NovaTac locater flash

Just wondering how many use it and do you leave it on all the time or only when it's dark out.

Also would like to know how this impacts battery life. Seems like if it's flashing 24 hours a day it has to run the battery down.

In brief, this has been investigated extensively on the HDS series, and the drain is so low the locator flash will probably last for years.

Unfortunately the HDS threads were either deleted or made unsearchable when the HDS forum was closed, and I can't find all of them.

Most of the links to those discussion threads are now broken. That's very unfortunate since that content represents a lot of time and effort, and includes much valuable information.

Here is one related thread I can find:

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=132584

OK that answers the question on what it does to the battery. Now I'd like to know how many use it. Just curious.

sbebenelli said:

OK that answers the question on what it does to the battery. Now I'd like to know how many use it. Just curious.

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I use the locator flash quite often. We camp, and in the dark, the flash is just enough to let you find the light. You can also set it bezel down, and the tiny amount of light that escapes between the bezel and the surface quickly lets you find the light. And, truly, it will run for probably years on the locator flash function.

Hope this info helps.

LawLight

The converter board must be incredibly efficient to run it for so long, at such a low level.

I turned the locator flash on last night and will try it for a week or so. A very dim glow similar to the palight or around the same level as a piece of really bright tritium would be a better option in my opinion. In a dark room, I'm sure the flashing even when its bezel down will start driving me nuts after a while... :duh2:

Still waiting to see what Henry has to offer in the new HDS. He is taking orders late this month. (so he says)

I love the locater flash.

It makes the light IME. Knowing that I can turn off the lights and find my MVL (most valuable light hehe) is what truly makes it the best.

I use R123's and believe the self discharge rate is faster than depletion by leaving this feature on so cell life is of no concern.

SunnyQueensland said:

...A very dim glow similar to the palight or around the same level as a piece of really bright tritium would be a better option in my opinion. In a dark room, I'm sure the flashing even when its bezel down will start driving me nuts after a while....

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I totally agree. I think one of the easiest and most useful upgrades would be a "constantly on" locator glow. With the HDS lights this can be approximated by a quick double-click-and-hold from the off state. While you hold the button down, the light will glow very dimly at much less than the 0.08 lumen lowest level.

A contant-on locator glow is obviously doable with the current hardware. It would be a useful alternate to the locator flash. It could probably run thousands of hours on that level.

And lets face it, does anyone spend $150 on a flashlight to leave in a cupboard until doomsday? What I'm saying is - do we really need it to last more than 6 months in this mode anyway? (which it should easily do twice that) :candle:

SunnyQueensland said:

And lets face it, does anyone spend $150 on a flashlight to leave in a cupboard until doomsday? What I'm saying is - do we really need it to last more than 6 months in this mode anyway? (which it should easily do twice that) :candle:

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My old hds edc B42's sitting in my emergency pack at home in my closet with the locator flash on constantly now that I have a novatac 120p as my edc.

I love mine and it stays on all the time, other preferences like a glow or trit would be better, but I take what I can get.

I wish I had mine on - I lost mine a few days ago, and have NO clue where! :thinking: :candle:
:shrug: john

Try turning the lights on. :thumbsup:

I use the locator flash on 2 of my 3 HDS lights...I don't have a Novatac. There's a thread of someone running a locator flash test on an HDS light. The last time I looked at the thread it had been running for 14 months straight. I'm in the office pool for 2 years, 8 months, 6 days, 4 minutes and 8 seconds :nana: :nana:.

I have mine on sometimes. I cant sleep at night with the locator on.

I'm running the locator flash on both of my HDS EDCs since a few months, not that I need the beacon but it's a nice feature other lights don't have.
I only have to place it on the bezel every night or else my girlfriend complains