Photon Freedom Micro-Light Question

[Kingfisher]

Since I have plenty CR2032 batteries:
How well should /does the white Photon Freedom Micro run on one of these? A quick search revealed one member could not get the light to work at all, and various others suggest the CR2032's are for specific certain colours. The light I just ordered (the white) says it runs on either one CR2032 or 2x2016, but this may not be so - in which case it can go back

Now....what I want for a while is a very long lasting / low level light, and since I had a load of 2032's I thought this would fit the bill. Will they work for longer and lower levels? - In which case it stays

 

[Marduke]

In my experience the Freedom works fine with 2032's. It will be dimmer with lots of extra runtime.

 

[Kingfisher]

GREAT!.... it stays.....when it comes....

 

[sabre7]

Not sure if my previous posts were the ones you were referring to, but I have the Photon Freedom Micro, and the Photon X-Light Micro, both versions have multi-function modes and variable brightness with white leds and are advertised as 2X brighter than the previous version.

Under NO circumstances do either of these lights work properly with energizer 2032 batteries. I have tried countless times. I have tried every possible solution to get them to work including bending the battery retaining clip various ways, sliding the battery in quickly, slowly, etc.

Either the lights stay on constantly or will not come on at all with the cover installed. I managed to get it to work by squeezing the light extremely hard and making it come on while pressure was applied, but it did NOT work with the switch. It may be possible they work with another brand of 2032 batteries for some reason.

I also have a NV green version, and it works perfectly with 2032 batteries.

Please let us know your results when you get the light, I have given up trying with the white led versions.

 

[deranged_coder]

I just tested using my Photon Freedom Micro (white LED) and a Sony CR 2032 battery and it works ok. I had no problems with ramping the light up and down. It seems a bit dimmer compared to 2 x CR2016 but it does run. :thumbsup:

EDIT: I just dropped in two fresh CR2016 batteries into my Photon Freedom Micro and it is noticeably brighter on 2 x CR2016 than it is on 1 x CR2032. It is still quite usable using 1 x CR2032 but for full brightness you would want 2 x CR2016 in there.

 

[Kingfisher]

Not sure if my previous posts were the ones you were referring to, but I

It may well have been you sabre7, I tend to get lost when in the search mode and not only forget who posted what - but forget what I'm doing there sometimes!!! :duh2:

Should be here tomorrow so I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[Hondo]

You probably saw my response to sabre7 in the other thread, too, but I did get my Freedom into a similar "stuck" kind of mode when installing a 2032. But in my case, starting over, and pressing the battery in swiftly (the light will tend to come on with the battery on an angle) solved my problem, and I have been using it this way for many months. The newer Nichia DS and GS LED's with their lower Vf and higher output efficiency make running from a single cell practical again. The old "BS" series Nichias were no brighter (if as bright) when overdriven from 2 2016's.

 

[lukestephens777]

Hi Kingfisher,

I actually just installed a fresh Energizer 2032 in my Photon Freedom Micro ( i think it's a CS LED) and it works fine, although dimmer. The light and all functions works fine, and you get the benefits of much longer runtime.

I would love to see a Photon 2 x 2032 version, which would make the light thicker, but give you the brightness and runtime benefits. I am one of those people who don't like to edc anything bigger than a coin cell light on my keychain.

Take it easy... :twothumbs

 

[Kingfisher]

sabre7
Just tried a 2032 in mine and it played up a bit, staying on full. I was a bit reluctant to prise the back off it anyway, just in case I ruined the water resistance - and I was already getting the low light setting I wanted with the pre-installed 2016s. Anyhow at least I know I should buy the right batteries and how to put them in.

Before I bought I this did a search and looked on the web for a bit more info. I found (somewhere) a little short film about the company and the place where they still make these great little lights, but I can't find it anywhere. If there is anyone out there that can provide a link please?

Since I always take pics of my knives, lights and other "gear" before I use it-here's the obligatory:

Great little light. :thumbsup:

 

[Marduke]

Video is on the bottom of the page.
http://www.laughingrabbitinc.com/p_freedom.htm

 

[Kingfisher]

Thanks Marduke, but the video I was looking for was the one that shows the factory and the handful of people still working there making these original lights - not the battery changing.

 

[sabre7]

Thanks for trying Kingfisher, the version in your photo is the exact same one I have. I was hoping to use 2032s in mine too, there must be some other reason why they only work with 2 2016s other than operator error! :thinking:

Edit: I was thinking I managed to get 2 faulty units or was somehow installing the 2032 incorrectly. It is obviously not an isolated issue.

 

[paulr]

I think a few folks are successfully using 2032's in their Freedoms but I've never understood the point. The Freedom is a dimmable light. If you want to run it on 2x2016 at the same level you would get by 1x2032, just dim it to that point. Yeah, the total energy in 2x2016 is somewhat less, but not by THAT much, and if it's really an issue then you're probably better off with a bigger light.

 

[Kingfisher]

I think a few folks are successfully using 2032's in their Freedoms but I've never understood the point.

My point being I have already a load of strips of 2032's and nowhere to use em'

....just realized I'm a 'flashaholic' now......there's no turning back.....

 

[paulr]

I think if you're using your keychain light enough for battery costs to be an issue, you probably want a 1aaa light, maybe even running on a rechargeable cell.

 

[Kingfisher]

You seem to have hold of the wrong end of the stick paulr.
Its not an issue of the small price of a battery or two – it's an issue of waste. Like I said in the opening post: I got a load of 2032s in the house. I can't even remember where they come from. They may have come from some kind of hand held game thingy the kids are no longer interested in

I do have an EO1 on my keychain, but I need the lower level light of a Freedom for something else. I probably will move the Freedom over to my keychain in a few months, or even buy a '2032 only' red Photon. I'm quite fond of these little lights now.

Thanks for the concern/replies.

 

[Flying Turtle]

I understand where you're coming from, Kingfisher. I've got a few 2032's gathering dust, too. Even though they will work in my old Photon 3, I'm considering a red or orange Photon just for grins, and to use up those batteries a little faster. Maybe that's not really fiscally responsible, but not many of us here are all the time.

Geoff