My idea for a USEFUL extra mode

TigerhawkT3

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With all the talk about useless SOS/strobe/etc. modes, I got to thinking about what a good extra mode would be. Here is my idea:

My extra mode would be a sort of fancy find-me function. The light would have a barely-visible glow, the kind that can only be seen when looking directly into/at the bezel. Every minute (or 30 seconds, or whatever), the light would gently ramp up in brightness over the course of a few seconds, with just enough power to allow room navigation on ceiling bounce (that's not much power, BTW - even an E0 has much more than the minimum output required for ceiling-bounce navigation). After a few seconds, it would slowly fade back down to the glow.

My thinking on this is that a light with this mode could be used as a night light, being easily found in the dark at a moment's notice (the constant glow), and providing enough output from time to time (the slightly brighter intermittent "throb") to allow someone to avoid obstacles and make their way to the light after waking up (or entering the room, or coming to, or whatever).

Questions? Comments? Has this been suggested before or implemented already?
 

carbine15

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A short flash (not too bright) every 30 seconds like a beacon would be helpful in locating a light in darkness. Maybe insert a photo cell to enable the find me feature only when it's dark enough.
 

naturelle

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TigerhawkT3 said:
With all the talk about useless SOS/strobe/etc. modes, I got to thinking about what a good extra mode would be. Here is my idea:

Much better than any useless strobe or SOS-mode!:twothumbs


Strobe does not irritate anybody, and most people don't know what morse-code SOS means...
 

TigerhawkT3

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Thanks, naturelle! :thanks:

I had thought of a short flash, but then I wondered, what if people were trying to sleep? Hopefully, a gentle throb wouldn't be too jarring, while remaining as useful as a short flash.

A light sensor would be a great addition! With that, someone could activate the feature and then forget about it for days on end, without having to turn it off during the day. :thumbsup:
 

TigerhawkT3

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So, any ideas on how this mode could be accomplished? PWM would most likely be the easiest method, but it might be inadequate for something that people might have to look at for hours on end, especially the dim glow. Also, PWM isn't as efficient as current regulation.

I'd really like to see this feature.
 

Stingray

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Why does everyone think that strobe and SOS are useless?

Strobe is good when your motorcycle gets a flat in the middle of the night on a really dark highway, there's barely any shoulder on the road, and semi's are barreling by with most not able to see you until they're right on top of you while you fix the tire. I used a carefully aimed blue photon on strobe to avoid getting killed like that but a brighter light would have been much better.

I'll bet the hikers on Mt Hood wouldn't have considered an SOS mode on a bright light to be totally useless.
 

Casual Flashlight User

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Has this been suggested before or implemented already?

HDS Ultimates have a locator flash...pretty handy as well, some guy on the HDS forum lost his U60 when hunting...went back and located it at night.
thumbsup.gif



CFU
 

TigerhawkT3

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I don't personally consider SOS useless. It does indeed have a use, which is to flash "SOS" so that people can see that someone needs help. Most users, however, would not use an SOS mode, so they call it "useless."

A locator flash is great, but I want MORE! :rock:
 

Concept

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Interesting thread. I don't mind having all the weird little functions on some of my lights and this one sounds interesting. What about a sensor that was setup to activate a slow strobe for 1 minute upon detecting a high pitch sound like a whistle ? I have a feeling adding a mic and circuit would obviously have size implications as well as affecting the water proofness of the unit but I like this idea.
 

Long John

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Stingray said:
Why does everyone think that strobe and SOS are useless?

Strobe is good when your motorcycle gets a flat in the middle of the night on a really dark highway, there's barely any shoulder on the road, and semi's are barreling by with most not able to see you until they're right on top of you while you fix the tire. I used a carefully aimed blue photon on strobe to avoid getting killed like that but a brighter light would have been much better.

I'll bet the hikers on Mt Hood wouldn't have considered an SOS mode on a bright light to be totally useless.

Totally agreed:thumbsup: To find the light in the dark I prefer a Tritium vial. :rock:

Best regards

____
Tom
 

65535

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I think that a dim glow like only enough to sede it (about the glow of a tritium vial) would be a good alternative to the people that are tritiumphobic. Not ramping or anything. ANd the circuit can be powered buy a Capacitor charge and discharge. www.bit-tech.net search for dimming leds.
 

thunderlight

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Why not use the same glow in the dark setting as the Palights use? If you are using alkaline batteries, this is essentially a free setting. I don't know, but my guess is that lithiums don't "leak" this amount of energy on a regular basis, so it would no longer be free. Allow this setting to be turned off as desired as in the new Palights.

EDITED: Minor corrections, mostly grammatical.
 
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Uncle Bob

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To find your flashlight in the dark why not have a sensor on the flashlight that responds like the Clapper? Clap and it strobes! Clap and it turns off!
:whistle: :lolsign:
 

amanichen

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Stingray said:
Why does everyone think that strobe and SOS are useless?
I find SOS and strobe pretty much useless, but that's not my reason for disliking lights with them.

Using Fenix as an example, the extra two modes must be cycled through if you want to get back around to the initial level. I'd pick the L0P-SE over the L0-D any day. (Yes, yes, I know you can leave it off for 1.5-3.0 seconds and have it reset to the standard, but that's as much of a pain in the butt as cycling through two extra modes when your task requires only a few seconds of light at a time.) If there were an extra DIP switch/sliding ring/etc. to put it into emergency mode, that would be better than having to go:

medium --> low --> high --> s t r o b e --> SOS --> OMG --> WTF --> LOL --> 39th useless mode --> medium

I know it's an exaggeration, and the way around it is mentioned above, but my chief complaint is the number of modes to cycle through. Maybe someone could get smart and make it so the emergency modes are only intentionally activated in an actual emergency.
 

waynejitsu

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amanichen said:
I find SOS and strobe pretty much useless, but that's not my reason for disliking lights with them.

Using Fenix as an example, the extra two modes must be cycled through if you want to get back around to the initial level. I'd pick the L0P-SE over the L0-D any day. (Yes, yes, I know you can leave it off for 1.5-3.0 seconds and have it reset to the standard, but that's as much of a pain in the butt as cycling through two extra modes when your task requires only a few seconds of light at a time.) If there were an extra DIP switch/sliding ring/etc. to put it into emergency mode, that would be better than having to go:

medium --> low --> high --> s t r o b e --> SOS --> OMG --> WTF --> LOL --> 39th useless mode --> medium

I know it's an exaggeration, and the way around it is mentioned above, but my chief complaint is the number of modes to cycle through. Maybe someone could get smart and make it so the emergency modes are only intentionally activated in an actual emergency.


Exactly...,
I am not saying SOS and Strobe are "useless", but for "ME" it is totally useless!!
I would rather the next function be "OFF" than to have a disturbing flash to cycle through, mistakenly cycle to, etc, etc...

Since these modes are only for emergencies-

1- they should only be installed on an emergency light?
2- they should only be an option, leaving two open fields to be used for other light stages (primary, low, high, custom, custom or 1,2,3,4,5)?
3- it should at least have an off option that you do not "have to" cycle through, even by accident..., VERY dangerous if driving, etc.?

All are left with a question mark, just a few options that give options to those that do not like, want or need this function:)
 
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