Ra Clicky (HDS Systems EDC) - Part 11

[Continued from Part 10]


All,

This thread is to discuss the technical aspects of the Ra Clicky and HDS Systems EDC Executive and EDC Tactical flashlights. That includes such topics as the user interface, beam pattern, differences between models, runtime, features, survivability and such. Please stay on topic.

Henry.

Part 10 reached 999 posts, so it is continued here.

First post!

So, let's continue speculating about when the newer, high output lights are going to be available...


Henry, are you adding additional modes on top of the 22/23 already available, or are you just raising the outputs of all the modes, and using a more efficient emitter?

I hope you're adding new modes, I would hate to lose the ultra lows currently available...

I hope you're adding new modes, I would hate to lose the ultra lows currently available...

Click to expand...

Seconded. I find the ultra low modes incredibly useful and it is one of those distinctions that makes HDS lights so special (and popular!).

I'm just curious as to what emitter is in the EDC 240. And if its not an XPG if he is coming out with an XPG based light.

You know, the "240" could be a typo. Did anybody think of that?

gottawearshades said:

You know, the "240" could be a typo. Did anybody think of that?

Click to expand...

It's not, but Henry did not confirm that any new lights were being developed. He just said that he developed the color coding scheme with the future in mind, keeping the 1.4 brightness jump in mind, knowing that eventually there will be higher lumen lights. He said that the color coding scheme, even with 200 and 240, were mentioned in a previous thread a while ago.

Well, I got my first "blink" today. I've had my high CRI Clicky for just about a month, and now the highest level (100 lumens) blinks after about a second and it drops down to the next lowest level (70 lumens). I was expecting the battery to last a little longer, but admittedly I have been playing with the light quite a lot over the past month since it's still a new toy, and I frequently pop it up to max just so I can go "Ooh! It's so bright!" which I'm sure hasn't helped the battery life any.

Now the question is, do I put in a new battery just to ensure that I can get to maximum brightness if necessary, or do I try and run this one dry? I assume I'll get longer run times as the newness wears off and I stop playing with it as frequently (further assuming that my light isn't a victim of the dreaded faulty capacitor).

michelkenny said:

It's not, but Henry did not confirm that any new lights were being developed. He just said that he developed the color coding scheme with the future in mind, keeping the 1.4 brightness jump in mind, knowing that eventually there will be higher lumen lights. He said that the color coding scheme, even with 200 and 240, were mentioned in a previous thread a while ago.

Click to expand...

Exactly. Speculating is fun, but we may be quite far from reality.

Now to speculate...

A while back Henry wrote,

As time goes on, we continue to make small improvements in the design. Inventory considerations do play a part in controlling when each improvement is phased in to any particular model. As a rule, the more expensive models get the upgrades before the less expensive models - which partially justifies the price difference.

Click to expand...

Seeing as how the High CRI clickies are out of stock, now would be a good time to upgrade them to a more efficient emitter, assuming they could be found in sufficient quantities for production.

the.Mtn.Man said:

Now the question is, do I put in a new battery just to ensure that I can get to maximum brightness if necessary, or do I try and run this one dry? I assume I'll get longer run times as the newness wears off and I stop playing with it as frequently (further assuming that my light isn't a victim of the dreaded faulty capacitor).

Click to expand...

I think the common practice is to put a fresh cell in your EDC and set the drained cell aside to use in your vampire light that you only use around the house so it's okay if it dies on you.

--flatline

the.Mtn.Man said:

Well, I got my first "blink" today. I've had my high CRI Clicky for just about a month, and now the highest level (100 lumens) blinks after about a second and it drops down to the next lowest level (70 lumens). I was expecting the battery to last a little longer, but admittedly I have been playing with the light quite a lot over the past month since it's still a new toy, and I frequently pop it up to max just so I can go "Ooh! It's so bright!" which I'm sure hasn't helped the battery life any.

Now the question is, do I put in a new battery just to ensure that I can get to maximum brightness if necessary, or do I try and run this one dry? I assume I'll get longer run times as the newness wears off and I stop playing with it as frequently (further assuming that my light isn't a victim of the dreaded faulty capacitor).

Click to expand...

That's a good question. Your light may continue to run for some time on that battery (depending on your usage). I personally hate to be without my high mode while I'm waiting for a battery to completely be used up. On the other hand, I hate to throw away a battery before it's done. I think I'm going to have to run mine on rechargeables so I can top off when I get to the first blink. :thinking:

Bullzeyebill said:

dyril, great pic re cutting down switch button, but too bad you have not been around CPF long enough to know that it has always been about air pressure keeping the boot too high to tailstand. Work with the air pressure, reducing it and you too can have a tail standing Ra.

Bill

Click to expand...

Thanks. I did read about it being air pressure but I like to try stuff and oftentimes my actions turn out to be stupid in retrospect.
I further un-did my reckless mod by putting under the boot a scrap octagon of polypropylene sheet with the head of a plain straight pin tacked centered on it; the head mates with my truncated switch plunger and restores the crisp, tactile button click. I think the added thickness decreases the air gap, too.

Like others in pt10, I dislike the bezel down clip being uncomfortable during a cigar grip. Can someone confirm that a suggested lanyard ring from lighthound has a diameter that's flush with the Clicky body? I couldn't tell what lights were pictured on the product page. I'm wondering if it'd be worth getting to coat with plasti-dip so it matches an all-black Clicky.
EDIT: Judging from this thread and mike1's collection, I guess it does fit flushly.

edc3 said:

That's a good question. Your light may continue to run for some time on that battery (depending on your usage). I personally hate to be without my high mode while I'm waiting for a battery to completely be used up. On the other hand, I hate to throw away a battery before it's done. I think I'm going to have to run mine on rechargeables so I can top off when I get to the first blink. :thinking:

Click to expand...

Ahh, here we have another dilema, when you run rechargeables in your Clicky your only get around 40 minutes on high before the first blink because they dont hold as mush stored energy as a primary lithium, so do we run rechargeables (or 4) and recharge every night or run a (or 2) primary for 2 nights?

If I get the nerve to buy one...dang CPF for getting me addicted to this stuff..(ok I loved lights for a long time...but now am into the LEDs) I would get the 17670 (19670) body for a long duration run!

flatline said:

I think the common practice is to put a fresh cell in your EDC and set the drained cell aside to use in your vampire light that you only use around the house so it's okay if it dies on you.

Click to expand...

Well, my Clicky is my everything light, and at the moment the only thing in the house that uses CR123 batteries.

the.Mtn.Man said:

Well, my Clicky is my everything light, and at the moment the only thing in the house that uses CR123 batteries.

Click to expand...

You will find that after you get the first blink, the battery dies pretty quickly after that particularly with RCRs.

James....:thumbsup:

the.Mtn.Man said:

Well, my Clicky is my everything light, and at the moment the only thing in the house that uses CR123 batteries.

Click to expand...

Sounds like an argument for another Clicky

Actually, I'm going to be in the same boat once my Clicky arrives. However, I also ordered two AW RCR123s (and I already have the Pila IBC charger), so I don't expect to even use the CR123 cell that comes with the light except in emergency.

Up until now, all my (non-gun-mounted) lights have either been AAA, AA, or 18650. It annoys me that the only way to get decent prices on CR123 cells is to buy bulk, so I'm extremely resistant to lights that use CR123...but the lure of high CRI (and a free leather holster) suckered me in anyways.

--flatline

Originally Posted by nbp
I thought I saw the new switches were like $50. Yikes!

Click to expand...

Posted by Bucky
Says the person with the $650 Ti Clicky .

Click to expand...

Why do you think I don't want to spend $50 on a switch? :nana:

Paraphrasing a phone conversation I had with Henry in late April/early May of this year, there are about 10, perhaps as many as 12, 200 lumen lights known to be in existence. We didn't specifically discuss if this number was in reference to clickies, twisties, or both but I believe it's clickies.

Said lights are occasionally discovered during the calibration process and offered on his website when found. He also said there are probably some undiscovered lights floating around that slipped by.

I've no idea if the goal is eventually to offer the 200 model as a permanent part of the lineup. Ditto the 240. It's also possible that some 240s have been offered as they were found but that's speculation on my part.

Dan

If Henry does offer 240 lumens as the standard for the upcoming clickies I would be in for one.

Regarding the few 200 lumens HDS clickies that was released previously, I always wonder if one would be willing to offer a higher premium, higher than HDS retail price for it on the CPFmarketplace? I wish I was one of those with the 200 lumens clicky but the 170 already is serving me well and I doubt there is any significance in brightness between both.