Olight M20S Current Controlled or PWM like M30?

Hevy Lite · Sep 8, 2010

Does the M20S operate with PWM like the M30 and if so can it be seen like the M30 (Reference: Selfbuilt test of M30 in the review section).

I suspect this is true based on the M30 review, but facts are better than any guess!

Also, I cannot find any reviews of the M20S. Any help?

bugi · Sep 8, 2010

Nice question! :thumbsup: I wanna hear the answer too.

Hevy Lite · Sep 10, 2010

Can someone who owns this light shake it in a dark room while looking in the mirror? Or maybe a dealer knows if this is a PWM light?

I just don't want buy one to find out the PWM frequency is too low and I don't like it!

The side switch seems like such a good UI it is too bad if they implimented a slow PWM like the M30.

Someone here must know!

bugi · Sep 10, 2010

Hevy Lite said:
Can someone who owns this light shake it in a dark room while looking in the mirror? Or maybe a dealer knows if this is a PWM light?

I just don't want buy one to find out the PWM frequency is too low and I don't like it!

The side switch seems like such a good UI it is too bad if they implimented a slow PWM like the M30.

Someone here must know!

When i shake it in front of a mirror I can se PWM effect on LOW and MED. On HI it is not visible or I can´t see it.

Ray_of_Light · Sep 10, 2010

The Olight M20 S uses the same controlling circuitry of the M30; it uses low frequency PWM (100 Hz) in Low, Med and High. Not a mistake: also in High, something like 95% ON, 5% OFF: this is because the controller in the tailcap requires power always, and gets this by using a bootstrap configuration. In other words, it gets some power only when the LED is off.

My suggestion is that - unless you absolutely need one-handed brightness control, go for the regular M20. In this way, you don't get the PWM and the low efficiency low and Med level.

Regards

Anthony

DeadButAlive · Sep 10, 2010

I owned a M20S for about 2 hours one time. I noticed the PWM in the low and medium modes (low was pretty easy to spot, had to shake it to see in medium) and immediately made arrangements with the place I bought it to exchange for the normal version. It appears that the M20S uses the same control circuitry that the M30 uses and thus suffers the same visible PWM issues. Unless you have a compelling need for tailcap control and don't mind edge-of-perception PWM, your best bet is to stick witht he regular M20. Its a tank of a light and has a great combination of flood and throw.

jcalvert · Oct 2, 2010

Hevy Lite,

I received the Olight M20S the other day as a replacement for an EagleTac T20C2 MKII and I do not see any evidence of a flicker at all.

My layman's, real world review of the M20S is that I much prefer this light over the T20. Bear this in mind, although the M20S and T20 are almost identical in appearance and size, the M20S's lumen output is according to my eyes, a little brighter and its UI is my preference by a long shot. I will be buying another couple for my wife and kids to have for self-protection because the side switch allows the strobe to be activated even though the tactical switch is off and it can be easily carried in their purses or bookbags or even my son's cargo pants pockets. At 5.75" long, it's simply not a big light, but it puts out like one! :twothumbs

Even though this light was probably designed around LEO's needs in the field, if I had any suggestions for Olight to make the M20S a little better for the general population, it would be to add a beacon and SOS mode (include a red lens cover for use in emergencies) and place those additional modes into a hidden group along with the strobe that is currently available when the tactical switch is "on". Activation could be accomplished in the same manner as the Maelstrom G5 and the like, by twisting of the bezel back and forth.

Also, I personally would like the side switch, not necessarily more protruding (well maybe a tad more), but with a little larger surface area and some sort of texture added (beyond the "S") in order to feel for it blindly. And that's all I might suggest because otherwise, this light rocks.

Hopefully my layman's, real world opinion of the M20S will help you decide.

All the best in your decision-making,
John

Lou Minescence · Oct 3, 2011

jcalvert said:
Hevy Lite,

I received the Olight M20S the other day as a replacement for an EagleTac T20C2 MKII and I do not see any evidence of a flicker at all.

My layman's, real world review of the M20S is that I much prefer this light over the T20. Bear this in mind, although the M20S and T20 are almost identical in appearance and size, the M20S's lumen output is according to my eyes, a little brighter and its UI is my preference by a long shot. I will be buying another couple for my wife and kids to have for self-protection because the side switch allows the strobe to be activated even though the tactical switch is off and it can be easily carried in their purses or bookbags or even my son's cargo pants pockets. At 5.75" long, it's simply not a big light, but it puts out like one! :twothumbs

Even though this light was probably designed around LEO's needs in the field, if I had any suggestions for Olight to make the M20S a little better for the general population, it would be to add a beacon and SOS mode (include a red lens cover for use in emergencies) and place those additional modes into a hidden group along with the strobe that is currently available when the tactical switch is "on". Activation could be accomplished in the same manner as the Maelstrom G5 and the like, by twisting of the bezel back and forth.

Also, I personally would like the side switch, not necessarily more protruding (well maybe a tad more), but with a little larger surface area and some sort of texture added (beyond the "S") in order to feel for it blindly. And that's all I might suggest because otherwise, this light rocks.

Hopefully my layman's, real world opinion of the M20S will help you decide.

All the best in your decision-making,
John

Is your M20s light the R5 or XML emitter version ?

d7e7r7 · Dec 31, 2011

I was considering getting the M20s over the Fenix TK15 or the Fenix PD32 but now after reading this thread I'm having second thoughts...
Although I wonder how bad the PWM is because Ray_of_Light even exchanged his because of the PWM but on the other hand jcalvert doesn't even see any PWM in his...

Xacto · Dec 11, 2012

Is there any chance that they changed the circuit in the last months?

I thought about getting the Olight Warrior M20S X as a selfmade christmas present, but with those PWM issues I'd rather give the Fenix TK22 a chance (although I would have surely loved the tailcap UI).

Cheers
Thorsten

Olight M20S Current Controlled or PWM like M30?

Hevy Lite

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