Flasher

[Peter]

I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

[h***@ccanoemail.com]

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

Good question ! .. but it sure seems like a thing, these days.
My fav. flashlight looks like an old 6 volt job but is LED and
uses 4 AA batteries that last & last. My one peeve is that it has
4 modes that forces the switch through all 4 modes every time ..
.. I never need 3 of the modes .
John T.

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by h***@ccanoemail.com

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

Good question ! .. but it sure seems like a thing, these days.
My fav. flashlight looks like an old 6 volt job but is LED and
uses 4 AA batteries that last & last. My one peeve is that it has
4 modes that forces the switch through all 4 modes every time ..
.. I never need 3 of the modes .

They all seem to be like that. Wretched isn't it?
The weakest point on most of these torches (flashlight if you're
Leftpondian) is almost always the cheaply made switch - which gets
hammered through overuse because you have to toggle through all those
useless 'modes'.

[Kerr-Mudd, John]

On Thu, 7 Nov 2024 19:34:45 +0000

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by h***@ccanoemail.com

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

Good question ! .. but it sure seems like a thing, these days.
My fav. flashlight looks like an old 6 volt job but is LED and
uses 4 AA batteries that last & last. My one peeve is that it has
4 modes that forces the switch through all 4 modes every time ..
.. I never need 3 of the modes .

They all seem to be like that. Wretched isn't it?
The weakest point on most of these torches (flashlight if you're
Leftpondian) is almost always the cheaply made switch - which gets
hammered through overuse because you have to toggle through all those
useless 'modes'.

As a cheapsk^frugal person I bought some white, mains powered LED strings
for the 'attic' (actually eves) storage space, tacked every so often to a
roof beam. But the steady light only happens after 8 presses of the
"mode" button. Some modes are "slow fade", so you think your ok, but
realise your crawling in a fading light by the time your halfway along!

[h***@ccanoemail.com]

Post by Kerr-Mudd, John
On Thu, 7 Nov 2024 19:34:45 +0000

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by h***@ccanoemail.com

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

Good question ! .. but it sure seems like a thing, these days.
My fav. flashlight looks like an old 6 volt job but is LED and
uses 4 AA batteries that last & last. My one peeve is that it has
4 modes that forces the switch through all 4 modes every time ..
.. I never need 3 of the modes .

They all seem to be like that. Wretched isn't it?
The weakest point on most of these torches (flashlight if you're
Leftpondian) is almost always the cheaply made switch - which gets
hammered through overuse because you have to toggle through all those
useless 'modes'.

As a cheapsk^frugal person I bought some white, mains powered LED strings
for the 'attic' (actually eves) storage space, tacked every so often to a
roof beam. But the steady light only happens after 8 presses of the
"mode" button. Some modes are "slow fade", so you think your ok, but
realise your crawling in a fading light by the time your halfway along!

Hmm .. this sounds quite similar to one of my earlier encounters -
until I twigged to the fact that there was also an ON/OFF button
in addition to the MODE button .. and the mode would stay
where found - if only the on/off was used ..
Some years ago, I bought a 6-pack of change-able LED screw-in
bulbs that I use in my outdoor fixtures at Christmas tyme -
- they came with a little remote control to select an array of colours
plus a selection to step/fade through the colours at varying speeds !
Quite something for not-too-much-money .

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01NCU6SXY?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

I'm not a big fan of asian amazon junk - but these make me smile ..

John T.

[Nicholas D. Richards]

Post by h***@ccanoemail.com

Post by Kerr-Mudd, John
On Thu, 7 Nov 2024 19:34:45 +0000

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by h***@ccanoemail.com

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

Good question ! .. but it sure seems like a thing, these days.
My fav. flashlight looks like an old 6 volt job but is LED and
uses 4 AA batteries that last & last. My one peeve is that it has
4 modes that forces the switch through all 4 modes every time ..
.. I never need 3 of the modes .

They all seem to be like that. Wretched isn't it?
The weakest point on most of these torches (flashlight if you're
Leftpondian) is almost always the cheaply made switch - which gets
hammered through overuse because you have to toggle through all those
useless 'modes'.

As a cheapsk^frugal person I bought some white, mains powered LED strings
for the 'attic' (actually eves) storage space, tacked every so often to a
roof beam. But the steady light only happens after 8 presses of the
"mode" button. Some modes are "slow fade", so you think your ok, but
realise your crawling in a fading light by the time your halfway along!

Hmm .. this sounds quite similar to one of my earlier encounters -
until I twigged to the fact that there was also an ON/OFF button
in addition to the MODE button .. and the mode would stay
where found - if only the on/off was used ..
Some years ago, I bought a 6-pack of change-able LED screw-in
bulbs that I use in my outdoor fixtures at Christmas tyme -
- they came with a little remote control to select an array of colours
plus a selection to step/fade through the colours at varying speeds !
Quite something for not-too-much-money .
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01NCU6SXY?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
I'm not a big fan of asian amazon junk - but these make me smile ..
John T.

This summer I bought something similar from eTsco's 'seasonal' isle(s).

A globe on a stick, solar and USB charged lithium ion battery. The
solar charging is not much cop in this v. dreary autumn, but charged on
USB for a couple of hours, it lasts all night. The remote control is
very similar.

[Thomas Prufer]

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by h***@ccanoemail.com

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

Good question ! .. but it sure seems like a thing, these days.
My fav. flashlight looks like an old 6 volt job but is LED and
uses 4 AA batteries that last & last. My one peeve is that it has
4 modes that forces the switch through all 4 modes every time ..
.. I never need 3 of the modes .

They all seem to be like that. Wretched isn't it?
The weakest point on most of these torches (flashlight if you're
Leftpondian) is almost always the cheaply made switch - which gets
hammered through overuse because you have to toggle through all those
useless 'modes'.

So join the ranks of the flashlight (torch) modders: swap out the driver board
for one with memory (stays in the mode you shut it off in). Or install a
single-mode driver; the annoying ones are called "5 mode". Maybe a new
reflector, swap "smooth" for "orange peel"? Get a handful of new tailcap
switches, 10 for 1.5 Euro / dollars. Beware, some switch when pressed, some when
released. Oh, and the rubber caps that covers the switch -- the glow-in-the-dark
ones are useful to find the torch in the dark. Get a second flashlight to charge
up the glow, maybe get a UV flashlight to charge it up faster? Or extend the
switch, with a cable with a bite-able switch at the end?

All just a click away at Aliexpress :-)


Thomas Prufer

[Peter]

Post by Thomas Prufer
So join the ranks of the flashlight (torch) modders: swap out the
driver board for one with memory (stays in the mode you shut it off
in). Or install a single-mode driver; the annoying ones are called "5
mode". Maybe a new reflector, swap "smooth" for "orange peel"? Get a
handful of new tailcap switches, 10 for 1.5 Euro / dollars. Beware,
some switch when pressed, some when released. Oh, and the rubber caps
that covers the switch -- the glow-in-the-dark ones are useful to find
the torch in the dark. Get a second flashlight to charge up the glow,
maybe get a UV flashlight to charge it up faster? Or extend the
switch, with a cable with a bite-able switch at the end?

Good heavens, I didn't know that flashlight modding was a thing. Sounds
fun, I shall investigate.

[Nicholas D. Richards]

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

A lot of torches may have very different shapes and uses but use the
same chip. Probably bought off the shell, to be used in different
torches.

Some torches are designed to be worn on top of a helmet, with the flash
being thought to make a cyclist more visible to other road users.

Some people expect a flasher (ooer Mrs), for no functional reason;
personally a flashing light makes me feel sick and in years gone bye
would trigger a migraine attack. Horizontal venetian blinds have the
same effect.

[Thomas Prufer]

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

"defense" (i.e. be intensely irritating) or being found at night.

There is a bewildering array of LED drivers that have "modes" that flash, blink
3 short/3 long, remember the last setting, forget the last setting, and some
just have an ON and OFF setting.

Some/most/all do a very good job of sucking every bit of power out of their
batteries, without dimming as they discharge, and some even give notice when the
batteries are low (occasional dips in brightness, or they do dim once the
batteries drop way down).

Loading Image...


Thomas Prufer

[Brian Howie]

Post by Thomas Prufer

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

"defense" (i.e. be intensely irritating) or being found at night.
There is a bewildering array of LED drivers that have "modes" that flash, blink
3 short/3 long, remember the last setting, forget the last setting, and some
just have an ON and OFF setting.
Some/most/all do a very good job of sucking every bit of power out of their
batteries, without dimming as they discharge, and some even give notice when the
batteries are low (occasional dips in brightness, or they do dim once the
batteries drop way down).
https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/flashlights.png
Thomas Prufer

I've a flashing one that can double as a bike light. Bike lights are
less about illuminating the road these days.

it might be fun to fit one of these on my bike.

https://gearjunkie.com/technology/worlds-brightest-flashlight-imalent-sr32-review

Brian

[D]

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

Probably iducing epilepsy attacks.

[Andrew Marshall]

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

Not sure. I've got one or two like that. Perhaps it's meant to be some
sort of emergency signal, though I doubt that many people would see it
as such.

[Tim+]

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

Signalling to a search and rescue helicopter?

Tim

[Brian Howie]

Post by Tim+

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

Signalling to a search and rescue helicopter?
Tim

I had a couple of friends doing summer work for the RSPB in the late 60s
on an uninhabited island about 2 miles off shore. In their shack they
had an Aldis lamp and a table of Morse Code. The led torches don't seem
to have a way to send Morse this way. The old style battery ones did.

[c***@privacy.net]

Post by Peter
I've just ohled a new torch to replace a very old one that is no more. It
has a bright setting, a low one and a flashing one - it flashes at about 5
Hz. Any idea what the flashing setting is for?

To make it more difficult for the practising marksmen, obvs.

Chris