Flickering KL1

Interesting findings today.
I wonder if you guys notice, if you run your KL1 until the battery is nearly depleted the light output starts to flicker.

This happens way after moon mode. Makes me wonder what type of circuitry KL1 made of.

My ARC LSx and Zetex circuits doesn't do this.

Vince.

I have an E2e with KL1. I'll wait to find a pair of depleted 123 to try this.

From how you describe it, it is very likely a "relax" oscillator effect, where the electronics inside the KL1 bezel shuts down due to very low voltage, then the batteries without load increases the voltage again, and subsequently the electronics kicks in again; the vicious circles repeats and the KL1 flickers.

Anthony

It's a feature! 'Flashing' mode tells you to switch to new SF123As!!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Anthony's post sounds reasonable.

Al

I've noticed it as well... It's almost to be expected for me, and I try to kill any remaining drained 123s I have left...

I actually built a 2.4volts battery pack pair of 700mah NiMH ripped off from cordless phones. It's a bit shorter than two CR123 so I end up adding a spacer. It works well got some fair runtime. I haven't time the runtime yet as they are new pair of cells, they are not run in yet.

Yup I think Anthony is right about the relax oscillator, once I measured a NiCD AA cell with my dmm, the voltage is 1.24, as soon as I drop it in to my light, the bulb dims as fast as rocket. Took it out and measured it the voltage seems to be climbing back up again...

Vince.