Please advise: about Novatac battery settings reset question

[wshylw]

I just got a Novatac 120E from a flashlight enthusiast, and happily this flashlight, purchased in 2008, functions properly and has no cosmetic flaws. I have a question for you connoisseurs. I have noticed a battery setting reset is required when changing from CR123 batteries to rechargeable lithium batteries. What I don't understand is if I change from the last 800 mAh Li-Ion battery to a 950 mAh Li-Ion battery, do I need to do the battery settings reset again? Thanks.

 

[WarriorOfLight]

In general you only need a battery reset if you change the battery type (Liion -> primary or primary -> LiIon).

I just got a Navatac 120E from a flashlight enthusiast

Novatac, not Navatac 🙂

I have noticed a battery setting reset is required when changing from CR123 batteries to rechargeable lithium batteries.

That is correct like I explained!

What I don't understand is if I change from the last 800 mAh Li-Ion battery to a 950 mAh Li-Ion battery, do I need to do the battery settings reset again? Thanks.

Nope, changing a LiIon to an other LiIon does not need a battery reset. The charging state of a LiIon can be checked with a "simple" voltage measuring. An empty LiIon is ~3-3.2V. But that range is the voltage range of a primary CR123 cell. The voltage ranges are overlapping. A full CR123 can be detected as empty LiIon cell.

Here you will find the manual of the Novatac 85P/120P:

https://www.hdssystems.com/Products/Legacy/NovaTac/NovaTacUsersGuide.pdf

The difference between 120P and non P variant is you must "free click" the flashlight with 100 or 1000 clicks (do not remember anymore). At least that is what I remember...

 

[wshylw]

Many thanks for the enthusiastic replies, and especially for pointing out my spelling errors, which were as pleasant as the 120E I got.

 

[wshylw]

Your explanations are more concise than the manual. Clicking 100 or 1000 times, it's horrible. I tried it and I don't think my fingers could take it. 😄

 

[thermal guy]

You should try it on a twisty😁😁

 

[jon_slider]

I just got a Novatac 120E

Congratulations ;-)

When going to LiIon after using CR123a no Battery Detect Reset is necessary. The light Automatically detects the Voltage of a LiIon, and enables the Low Voltage Shutoff (of 2.7V).

There is No Need to do a Battery Detect Reset when changing from one LiIon to another LiIon, regardless of any capacity differences, because the minimum shutoff voltage does not change.

The Novatac Only needs a Battery Detect Reset when going from LiIon to CR123a, because what the Reset does, is Disable the minimum shutoff voltage that is used for LiIon.

IF a CR123a is inserted after using LiIon, without doing a Battery Detect Reset, the light will treat the CR123a like a depleted LiIon. The highest output wont work, the light will step down to lower outputs, based on the low battery voltage.

As the CR123a battery voltage drops below 2.7V, the light will turn off completely, because it is using the minimum Voltage allowed for LiIon, as the shutoff voltage.

===
How I do Battery-Detect-Reset
1. turn on light, bezel down on a table, with CR123a battery installed.
2. hold the light against the table, and while holding down the switch button, unscrew head a couple of turns, til light turns off
3. Now while Holding the tailcap button down, screw the head tight again, until the light turns on. Keep holding for 5 seconds of bright light, followed by dim light. Let Go of the Button, when the light goes dim.

done!

Caution
Do NOT hold the button for 10 seconds, until it gets bright again, because that is a Factory Reset, which you might not want, if the light is a Locked Programming model that was Unlocked with 250 clicks.


===

The default program of the 120E is

1 clic from Off gives 35 lumens
2 clic from On gives 70 lumens
3 clic from On gives strobe
Hold from On gives maximum output, claimed to be 120 lumens, but in reality it is closer to 90 lumens.

The programming is Locked, but Can be Unlocked using the 250 clic technique. Once the light is Unlocked, it Stays unlocked, unless you do a factory reset.

Once programming is unlocked, you can then change any of the 4 modes to whatever output you prefer,

for example, you could change the 3 clic from On to give a moonlight output, instead of a strobe.. etc

If at some point you want to learn how to unlock the programming, this is the procedure:

Do 250 clicks (or more) from ON, and then HOLD for at least1 second and then release the button… the light will be flashing

then click slowly, 8 separate times… the light will be On, and will be cycling from dim to bright. Now hold the button down until the light turns OFF… and release the button. The light will turn on again. Now turn it off, and youre done.

the light is now Programmable.

 

[dc38]

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

The "pre-programmed" NovaTac EDC T and E models are fully programmable, just like the P model. (P model owners, this procedure is useful for you too, see the "What the manual left out" section below) I bought a T model many months ago at a local retail shop. This was before I knew of the P...

www.candlepowerforums.com

 

[dc38]

If you feel brave, you could always hook up an electronic actuating switch and do the 250 clicks then hold using software.

 

[dc38]

Congratulations ;-)

When going to LiIon after using CR123a no Battery Detect Reset is necessary. The light Automatically detects the Voltage of a LiIon, and enables the Low Voltage Shutoff (of 2.7V).

There is No Need to do a Battery Detect Reset when changing from one LiIon to another LiIon, regardless of any capacity differences, because the minimum shutoff voltage does not change.

The Novatac Only needs a Battery Detect Reset when going from LiIon to CR123a, because what the Reset does, is Disable the minimum shutoff voltage that is used for LiIon.

IF a CR123a is inserted after using LiIon, without doing a Battery Detect Reset, the light will treat the CR123a like a depleted LiIon. The highest output wont work, the light will step down to lower outputs, based on the low battery voltage.

As the CR123a battery voltage drops below 2.7V, the light will turn off completely, because it is using the minimum Voltage allowed for LiIon, as the shutoff voltage.

===
How I do Battery-Detect-Reset
1. turn on light, bezel down on a table, with CR123a battery installed.
2. hold the light against the table, and while holding down the switch button, unscrew head a couple of turns, til light turns off
3. Now while Holding the tailcap button down, screw the head tight again, until the light turns on. Keep holding for 5 seconds of bright light, followed by dim light. Let Go of the Button, when the light goes dim.

done!

Caution
Do NOT hold the button for 10 seconds, until it gets bright again, because that is a Factory Reset, which you might not want, if the light is a Locked Programming model that was Unlocked with 250 clicks.


===

The default program of the 120E is

1 clic from Off gives 35 lumens
2 clic from On gives 70 lumens
3 clic from On gives strobe
Hold from On gives maximum output, claimed to be 120 lumens, but in reality it is closer to 90 lumens.

The programming is Locked, but Can be Unlocked using the 250 clic technique. Once the light is Unlocked, it Stays unlocked, unless you do a factory reset.

Once programming is unlocked, you can then change any of the 4 modes to whatever output you prefer,

for example, you could change the 3 clic from On to give a moonlight output, instead of a strobe.. etc

If at some point you want to learn how to unlock the programming, this is the procedure:

Do 250 clicks (or more) from ON, and then HOLD for at least1 second and then release the button… the light will be flashing

then click slowly, 8 separate times… the light will be On, and will be cycling from dim to bright. Now hold the button down until the light turns OFF… and release the button. The light will turn on again. Now turn it off, and youre done.

the light is now Programmable.

to change one of the preset outputs, for example the Strobe, first clic 1 time to turn on the light, then clic 3 times to turn on the strobe. Now while the light is strobing do Clic, Click, and then press and hold a partial 3rd clic, for about 1 second, then release the button. The output is now ready to be customized.

Now each double clic will advance to the next available mode option. In this case it will cycle from Strobe, to each of the other 3 blinky modes, and then it will move to the lowest constant on output.. with each subsequent double clic going up one step in brightness.

If you want to scroll back down a level, use 3 clic.

When you get to an output you want to save, turn the light off.. done…

That's how I did my modded spl defense lol, warm white osram 96cri, click for 70% brightness (like level 18/22), double click to cycle 70/30% (like level 10 or so), triple click for low (like level 3 or 4).

From off, a hold gives momentary 70%, a click then hold gives 100% (level 22).

From one click on, a click then hold and release gives 100% constant, and a hold gives 100% burst until released back to 70%

I have found strobe to be utterly useless unless you're fast paced and moving laterally, it does NOT disorient opponents if you're barely moving, or unless they're susceptible to seizures. So I removed it from the presets.

 

[wshylw]

Caution
Do NOT hold the button for 10 seconds, until it gets bright again, because that is a Factory Reset, which you might not want, if the light is a Locked Programming model that was Unlocked with 250 clicks.

Thanks jon.I'm definitely up for the 250 click challenge when I have plenty of time and practice my thumbs. 😄😄😄😄

 

[wshylw]

I have found strobe to be utterly useless unless you're fast paced and moving laterally, it does NOT disorient opponents if you're barely moving, or unless they're susceptible to seizures. So I removed it from the presets.

I also don't think strobes are useful, at least for me.

 

[dc38]

I also don't think strobes are useful, at least for me.

The whole thing about the strobe is it is meant to be used in lower light scenarios and induces a flicker effect and makes it hard to track you, because you're blinking in and out of view. The super fast strobes are useless, as there's still too many frames being generated, allowing the brain to extrapolate the strober's position. The lower frequency strobes are better, but are still too consistent. Enter the crazy alternating random frequency strobe, where the strober can see the target, but the strober blinks in and out at inconsistent intervals.

There was one particular strobe I really liked, but I cannot remember which company used it. It was something like:
100101010110001000010100100010110001

The mind likes to anticipate a pattern, but the more complex (or non existent) the pattern, the longer it takes the brain to decipher and track it. The people who can react near instantly to such changes are exceedingly rare, and are still limited by human kinematics.

 

[jon_slider]

I like a flashing option, for use as a pedestrian when crossing the street. I dont usually choose the Tactical Strobe, I go with the Bicycle strobe..

Not saying Im aiming the light at the car drivers face, Mostly Im aiming at the ground around me, to catch their attention in a non tactical way. Im not trying to disorient, Im trying to be noticed.

 

[dc38]

I like a flashing option, for use as a pedestrian when crossing the street. I dont usually choose the Tactical Strobe, I go with the Bicycle strobe..

Not saying Im aiming the light at the car drivers face, Mostly Im aiming at the ground around me, to catch their attention in a non tactical way. Im not trying to disorient, Im trying to be noticed.

The toykeeper bike "strobe" is awesome. For those who don't know, it's a constant on mode with mildly reduced running brightness, and spikes a tremelo strobe roughly ever second or so. It lets you see, and the strobe is so quick that it just lets people know you're there.

I don't know that I'd call it a strobe though...

 

[wshylw]

I couldn't accomplish 250 clicks, I could only manage 50+ clicks. Is there an easier way to achieve this?

 

[dc38]

I couldn't accomplish 250 clicks, I could only manage 50+ clicks. Is there an easier way to achieve this?

Use a massage gun, or something else that uses a piston motion and a soft contact point.

 

[WarriorOfLight]

If I remember correctly hogo stated it is not necessary to count the 250 clicks. You click the Button the light goes on of off. If you reached the 250 clicks the light stays on...

 

[jon_slider]

Is there an easier way to achieve this?

my secret to the 250 click is to start from ON, with the bezel down against a table, then click 250+ times, until the light starts flashing and then Hold the last clic for a couple seconds

I support my index with my thumb and middle fingers like holding a pencil
and press the button with my index finger

more detail:

===
How to unlock Novatac

The 250 click hold

my secret to the 250 click is to start from ON, with the bezel down against a table, then click click 250+ times, until the light starts flashing and then Hold for a couple seconds

result, the light flashes for Option setting 1.. release the button

this is the first of 9 programming modes.. click 8 times slowly to reach menu 9

we want to enable #9, the ramping menu, by holding the button until the light turns off.. then release the button, light turns back on. And click off.

now the light is programmable, no more 250 clicks needed no more going back to Options 1 through 9

for now we move to changing the output of each of the 4 preset modes

=== change the brightness of each preset..

To change the UI to 120P, instead of 120E

set A to Max, ~80 lumens, accessed by doing click then hold, this locks the light on at strobe, then do clic click hold, and the light will ramp through the other two blinkies and then start at the. lowest mode and continue ramping up as long as the button is held down.

When you reach the maximum there is a double flash, release the button, then click off.. now maximum will be saved at preset A, which is press hold from on, for momentary max

set B to 5 (mode level 13) to access B, turn the light ON, that is B. it is set to maximum, we want to lower it to about 5 or 10 lumens. We use click click hold, to ramp up through the cycle of blinkies until the light comes around to the ramping output steps. Release at a low level you like. Then clic off. This saves B as the startup level still but now it will be a low mode, instead of maximum

set C to 25 (level 19) access C by doing double clic from ON, then change the brightness…

set D to minimum (level 1) or preferred low access D by doing triple clic from ON, then change the brightness using the programming command for ramping through the modes.

Note, during ramping, it is possible to reverse ramp by doing clic click hold again. This is useful when changing preset A and B, to avoid ramping through the 3 blinky modes, and then cycling up the lumen ladder, which has about 20 steps btw..

===

Here are the 9 option menus:

1. Emergency strobe <flash>
2. Emergency SOS signal <SOS>
3. Locator flash <dim flash>
4. Force setting <long flash> this is memory, it turned off, the light will use Last Mode Memory instead of always turning on at preset B
5. Automatic button lock <three rapid flashes>
6. Automatic turn off <bright-to-dim>
7. Simple momentary <short-long flash> this turns off the momentary on, of preset B, from off.
8. Tactical momentary <short-short-long flash>
9. Ramping/Options menu <dim-to-bright> this enables programing mode to change lumen levels on the four presets.

Only #9 needs to be changed initially, to unlock programming of mode outputs

===

 

[dc38]

my secret to the 250 click is to start from ON, with the bezel down against a table, then click 250+ times, until the light starts flashing and then Hold the last clic for a couple seconds

I support my index with my thumb and middle fingers like holding a pencil
and press the button with my index finger

more detail:

===
How to unlock Novatac

The 250 click hold

my secret to the 250 click is to start from ON, with the bezel down against a table, then click click 250+ times, until the light starts flashing and then Hold for a couple seconds

result, the light flashes for Option setting 1.. release the button

this is the first of 9 programming modes.. click 8 times slowly to reach menu 9

we want to enable #9, the ramping menu, by holding the button until the light turns off.. then release the button, light turns back on. And click off.

now the light is programmable, no more 250 clicks needed no more going back to Options 1 through 9

for now we move to changing the output of each of the 4 preset modes

=== change the brightness of each preset..

To change the UI to 120P, instead of 120T

set A to Max, ~80 lumens, accessed by doing click then hold, this locks the light on at strobe, then do clic click hold, and the light will ramp through the other two blinkies and then start at the. lowest mode and continue ramping up as long as the button is held down.

When you reach the maximum there is a double flash, release the button, then click off.. now maximum will be saved at preset A, which is press hold from on, for momentary max

set B to 5 (mode level 13) to access B, turn the light ON, that is B. it is set to maximum, we want to lower it to about 5 or 10 lumens. We use click click hold, to ramp up through the cycle of blinkies until the light comes around to the ramping output steps. Release at a low level you like. Then clic off. This saves B as the startup level still but now it will be a low mode, instead of maximum

set C to 25 (level 19) access C by doing double clic from ON, then change the brightness…

set D to minimum (level 1) or preferred low access D by doing triple clic from ON, then change the brightness using the programming command for ramping through the modes.

Note, during ramping, it is possible to reverse ramp by doing clic click hold again. This is useful when changing preset A and B, to avoid ramping through the 3 blinky modes, and then cycling up the lumen ladder, which has about 20 steps btw..

===

Here are the 9 option menus:

1. Emergency strobe <flash>
2. Emergency SOS signal <SOS>
3. Locator flash <dim flash>
4. Force setting <long flash> this is memory, it turned off, the light will use Last Mode Memory instead of always turning on at preset B
5. Automatic button lock <three rapid flashes>
6. Automatic turn off <bright-to-dim>
7. Simple momentary <short-long flash> this turns off the momentary on, of preset B, from off.
8. Tactical momentary <short-short-long flash>
9. Ramping/Options menu <dim-to-bright> this enables programing mode to change lumen levels on the four presets.

Only #9 needs to be changed initially, to unlock programming of mode outputs

===

I'll try to make a flowchart later today. If I could add that menu options 1-8 are activated binarily, that is, if you do sellect one, it either toggles it to active or inactive, you have to know what you left it at.

Also, after the initial 250 unlock, I can't seem to remember the shortcut to get back into programming option 1-9 menu... was it click click click hold?

 

[jon_slider]

options 1-8 are activated binarily, that is, if you do sellect one, it either toggles it to active or inactive, you have to know what you left it at.

there is a hint, IF when holding the button the light ramps from Dim to Bright, that Enables the Option. If it ramps from Bright to Dim, that DisAbles the Option.

Also, after the initial 250 unlock, I can't seem to remember the shortcut to get back into programming option 1-9 menu... was it click click click hold?

yes, 4H from ON (3 full clics and Hold a 4th press) goes to the Options menu, 3H from ON goes to output menu for whichever preset is on at the time.