Liteflux LF3XT info, questions and programming

[madi05]

i dont think so because i sent mine off and apart for a week or so and when i put it back together it stayed at the settings i had it set at ,, so my answer is i dont think so on the auto reset

madi05

 

[bugsy714]

Hey, what type of rcr are you all currently using in this? I need to order some but wasn't sure if these only accept imr or liPo

 

[madi05]

AW rcr 123 the black ones

madi05

 

[HKJ]

Another thread tonight got me wondering about the LF3XT. Is it drawing some power when switched off? I can't recall this being mentioned before. If so, would it eventually do a self-reset after some time with no battery?

It is drawing power when off, but it is probably low enough that a battery will last more than a year.
I have not checked out if it does a reset, when the battery is empty or missing, but if it is using the EEPROM in the microcontroller, it can keep the settings without power.

 

[bondr006]

Hey, what type of rcr are you all currently using in this? I need to order some but wasn't sure if these only accept imr or liPo

AW RCR123a Protected 750 mAh Battery

 

[BabyDoc]

It is drawing power when off, but it is probably low enough that a battery will last more than a year.
I have not checked out if it does a reset, when the battery is empty or missing, but if it is using the EEPROM in the microcontroller, it can keep the settings without power.

If you don't plan on using the light for a while, just loosen the head of the light. It will keep the settings without power.

 

[HKJ]

If you don't plan on using the light for a while, just loosen the head of the light. It will keep the settings without power.

It is not necessary to do on the LF3XT. I have just measured the standby current on mine, it was below 10uA, i.e. a CR123 battery will last more than 10 year with that current draw.

 

[Flying Turtle]

I've got no plans to take mine out of circulation. Just curious. I did notice something interesting. If you give it about a 1/4 turn it will not turn on. But, if you first turn it on, it takes about 1 1/2 turns for it to shut off. I wonder if that would indicate it is not truly de-powered until you give it 1 1/2 turns?

Geoff

 

[HKJ]

I did notice something interesting. If you give it about a 1/4 turn it will not turn on. But, if you first turn it on, it takes about 1 1/2 turns for it to shut off. I wonder if that would indicate it is not truly de-powered until you give it 1 1/2 turns?

Geoff

Your have two connection in the tube, one for the switch and one for power. The half turn just disconnect the switch, the 1 ½ turn disconnects the power. The inner tube is the power and if your press on it your can feel that it has a spring to keep it connected.

 

[Flying Turtle]

Thanks, HKJ. Looking at the contact ring(s) now I can see what you mean. Should have been able to figure that out myself. :shakehead

Geoff

 

[bugsy714]

Thanks for the replies! Time to place my aw order

 

[Lite_me]

Ok guys. It's all your fault. I couldn't take it anymore. All this talk, I just had to order one. It came yesterday. Me very happy. 🙂

I can't really say much more than what's already been said about it, it's a great light, but I did remove the end cap to work on the switch. My button started sticking a bit and wouldn't spring back all the way every time. I basically re-lubed the o-ring on the button with Nyogel 760G (I didn't want anything oily or too thin) and stretched the small button return spring about 2mm longer than factory. It went askew when I did that and I had to correct it before it would work right again. Watch out for that. I also DeoxIt'ed all the contacts in there. The switch felt much better after doing this. You really need to gain access to the switch if you haven't already for routine maintenance.

BabyDoc:
Were you ever able to get yours apart? If not, here's a suggestion. I recently picked up a cheap strap wrench from Marc's. It was less than $2, I think. I believe Marc's is a local franchise, not sure, but you reside in my area so there may be one near you.

Just pull the strap tight around the body of the light(using the correct orientation) and then hold the strap tight against handle with your hand while you insert a good(hardened) screwdriver through the lanyard hole and give er' a twist. It took a little effort to get it started but unscrewed fine after that. It did not appear to be glued at all.

What do they say... a picture is worth a thousand words.

Hope someone finds this helpful.

A pic of my light.

Thank you, BabyDoc, Budman231, bluecrow76, matrishaman, and everyone who have helped with the programing charts and instructions. Awesome!

 

[Flying Turtle]

Welcome to the club! Glad you approve. Is that another River Rock clip I see? Did you have some lock ring pliers to get it on your light?

Geoff

 

[Lite_me]

The clip came off an Energizer single AA light from Target. It's the exact same clip found on the RR.

I just used a pair of needle nose pliers that I had ground down the tips of for removing light engines & such. They held the clip well enough to get it spread and set it around the light. Slid it down the rest of the way and it's on there pretty good. It holds well. I wanted it for anti-roll as much as for clipping.

 

[h2oflyer]

The end of my switch experiments :

As I have said before, the real answer to crisp switch "click" is proper lubing of the alum. switch cap O-ring.

I have tried stretching the cap spring little, a lot, tried heavier wire stiffer spring, cut the spring in half and no spring.

I am using my LF3XT without the spring as I can feel the crisp snap of the "clicky" switch better.

I tried a reflector experiment to see if I changed the "frosted" finish to a polished orange peel type finish to see if it impacted on Cree rings. Alot of polishing work for naught. I conclude the absence of rings is due to reflector curvature and/or depth and emitter placement.

Still having fun with this light - gotta get my $62 worth.

Walter

 

[BabyDoc]

The end of my switch experiments :

As I have said before, the real answer to crisp switch "click" is proper lubing of the alum. switch cap O-ring.

I have tried stretching the cap spring little, a lot, tried heavier wire stiffer spring, cut the spring in half and no spring.

I am using my LF3XT without the spring as I can feel the crisp snap of the "clicky" switch better.

I tried a reflector experiment to see if I changed the "frosted" finish to a polished orange peel type finish to see if it impacted on Cree rings. Alot of polishing work for naught. I conclude the absence of rings is due to reflector curvature and/or depth and emitter placement.

Still having fun with this light - gotta get my $62 worth.

Walter

Walter, how much were you able to polish the reflector? Did you get it any where near smooth? If so, did it improve the throw at all?

I had always imagined that the smooth beam was the result of the heavy orange peeling, which you seem to have disproved. Wouldn't it be nice, if LiteFlux could then offer a high polished smooth reflector option that might increase the throw a bit, particularly since the cost of doing so would not be the appearance of Cree rings?

 

[BabyDoc]

The clip came off an Energizer single AA light from Target. It's the exact same clip found on the RR.

I just used a pair of needle nose pliers that I had ground down the tips of for removing light engines & such. They held the clip well enough to get it spread and set it around the light. Slid it down the rest of the way and it's on there pretty good. It holds well. I wanted it for anti-roll as much as for clipping.

Is that clip on their permanently or do you think you could get that clip off without scratching up the light? I had seen that Energizer single a light at Target even before you posted your pictures. I thought it looked great and might fit the LF3XT but was worried about scratching up my light. BTW, thanks for the suggestion about Marks inexpensive strap wrenches. I will give them a try.

 

[h2oflyer]

BabyDoc:

I ended up with a satiny fine to med. orange peel.

Fenix TK10 has brilliant heavy OP compared to LF3XT frosty fine OP. Neither one has Cree rings. Must be due to reflector curvature/depth and emitter placement.

Get a rubber strap wrench - only way to take round things apart.

was not going for throw - don't have before and after pics, but I think I got brighter spill beam -next experement is to "frost" top of acrylic dome to see if I can eliminate spot for uniform total spill beam.

Walter

 

[BabyDoc]

BabyDoc:

Fenix TK10 has brilliant heavy OP compared to LF3XT frosty fine OP. Neither one has Cree rings. Must be due to reflector curvature/depth and emitter placement.

Walter

Yes, the TK10 has a very smooth beam. However, the TK11 is nearly the same light as the TK10, but with a polished reflector. The TK11 does have Cree rings suggesting that the OP is part of the reason for the smooth beam and abscence of Cree rings with the TK10. I do agree that correct depth/curvature and emitter placement are also important, because no amount of OP will eliminate the Cree rings if those elements are are not correct.

You have proven this with the LF3XT by making its OP less agressive and still its
beam has no rings. Yet, I imagine that if the LF3XT had a polished, smooth reflector it wouldn't be immune to having rings any more than the TK11 is. Still, you have to give LiteFlux a lot of credit for what they have done. With a smaller light and a smaller, albeit orange peeled reflector, they still found that sweet spot for emitter placement and depth to create the only artifact free Q5 single cell light that I know of. I am glad to know from your work it wasn't just a matter of its heavy orange peel, as some other people have suggested previously.

 

[h2oflyer]

I only do real world comparisons with lights that I own. I don't have a TK11.
The quality of a Q5 beam has nothing to do with how many cells are behind the reflector. The LF3XT has a ringless beam and so does the TK10 which is a lot older. LiteFlux has done a great job, but they didn't invent the ringless Cree beam.

Walter