-off function compared to the old versions. The very old ones after 5 or 10 minutes just take a step down every few seconds. I recorded the first few steps, maybe there is an error of a couple of seconds:

0, 6, 18, 38, 72, 122, 198, 305, 458 sec



The ratio of the next step to the previous one decreases. At first it is 6 to 1, then 3 to 1, then 2 to 1, then 1.5 to 1 and it looks like it will continue like this. It looks like an exponential, but I'm not sure
 
Slight delay while we upgrade our production system

We decided to bring our circuit board assembly in-house to make it easier and less expensive to offer custom variations. It also shortens our supply chain. We invested in a new pick-and-place production system so we can economically build small numbers of custom circuit boards.

The process has taken a bit longer than expected but we are expecting to have the system fully operational before the end of October 2024. This will delay the shipment of some current orders but we hope to be completely caught up around the end of the month or perhaps a week or two into November. We appreciate your patience.
 
Top