Weird eBay light

I just got the M300 version as well in the mail from Ali Express and have the same issue. The circuit is much different and the light is slightly longer and skinnier than Big Clive's There's a 14 pin microcontroller and 5 transistors. A couple minor differences in function. 2 clicks starts out the main light in Low initially or actually remembers the last brightness setting you were last on. There are 4 steps to full brightness before going back to low. Then, holding the button turns it off. Just pressing and holding the button for a couple of seconds turns on full brightness until released. Kind of handy for just a quick look at something. I'm measuring 200 mA charging from the USB. At a couple meters away, the light spreads to a couple feet. THE SIDE LIGHTS. Clicking the button 6 times activates the side lights to cycle through white, white blinking, purple, red, red blinking, police lights and then back to white. Holding the button again for 2 seconds turns it back off.

Dave Frederick

I had gotten one from ebay and it came fairly quick. Was happily surprised when it had a UV light too. It was enough to use as a regular UV light and it made the case glow. https://www.ebay.com/itm/394359845193?var=662888334090

wateyesaw

I have a version here that has a separate button for the small LEDs. Notably that if you hold the main light button down it comes on at a very high intensity, but can't be locked on at that intensity.

Big Clive

I'd have expected to click through the setting and seen some not work, if it was a wiring problem though. It just cycles through the four main light levels.

I wonder if there's a button sequence that activates them, or if they've missed the resistor or even mounted the LEDs around the wrong way.

Big Clive

The version I got from ebay, the M300, has four main light levels, and even though all the LEDS are on the board, none of them are used. Somebody must just crank these out and leave it to the final seller as to which code to load into the MCU.

Hah. It's a knock-off of the Nitecore Tiki. The actual Tiki is a real good little light.

Bruce Preston

A cop I knew at my last job had something very similar. They were mounted on the shoulders of her uniform. They could blink red and blue or they could just be bright flashlights.

Circuitmike

That might make processor operation less stable. It may have a programmable cut out threshold inside that they just set quite low.

Big Clive

It looks like the makers have finally figured out nobody wants to have to click through all the modes to get the right one or to turn it off. Yay!

Nani Isobel

Nice Pink Floyd ref at the end.

Charles Bruckner

For a moment I thought you said "strange po lice-mode that might cause issues if used in a pubic area". Not much difference.

Ymir the Frost Giant

Could some discharge protection be obtained by putting a couple diodes in series with the chip power so it cuts out sooner?

Scott and Rosalinda Strehlow

Conveniently bodily orifice-sized light. When you want to be found in a dark room at night.

Curtis Hoffmann

It does look very similar.

Big Clive

It does have hints of the Nitecore Tiki. Including a mildly glow in the dark case.

Big Clive

Clone of the Nitecore that I have, right down to the police light mode. The mode switching is very different than the Nitecore though. The Nitecore will switch into turbo mode if you just hold the button down and switch straight off when you let go. The back lights are accessed by double clicking.

John Ridley

If you were a cop, this might be a handy light to wear at a booze bus or doing any night work. You see blue and red flashing lights on cops in China a lot.

Lucas Illingworth

Kinda reminds me of the Nightcore Tiki, which does have two "auxilliary" LEDs in the back, a "High CRI" white and a near-UV.

Fabian Schillig

Looks like a RovyVon knock-off. Some of those have the police mode as well.

Ian Cooper