Introducing "Draco" - - - PART 2

[aikiman44]

Great info, though I'm happy to understand part of it. Not from an 'engineering' background this is all new stuff to me.

 

[kevindick]

Just wanted to say that I've had my TiCN Draco/Rocket for a few days now and I love it. The polished-TiCN has to be the nicest finish of any of my lights. I'm seriously considering having it done to my Ti Chameleon and Ti PDs even though that would probably be absurdly expensive. I looked up that the Rc hardness of this coating over grade 5 Ti is over 90!

The precision of the machining is to die for and it's unbelievably bright. Good job!

 

[DFiorentino]

#001 TiCN checking in...

(Quick low quality dirty pic on my part. )

All I can say is :wow: . The XR-E upgrade is well worth it. The machining is excellent. I prefer the V2 FluPIC to the V1 myself. And the engraving just makes it soooo cool. It's a keeper forever!

-DF

 

[Trashman]

I've got a question about the Draco FluPIC:

I've always thought that the FluPIC in my Draco was screwy. Now, I'm thinking, is it just supposed to come on at the same level that you left it before? I've always been used to the FluPIC coming on at the first setting (in other lights), but I notice, mine Draco doesn't do that. So, if I'm on low, it'll come back on low, and if I want it on Max, I have to cycle it from low, past 'user-set', to Max?

 

[9volt]

My chrome one seems to have a v2 as well. I'm not sure if I prefer the remembering feature or not, since if I don't remember where I left it I can't predict what level it will turn on at.

Why do you prefer the last mode memory?

 

[9volt]

Ok, that's twice today that I've read a post by Lurveleven, posted after him, and had my post appear above his!

 

[9volt]

Three times.

edit: seems to have something to do with the timestamp.

 

[Lurveleven]

The titanium Dracos use v2 FluPIC instead of v1, and the last used mode is now remembered. A great improvement IMO.

Sigbjoern

 

[Rookwood]

Jonathan,

Does the v2 FluPic come with the CREE upgrade swap?

Also, would you prefer I send the entire light in for the upgrade, or do you just need the emitter/reflector head?

Thanks
Chris

 

[Icebreak]

I don't know which version my Ti Draco is.

I did the cree upgrade before delivery. I thought those were suppose to be V1. But mine remembers last level which I think is what V2s do. If my light is on low and I want burst I go to the "Nothing" setting. Off-on-off-on. No light but then 3 seconds later it goes to burst. This saves me from another group of off-on-off-on to get to burst.

I don't know if this was any help at all.

 

[Icebreak]

I've got a V2 then. Excellent.

dammitjim -

If I have my "User Set" at a level for a particular task it's convenient to turn it off and know it will come back on for that same task.

If I'm in sleep mode and have it set to low it's convenient if I have to make a late night trek to the fridge to know when I turn it on I'll get enough light for the trip. The other night I had it on burst, went to sleep, woke up and shined it at the ceiling. Ouch!

OK. I've got a question. In looking at some of the photos I see that there are three main tube parts, the head, the LE and the battery holder. Mine turns on and off where the LE meets the battery holder. I thought it was supposed to turn on and off where the head meets the LE. Using my fingers I can't get it apart right there. It's not a problem but is it supposed to twist on and off where the head and LE meet?

 

[Lurveleven]

Icebreak, that is the exact same reason why I also prefer the V2 interface.

When it comes to separating the head and the LE, it was easy on my Luxeon version, but I'm unable to do it on the Cree versions, maybe I didn't turn hard enough but I'm afraid to apply to much power.

Sigbjoern

 

[Morelite]

OK. I've got a question. In looking at some of the photos I see that there are three main tube parts, the head, the LE and the battery holder. Mine turns on and off where the LE meets the battery holder. I thought it was supposed to turn on and off where the head meets the LE. Using my fingers I can't get it apart right there. It's not a problem but is it supposed to twist on and off where the head and LE meet?

The switching is done at the battery tube and LE connection. The head should remain tight on the LE.
I too have a problem here, the threading on the tube and LE are nice and loose, but the head is very tight on the LE. That is good except that I also got the turbo head and I can't get the regular head to come off of the LE to put the turbo head on.
Second problem, when I twist the battery tube to the off position there is only one thread left holding the light together (more like 3/4 of a turn). Twice now the light has come apart in my pocket.
Third problem, well not really a problem, but what happened to the serial numbers, I didn't get a serial number on mine. I should have been #20

 

[Icebreak]

Thanks, Sigbjoern. I'll just leave it as is for now. It doesn't seem to affect operation for me.

This light is incredibly impressive and terrifically useful.

- Jeff

 

[Lurveleven]

Morelite, how far do you turn it when you turn it off? I don't have much experience with it yet, but I think the optimum is to turn it a quarter round when turning it off. You then don't risk accidental activatian when applying pressure to the head, while you still have a quarter turn left before the o-ring stops engaging the head. When the o-ring stops engaging the head, then the head will come off very easy.

Sigbjoern

 

[Morelite]

I turn it a half turn, the first quarter turns it off but any pressure will turn it back on so I turn it another quarter to stop the pressure activation. This is with the AAA (10440) extension tube. It is a little better when just using the 10280 battery tube. I measured the major diameter of the threads on the battery tube and the extension tube and found the extension tube is .0040" less so that may explain my problem.

 

[Lurveleven]

I also find it to work better without the extender. I don't have a micrometer and my caliper is of the really cheap kind, my measurements were 11.8 mm for the battery tube and 11.7 mm for the extender. If our measurements are correct then that probably explains it.

Sigbjoern

 

[Trashman]

Thanks guys, that explains everything! I guess it's not broken anymore....

 

[Morelite]

I just tried using it this way, I made the extension tight on the LE and started using the threads between the extension and 10280 tube for activaion and this made it much better.

I still haven't had the chance to try the turbo head, I can't get the head off of the LE by any means that won't mark the great finish.

Anybody got any ideas on how to remove the head without marking it up.

 

[Icebreak]

The switching is done at the battery tube and LE connection. The head should remain tight on the LE.

Thanks, Morelite.

I hope you get your turbo working soon. If someone here can't figure it out I'm sure Jonathan can. I didn't order one but I'll bet that turbo is going to be awesome.