Flickering with a KL4/E1e/McE2S switch, anyone?

Before I pose my question, I would like everybody to know how highly I regard both of my McE2S tailcap switches with the 15, 22, 60, and 120 ohm resistor boards I acquired from Don. They are so practical and so ingenious. They have transformed my L4 and E1e lights into dual level lights which allow me "to get the light output I want, when I want it!" I no longer have to make compromises.

Now to my question......
Has anybody experienced a flickering in both low and high levels, when using Don's switch with a KL4/E1e combo? If so, have you found the cause? When I spoke to Don on the phone recently, and told him that I was using his switch on a KL4/E1e light, he started to laugh hysterically. I started to laugh with him, knowing that he was laughing at me. I was so glad that I brought joy to his day, and I totally understood why he was laughing, bless his heart! It is a known fact that the KL4 & E1e combo, can either be a great one or a crappy one, depending on the Vf bin of the Luxeon V emitter in the bezel. That fact aside, I have been getting decent output from this light. I think that I have been lucky. It seems that the flickering occurs either after I don't use it for a long time, or after I tighten or loosen the tailcap a few times to keep the threads loose. I am sure that the contact between the body and the bezel's connection ring is secure. Don seems to think that I have some strange, unexpected, unwanted, and troublesome resistance in the circuit somewhere, which includes his switch. I have buffed and polished the mating surfaces of all metal parts in the body, bezel, and switch, to provide excellent connectivity. These steps have not helped.

By the way, the flickering occurs regardless of the resistor board or switch I use. Since the KL4 is so hungry for battery juice in the E1e, I have decided to use the lowest production resistor board Don makes, the 15 ohm one. The output is enough for me.

Any ideas, gang?/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif

Does it flicker with the stock switch? Many things can introduce resistance. Surefire switches are notorious for that. Your KL4 may have been a borderline E1e candidate in the first place.

As it is, the KL4 runs at about 660mA on a two cell body. It runs at half or less than that on a one cell body. How low do you want to go? In an extreme case, you could swap your emitter for a very low Vf 5W and see what that gets you.

If you don't need the "wall" of light and intend on running the KL4 exlusively on a single cell, I'd say swap the emitter for a Lux III. The output is pleasing, the sidespill useful, and it is less taxing on the batter and circuit.

Re: Flickering with a KL4/E1e/McE2S switch, anyone

Tony,

The combo works fine with any of my "stock" SF Z57 tailcaps, and only misbehaves when using Don's McE2S switches. Also, both of Don's switches work perfectly with the KL4 or PR-T-DB917 bezel, and the L4 body. Go figure! It appears that either of Don's switches has a problem with the KL4/E1e light!

I don't think that I will be considering any modification to the KL4 bezel, in order to make it work well with the E1e body. I need it for that "wall of light" everyone is raving about. It is a wonderful thing to behold. In the rare event that I won't want a "wall of light", I will use the PR-T bezel for "throw." That is why I bought it from Don. I have the best of two worlds, wouldn't you say?

You were not the first one to make all kinds of recommendations concerning the KL4/E1e combo. In fact, most members have advised me to stop spinning my wheels altogether! I see some merit in having a KL4 bezel on an E1e body. It is true that if my Luxeon V would be toned down with a lower Vf emitter, or even replaced with a Luxeon III, then it would be a more successful light. However, despite all of the skeptical comments I have received, the output is very impressive. I call it a "miniature wall of light." I say this in total honesty, too!

Thank you for your input..........

Re: Flickering with a KL4/E1e/McE2S switch, anyone

Try a rechargeable 123 for higher voltage, that may help alleviate the problems. As for the Lux3, your wish is coming true - look for the new KL1.

Re: Flickering with a KL4/E1e/McE2S switch, anyone

[ QUOTE ]
KevinL said:
As for the Lux3, your wish is coming true - look for the new KL1.

[/ QUOTE ]

But he would no longer has his "miniature wall of light" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

And why would people laugh at KL4/E1e combo... it's my favourite combo as well /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Re: Flickering with a KL4/E1e/McE2S switch, anyone

Ah, for the fussy light user who wants everything - the U2 Digital Ultra /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I know I want one.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/drool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dedhorse.gif

Re: Flickering with a KL4/E1e/McE2S switch, anyone

lak,
Good question, buddy! Why would anyone, even Don, laugh at the potential of the KL4/E1e combo? They are not being malicious at all, because one must have a Luxeon V emitter with a low Vf to make it work well. In other words one must be "lucky." Any consideration on my part of the new KL1, would surely "kill" any semblance of that infamous "miniature wall of light" I claim to be getting from my KL4/E1e light. That optic is doing a number on the sidespill, which I believe will make it much less attractive to us flashaholics than has been expected. I suppose that we should be patient, step back, and see who will be interested in this vastly different reincarnation of the original KL1 bezel. So far I see it to be a "strange animal."

KevinL,
I have recently thought of the possibilities of using rechargeables, especially since I was a Ni-Cad battery fanatic in the 1980s and 1990s. The 3.7 volts per cell of an R123 would definitely help feed my hungry KL4 in the E1e body. But despite the vastly improved technology that gave us NiMH and LiIon rechargeables, I am really not a candidate for such battery chemistries. For one thing, the batteries would self-discharge way before I would discharge them through use. I am not a daily "heavy use" flashaholic. Second, the average capacity of an R123 battery is only 700mAH, on paper. This means that according to the manufacturers' website graphs, that figure is not even accurate, because the current draw that the 700 mAH rating is based on, is very much lower than what our Luxeon lights draw. The usable capacity will be much less than the 700mAH figure. We often complain about a one hour runtime on two primary 123s that have a 1,300mAH capacity, don't we? The runtime on two R123s is pathetic compared to this. Therefore, I am waiting for the technology to offer me more practical capacities in this 123 factor.

Since I have an L1 with three L1 bezels (one with a Luxeon III and an optic, one with a Luxeon III and a reflector, and one with a Luxeon I with an optic), and in addition one KL4 bezel, and one PR-T-DB917 bezel for use on either an L4 or an E1e body, I will not be in the market for the "funky new KL1 bezel." My lights are fully booked, with a nice assortment of bezels...........

Yes, I am one of those "fussy light users", and I am ahead of the game concerning the SF U2 Digital Ultra! I have been on a pre-order list since March 2004.....lucky me? It seems that almost everybody wants a U2! Let's hope that based on it's high price and the hype we have been receiving, it turns out to be all that it has been cracked up to be!

Be good, all!

Re: Flickering with a KL4/E1e/McE2S switch, anyone

Understandable, especially your point about the capacity. There is a reason why my main EDC (E1e+KL1) is staying with Surefire cells, because R123s simply don't offer the extended runtime which I need. It's even worse with the high current lights.

Looks like you're all set - as far as today's technology can provide. I agree there's no real solution to the dilemma, either it's live with the higher capacity one-shot use of lithium MnO2 cells, or tolerate the lower capacity of R123s.

Still waitin' on the U2 - hope that one takes Pilas /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif

Re: Flickering with a KL4/E1e/McE2S switch, anyone

What hype about the U2?

Re: Flickering with a KL4/E1e/McE2S switch, anyone

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleye11.gif nothing boss..

We just heard something about a MP3 player and a corkscrew..