Photon Freedom EDC
- Thread starter ragweed
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A Photon Freedom is my true "EDC". I've lost a couple and burned up 4 or 5 sets of batteries. I frequently choose to carry something larger on occasions when I know that I'll be using a light frequently or for a long time, but the Photon is still there for backup. I feel a little unprepared when I find I don't have one on me. It's the same with my SAK Classic. The only fault I can mention is that I occasionally find that it is on in my pocket, wasting battery life.
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Gregozedobe
Enlightened
Photon Freedom Micros can be programmed to automatically switch off after (IIRC) 3 minutes (learnt that on this site), alternatively fit the necklace holder over the switch.
In addition to all of its well-known features, there is an undocumented one that many users might like. It is a setting that forces the light to turn off after 2.5 minutes of use. The purpose is to save the battery in case it gets turned on accidentally. To engage this mode, you need to:
1) press the button rapidly 6 times, which puts the light into "signal mode."
2) Then press and hold the button for about 5 seconds until the light goes out (this takes the light back out of "signal mode").
3) Continue holding the button for another 5 seconds until there is a brief flash of light.
Now the light is in "auto off" mode.
To return the light to normal operation without auto-off, Repeat steps 1 and 2 above without doing step 3.
argleargle
Enlightened
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2013
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Cool!
Anyone used those cheap ball cap clip lights as a source of batteries for a Photon? I needed batteries and found some cap lights on sale and realized it was cheaper than buying batteries in the blister pack at the same store. 1 cap light = 4 batteries.
YMMV.
dgbrookman
Newly Enlightened
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- Sep 28, 2012
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- 78
I have a Photon Freedom but seldom use it. The reason is that it takes a VERY strong press to turn it on, to the point where I doubt someone who has a disability (or maybe even isn't particularly strong) could use it at all. Is this normal, or did I maybe get a bad unit?
Send it back. LRI (the makers of Photon) offers a very good customer service.
If you do not have some sort of disability with your fingers I would send it back. They are not hard to press IMO. I have the Photon 1 currently & its not hard to press on.
Kingfisher
Enlightened
Quite a big fault for me as them coin batteries are quite expensive. Lost count of how many times it came on accidentally and found myself with a flat, so I took mine off my keys and put on a EO5 on instead. I use Eneloops as I lost a EO1 with an alkaline leak.
argleargle
Enlightened
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2013
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Now and then, take it out and pulse the button. That is, press it on and off quickly and repeatedly until the light flashes each time you press. If it's in "momentary on" mode, it's less likely to kill the batteries. I keep mine with button-on-the-inside on my keychain. I've only had it kill the batteries a couple times out of YEARS of carry with this setup.
The auto off trick is a good one to know, thanks Gregozedobe.
I'll recommend the Innova (Nite Ize) Microlight for the reason that it comes with auto off for the high mode.
It is also only 7$ and on the shelf at Home Depot.
Finally, it works just fine with one 2032 instead of the two 2016s that it ships with -the high setting becomes about as bright as the original low and the low goes considerably lower with a 2032. Run time should be doubled if not quadrupled, not sure but it seems that the lower voltage would make for that much less current flow.
I'll recommend the Innova (Nite Ize) Microlight for the reason that it comes with auto off for the high mode.
It is also only 7$ and on the shelf at Home Depot.
Finally, it works just fine with one 2032 instead of the two 2016s that it ships with -the high setting becomes about as bright as the original low and the low goes considerably lower with a 2032. Run time should be doubled if not quadrupled, not sure but it seems that the lower voltage would make for that much less current flow.
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Gregozedobe
Enlightened
1 x CR2032 works fine with PFMs fitted with the lower vF LEDs (red, yellow, green, NVG), in fact that is what they are shipped with at initial manufacture, but 1 x CR2032 is a bit hit-or-miss with white LEDs. Some work fine, others won't switch off (ie stuck on). There has been previous discussions about this here on CPF, and there is a theory that the lower voltage won't let the driver initialise correctly or somesuch.
Gregozedobe
Enlightened
Yes, but it is a bit fiddly and you will lose the gold plated LED legs that help prevent corrosion. Any std 5mm LED should fit.
1 You need to lever out the driver unit (start at the end away from the LED),
2 push out the LED (this will take some force, and make sure you are pushing in the correct direction).
IIRC some LEDs push in towards the body, others push out away from the body (all the ones I've done push out away from the body) .
3 bend and cut the legs on the new LED to exactly match the old LED legs, add the little black piece of cylindrical plastic from the old LED (if your PFM has it)
4 replace the LED in the body (check to see you have the right polarity or it won't work)
5 bend the legs up slightly to make it easier to locate them in the holes in the driver unit,
6 then wriggle in the driver unit (this is the fiddly bit). Match up the holes in the driver unit with the LED legs first, then push the opposite end of the driver down afterwards. Make sure the driver is fully seated in the body. Check the LED legs did seat home correctly in the driver (they have a tendency to fold back out).
7 Add batteries, check it is working properly, replace battery cover.
Job done, enjoy your custom PFM.
NB LEDs with low Vf (eg red, yellow, green, NVG) should have 1 x CR2032 battery, LEDs with a higher Vf (eg white, blue) usually need 2 x CR2016 batteries.
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Flying Turtle
Flashaholic
I've had a Freedom with an orange LED for a few years. Great little light, but it won't do the auto-off trick. I know the white ones will and I've lots of personal experience with Protons and the Rex. I'm thinking it's something to do with it only needing one battery, if that makes any possible sense. Anyone else with an orange or red LED Freedom able to do auto-off?
Geoff
Geoff
