HDS Systems #23

[Slumber Pass]

Check out this thread for some holster ideas. Maybe a horizontal holster will be more comfortable? Good luck.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...EDC-Holsters-1

[autumncrown]

IDK if this is the right place to suggest features, but it would be great if we there was a way to check the voltage of the light to get a rough idea of remaining battery life.

[peter yetman]

Hi autumn, the best place for your suggestion is here...
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-HDS-Part-Deux
P

[jon_slider]

IDK if this is the right place to suggest features, but it would be great if we there was a way to check the voltage of the light to get a rough idea of remaining battery life.

though that feature does not exist
HDS has several built in battery voltage warnings
first the light steps down, and prevents firing higher modes
then it starts double blinking every two minutes
then it blinks every second
then it shuts off

here is the Low Battery section and a link to
the manual:
3. Low Battery Indication
Your flashlightwill turn off momentarily and then back on one level below the previous brightness level when the battery is unable to supply enough power to run the current brightness level. This process is repeated asneeded as the battery’s power isdepleted.

Your flashlight will double-blink once every two minutes to remind you that the battery needs to be changedwhen the battery is no longer capable of maintaininga 50 lumen output level and you are asking for an output levelhigher than the battery can maintain.

Your flashlight restricts the output to the highest brightness level the battery can maintain. However, if you turnoffyour flashlight and turn it back on again to a higher level, your flashlightwill slowly step up through the brightness levels testing the battery again.

Your flashlight will blink slowly once a second on the lowest brightness level when the battery is no longer capable of powering any of the steady brightness levels.

Caution:
your flashlight will eventually turn itself off to preserve what little battery power remains if you continuetouse your flashlightafter your flashlight begins blinking once a second on the lowest brightness level.You may turn on your flashlight againwhen needed for a short period. This behavior maintains your options in an emergency.

[autumncrown]

Thanks for the responses. I am glad it has those warning features. Do you know at what voltage it can no longer run at the highest level?

[jon_slider]

no I dont know the voltage,

the FAQ, under burst mode
says the maximum output lasts 45 minutes (if you disable the automatic step down called burst mode).

and the manual says:
"Note: your flashlight uses Burst whenever you select the Maximum brightness setting. The output is reduced by one brightness level 40 seconds after the button is released to maximize battery runtimes"

[JohnSmith]

2xAA Clicky with a Zebralight clip until I throw down the cheddar for another Prometheus clip:

[jaytiv]

2xAA Clicky with a Zebralight clip until I throw down the cheddar for another Prometheus clip:

I’ve been thinking about adding a, AA to the lineup. Do you like it? Would you buy again?


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[peter yetman]

Asking an HDS junkie if they'd buy another one is like asking a monkey if he'd like another banana.
P

[wweiss]

Asking an HDS junkie if they'd buy another one is like asking a monkey if he's like another banana.
P

I qualify for the first part, but not the second. I’m not like another banana.

[JohnSmith]

I’ve been thinking about adding a, AA to the lineup. Do you like it? Would you buy again?


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Yes I like it and I apparently would buy it again... The proof: this is actually my second 2xAA body, a replacement for one I had previously sold.

[jaytiv]

Yes I like it and I apparently would buy it again... The proof: this is actually my second 2xAA body, a replacement for one I had previously sold.

Haha. That’s a pretty good “sales pitch”

I had an HDS built several years ago, but I’m 95% sure it was stolen out of my vehicle while being serviced. I just couldn’t prove it and didn’t want to create a stink with a family friends shop.

I’ve got another on order and purchased another one second hand. I’m heading down the worm hole, fast.


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[peter yetman]

I qualify for the first part, but not the second. I’m not like another banana.

Haha - typo.
P

[wweiss]

Haha - typo.
P

Oh, good. I was very concerned about your discerning between berries and primates.

[Hogokansatsukan]

So, yesterday marked the 27th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake. I was living in Higashinadaku at the time... a few hundred yards from the expressway that tipped over. Thus began my flashlight obsession.



Me by the toppled expressway 27 years ago.




I still have the jacket. It was several years old at the time of the quake. This is why I look for quality.

[alitd]

Asking an HDS junkie if they'd buy another one is like asking a monkey if he'd like another banana.
P

LOL yep

So, yesterday marked the 27th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake. I was living in Higashinadaku at the time... a few hundred yards from the expressway that tipped over. Thus began my flashlight obsession.



Me by the toppled expressway 27 years ago.




I still have the jacket. It was several years old at the time of the quake. This is why I look for quality.

Bad Ass

[the.Mtn.Man]

What jacket is that?

[Hogokansatsukan]

Hein Gericke. Concord.

[greatscoot]

Hein Gericke. Concord.

They make some killer motorcycle gear, always have.

[Hogokansatsukan]

They make some killer motorcycle gear, always have.

They do. My favorite is the Drakkar. This is about 30 years old.

[IMG]

[the.Mtn.Man]

Hein Gericke. Concord.

Cool. Not outrageously priced, either.

[Sos24]

So, yesterday marked the 27th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake. I was living in Higashinadaku at the time... a few hundred yards from the expressway that tipped over. Thus began my flashlight obsession.



Me by the toppled expressway 27 years ago.




I still have the jacket. It was several years old at the time of the quake. This is why I look for quality.

Thanks for sharing. For those who have personally experienced something, preparedness and having reliable tools becomes very real.

[Rstype]

They do. My favorite is the Drakkar. This is about 30 years old.

[IMG]

that’s awesome combo of jacket, lights and is that Walter PPks?

[Hogokansatsukan]

that’s awesome combo of jacket, lights and is that Walter PPks?

Yes... a suppressed PPK/s

[id30209]

They do. My favorite is the Drakkar. This is about 30 years old.

[IMG]

Everything on this photo is hawt as hell.
Jacket look similar to my Bullson. You have a good taste[emoji106]


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[whill44]

Was going through my parts bins and found my old and worn Novatac storm that I bought cheap back before I knew what a good high end flashlight was. Now, I know there was a lot of controversy about this design and that Henry wanted no part in it's sale which I agree with totally. However at the time it was what I could afford. I used it almost a year with it's low battery time and other faults then went to a AA maratac and finally zebralight. I had this chrome clip left over and believed I'd never use it again so tried on the novatac. After opening the internal diameter a little more it fit without any other mods.
Nova tax by William Hill, on Flickr

It looks ok maybe, and is functional. Don't know about the early proper HDS lights but can assume these clips will work on those as well.
Novatac 2 by William Hill, on Flickr

Just in case anyone might be interested.
Novatac 3 by William Hill, on Flickr

[Lithium466]

It's interesting that you are mentioning these flaws regarding the Novatac, as it was already a very decent light back in the day!

Now the "storm" being made in China if I'm not mistaken is probably a very cheaply built version of the first Novatac, but I'd still say they compare decently to a modern clicky, even on the runtime aspect (or maybe I just got lucky and/or you unlucky, there was a lot of variability).

Even the UI has its charms (once "unlocked"), with the temporary access to any setting you want without saving them. My main complain about them would be the random flickering in low modes, that comes and go, software issue apparently that Novatac never fixed. And the build quality....but when they sold for $50-60, they were just worth that.

All in all they were a "cheapened" version of the previous HDS Basic/Ultimate, with a surprisingly modern UI. And yes, the spring in the battery compartment was a PITA.

[whill44]

It's interesting that you are mentioning these flaws regarding the Novatac, as it was already a very decent light back in the day!

I went back and checked to make sure I'd written "Novatac storm" as that was the only light I had experience with and even turned the light so that it could be easily identified so I'm not sure what you mean.

Now the "storm" being made in China if I'm not mistaken is probably a very cheaply built version of the first Novatac, but I'd still say they compare decently to a modern clicky, even on the runtime aspect (or maybe I just got lucky and/or you unlucky, there was a lot of variability).

Even the UI has its charms (once "unlocked"), with the temporary access to any setting you want without saving them. My main complain about them would be the random flickering in low modes, that comes and go, software issue apparently that Novatac never fixed. And the build quality....but when they sold for $50-60, they were just worth that.

All in all they were a "cheapened" version of the previous HDS Basic/Ultimate, with a surprisingly modern UI. And yes, the spring in the battery compartment was a PITA.

I did not mention I was using a rcr123 at the time which might have caused the 30min or so runtime. My bad. However the light coming on at random times while on my side (static elec discharge I suspect) was a pita. Also to unlock it was a nightmare, only to have it reset by itself some time later. I didn't mean to imply it was unusable but it certainly was the low point of the run.

[Lithium466]

That's very weird...well the late Novatac aren't especially known for their reliability, but I have quite a few of them and none have that kind of problems...but like I said I could just be lucky!

As for the 30 minutes runtime with RCR...that's pretty much what a ~600ish mAh RCR gives you when you're pushing ~1A through the led, with a buck/boost driver, no miracles there sadly. Modern emitters and also batteries have come a long way!
(30 min is pretty much what you get in a current HDS with a similar battery and burst mode disabled...maybe a bit more with latest emitters)


edit: by "very decent" I meant compared to what I call supermarket style lights

[whill44]

That's very weird...well the late Novatac aren't especially known for their reliability, but I have quite a few of them and none have that kind of problems...but like I said I could just be lucky!

As for the 30 minutes runtime with RCR...that's pretty much what a ~600ish mAh RCR gives you when you're pushing ~1A through the led, with a buck/boost driver, no miracles there sadly. Modern emitters and also batteries have come a long way!
(30 min is pretty much what you get in a current HDS with a similar battery and burst mode disabled...maybe a bit more with latest emitters)


edit: by "very decent" I meant compared to what I call supermarket style lights

I agree with you about what was available in the supermarkets at that time anything that was sized for pocket carry was 10 lm or so which is why I bought the storm. Mainly because of the higher output and it wasn't to big. Money was tight back then. That light was used and abused as well as the ones that followed. Covered in grease and oil washed with gojo and hot water several times a day, dropped on concrete over and over, that probably is what made it act like it did, although it still works. The AA maratac died after about 3 months. The only one to survive that job was the Zebralight (used a AA eneloop) much longer run times same abuse for 2 years, it's beat up but still works without issue today.