NovaTac EDC T and E Models CRACKED! Back Door/Easter egg found!

[EEG]

I had always like the Novatac lights but found it hard to get by the 1/2 hour runtime on high. That is until I read about the back door and Botach sale prices.

I ended up getting a 120T with flat button tailcap. I was counting on this thread to convert it to a "P" and after some initial runs at the 250 clicks and a couple of the alcohol treatment for the tailcap I got it right.

I think I have hit the following settings: Primary-60
Secondary-30
Min-.94 (I think)
Max-120

This has worked out very well for me and I have put a fresh battery in after a week and a half with these settings.

I have used it as my primary light during that whole time so along with the normal comparisons with some other lights and playing with it some during the day at the office as well as every night while feeding the animals. I don't normaly have very heavy use like some others but this working out great for me.

I am waiting for the new lights to be released and see how the on-line tutorial will work for programing. It would be funny if it is essentially the same as this.

Thanks LLCOOLBEANS

 

[kz1000s1]

Is level 22 on an 85 the 85lumen level? I havnt read of anyone doing the backdoor on an 85 yet? anybody??............

There is no level 22 on an 85P. It only goes to level 21, which always made me think the 120 was brighter because it had an extra level, not because the LED was better. Now that this back door was found, it reinforces that belief.

Now if I can just figure out what button to push to get the elevator on my 85P to go to the top floor!

 

[jagr]

You seem to have enabled tactical momentary. Re-enter the customization menu and turn it off.

Is it a possible way really? We can't turn the flashlight on while in tactical momentary mode. :thinking:

 

[xevious]

Thanks, LLCOOLBEANS! Simple, yet effective. And I wonder... if the new NovaTac models coming out in February will have the same programming--so an E or T model can still be activated for full programming. What do you think?

The 2xAA and 2xCR123 means that they've changed a few things, to enable the power plant variation, but hopefully they didn't touch the programming.

 

[CobraMan]

Okay - I need some help here. For the last 2 days I have been trying to enable the P mode on the 120E I just purchased and have not yet got it to work. Like others that have posted - I think my switch is getting a bit flaky from the thousands of rapid clicks performed.

If I understand correctly the light must stay in the initial mode during the 250+ clicks - if it cycles into one of the other modes then I need to start over - correct?

I think I have gotten to the options menu on 3 occasions but then messed up enabling the ramping mode. I have tried taking extended breaks to give my fingers and the light a rest - yet I fail again. If nothing else I am persistent.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tim

 

[LLCoolBeans]

Is it a possible way really? We can't turn the flashlight on while in tactical momentary mode. :thinking:

Ok, do a factory reset.

 

[LLCoolBeans]

Thanks, LLCOOLBEANS! Simple, yet effective. And I wonder... if the new NovaTac models coming out in February will have the same programming--so an E or T model can still be activated for full programming. What do you think?

Who cares? Ra Clicky is only $99 now.
http://www.ralights.com/?id=EdcExecutive

 

[LLCoolBeans]

I think I have gotten to the options menu on 3 occasions but then messed up enabling the ramping mode. I have tried taking extended breaks to give my fingers and the light a rest - yet I fail again. If nothing else I am persistent.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Tim, I'll do my best to help.

You say you "think" you have entered the options menu on 3 occasions. What does that mean exactly?

Here is the procedure in brief...

From off, Click on

Click 250+ times rapidly, you don't need to count the clicks, light will start blinking when you've hit the right number of clicks. When you see that blink press and hold, then release.

You are now in the options menu, get yourself to option 9. Press and hold the button and you will see the light ramping up in brightness to indicate that the option is being enabled, continue to hold the button until primary brightness is restored.

Click light off. You have now enabled customization.

Let me know how you make out and if you have any more questions.

 

[CobraMan]

Let's see if I can clarify a little. Since my switch appears to be breaking down - usually when I am in the middle of doing the 250+ clicks it will break out of the primary brightness mode and start flashing or step to another brightness, or even off - I believe when this happens I need to start over - correct?

I do see one bit of info I had not seen or tried - once getting to the ramping mode option to hold until returning to the primary brightness followed by click off. Previously I did a hold for a few seconds then release and click off - probably why it did not take.

After I get this unlocked I am going to contact NT about a new tailcap - as others have stated the switch should last for many thousands of cycles or more.

Thanks for the help - now I am off to try again.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[LLCoolBeans]

After I get this unlocked I am going to contact NT about a new tailcap - as others have stated the switch should last for many thousands of cycles or more.

No need to contact NT. Most NovaTac parts are availible for purchase here...
http://www.lighthound.com/search.asp?keyword=novatac&search=GO

Not sure you really need a new one though. Doing the 250 clicks is definitely not easy so I'm not sure the tailcap switch is at fault, it's just plain hard to do the 250 clicks required to enter the options menu.

 

[cabindriver]

No need to contact NT. Most NovaTac parts are availible for purchase here...
http://www.lighthound.com/search.asp?keyword=novatac&search=GO

Not sure you really need a new one though. Doing the 250 clicks is definitely not easy so I'm not sure the tailcap switch is at fault, it's just plain hard to do the 250 clicks required to enter the options menu.

In my case, the switch was the problem. A replaced under warranty switch made the 250 clicks a breeze.

 

[CobraMan]

I think that is going to be the only way to get mine working correctly as well - new tailcap. From what I have read NT customer service is supposed to be very good - hopefully they will just send me a new cap like Surefire did when my U2 started acting up - no questions asked.

I did manage to get into the options menu but due to the problems I could not enable the ramping.

I guess I will be calling NT tomorrow.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[streetmaster]

You should try cleaning the switch with alcohol first. The contacts in the switch are probably just dirty. It has reportedly fixed flakey switches that acted up after the repeated clicking. It's worth a try to unscrew the tailcap, drizzle some rubbing alcohol into the cap, swish it around a bit, and then dump it out and blow out the rest with compressed air or let it dry.

I think that is going to be the only way to get mine working correctly as well - new tailcap. From what I have read NT customer service is supposed to be very good - hopefully they will just send me a new cap like Surefire did when my U2 started acting up - no questions asked.

I did manage to get into the options menu but due to the problems I could not enable the ramping.

I guess I will be calling NT tomorrow.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[CobraMan]

Well - streetmaster you hit the nail on the head! I figured I would give a try at taking the tailcap apart and after a little arguing with the retaining nut I was able to remove it with my snap-ring pliers.

One thing that struck me is the simple, almost cheapish, design of the switch that I did not expect in a light of this caliber. It is made of a little 4 winged piece of what appears to be stainless steel resting on an outer ring and when depressed in the center it completes the connection to the battery - it is held in place with a piece of clear packing tape and nothing more. So I peeled the tape back and cleaned all the surfaces that come in contact with alchohol then centered the little winged piece as good as I could and stuck the tape back down. Reassembled the tailcap - switch works like new.

First attempt to unlock post cleaning and bingo - I have joined the rest of you with a 120XP

Man - I think I have a new favorite utility light - may need to order another one of these beauties!

Thanks to all the advice and especially to LLCoolBeans for discovering this.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[streetmaster]

Well - streetmaster you hit the nail on the head! I figured I would give a try at taking the tailcap apart and after a little arguing with the retaining nut I was able to remove it with my snap-ring pliers.

One thing that struck me is the simple, almost cheapish, design of the switch that I did not expect in a light of this caliber. It is made of a little 4 winged piece of what appears to be stainless steel resting on an outer ring and when depressed in the center it completes the connection to the battery - it is held in place with a piece of clear packing tape and nothing more. So I peeled the tape back and cleaned all the surfaces that come in contact with alchohol then centered the little winged piece as good as I could and stuck the tape back down. Reassembled the tailcap - switch works like new.

First attempt to unlock post cleaning and bingo - I have joined the rest of you with a 120XP

Man - I think I have a new favorite utility light - may need to order another one of these beauties!

Thanks to all the advice and especially to LLCoolBeans for discovering this.

Cheers,
Tim

Hey Tim, I'm glad you saved 20 bucks, or at least saved the hassle of waiting for a new switch from NovaTac. It was worth a shot! Good job.:thumbsup: I hate to see people replace perfectly good clicky's only to find out it's just dirty.

 

[streetmaster]

Who cares? Ra Clicky is only $99 now.
http://www.ralights.com/?id=EdcExecutive

Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. I had a NovaTac Storm on pre-order, canceled that and putting the money towards an Ra EDC Executive Clicky!
I always wanted a real HDS light. I love the NovaTacs, don't get me wrong. And I will never get rid of my 120E(P), it's my most used light, so far.

 

[matrixshaman]

I think I've read all the messages in this thread but I don't recall seeing anything about this situation. It seems to be unique to the only non-P model Novatac I have and it's the EDC model which I reprogrammed to a P. I've been using it for a while but only noticed just now that when I do a click and PH while it's on or just a PH while on that it goes to a brighter setting - However it is NOT the highest setting the light can reach. Normally unless I've forgotten how things work with these the PH or click PH while on takes it to Maximum brightness. But now it's hitting what appears to be a step or two at least below maximum. I discovered this when changing a brightness setting and accidentally shut it off at the top of the brightness scale - thus saving that setting to one of the secondary settings. So after that I did a PH while on and it got DIMMER! It was at least a step or two down from the high setting I just saved. So is this all just common knowledge, do I have fuzzy memory or is this a bug in this particular light and possibly it has a higher high? Does anyone know what might be going on with this? Maybe an EDC model reprogrammed opens up a higher high or it just causes this somewhat odd behavior. I don't consider it a problem but just unusual as far as I know.

 

[mbassoc2003]

Tim, I'll do my best to help.

You say you "think" you have entered the options menu on 3 occasions. What does that mean exactly?

Here is the procedure in brief...

From off, Click on

Click 250+ times rapidly, you don't need to count the clicks, light will start blinking when you've hit the right number of clicks. When you see that blink press and hold, then release.

You are now in the options menu, get yourself to option 9. Press and hold the button and you will see the light ramping up in brightness to indicate that the option is being enabled, continue to hold the button until primary brightness is restored.

Click light off. You have now enabled customization.

Let me know how you make out and if you have any more questions.

Is that 9 clicks away from the PH after the blinking?
Giving serious consideration to buying myself a Novatac EDC 120E on the back of this thread.
Finding it hard to justify on the back of just shelling out for two Ra Clicky Tacticals (140 & 170), but the shorter form factor, chap price of the E, and the easter egg are quite a draw.
Argh! Just noticed the possible release of the Storm. Anyone see a difference between the Storm and the EDC 120 range? Seems like an identical light to me?

>EDIT< Just gave in to temptation and ordered me an EDC 120-E. Hope there isn't much difference between a reprogrammed EDC 120 and the Storm when it comes out.

 

[mbassoc2003]

Anyone know where I can buy a flush tail button for an EDC 120, in black? Lighthound seem to be out, and say they don't know if they'll be getting more stock in, and YourCornerStore say they don't intend to continue carry spares for the current EDC line once their new stock is in.

 

[mbassoc2003]

You should NOT be clicking "on/off". You are not clicking fast enough. The light will go off after the first click and STAY off until you hit the 250-ish flashing point. If the light comes on before that, you've messed up and you must start over. There's no need to count clicks. Hope this helps.

I can't get mine to act in this way at all. I turn it on to primary, then begin rapid clicking. The light flicks off momentarily at the first click and then stays on as I continue my rapid clicks. I've not managed to get to the programming menu yet. Is the light meant to stay off until I get there?

Incidentally, it's an EDC 120-E, serial 21XXXX, but has no EDC designation on the barrel, just the five digit number on one side and the word Novatac on the other. Both engraved a little too high and not centrally on the engraving surface.