# REVIEW: Nitecore TINI Keychain Flashlight



## Bdm82 (Jan 15, 2018)

The Nitecore TINI is the newest keychain light from Nitecore, joining the Tube, TIP, and THUMB in the keychain flashlight lineup. The TINI has about the same output as the TIP but in a more compact package.









Here are the key review details:

 

Skip to the commentary section at bottom to read my subjective notes on the R1.


*Disclaimer*: This light was provided free of charge by Nitecore Store, shipping from their location in Texas. As of January 12, 2017, the retail price was $29.99. This review was completed over about 4 weeks of testing and real-world use.



*Unboxing*

The TINI is packaged in a retail box consistent with other recent Nitecore boxes. The front advertises the 380 lumen output, 280mAh battery, dual-switch design and USB charging. Nitecore Store tucked a Quick Operation guide into the box top (more on that later).

 

The rear of the box lists the TINI’s features in greater detail.

 

ANSI specs are presented on one of the box sides.

 

The other side shows the range of colors the TINI is available in – and the one selected.

 

A keychain clip, manual, and warranty card are included. No spare parts are included or necessary.

 

The manual is in 9 languages (English, Spanish, German, French, Polish, Japanese, Romanian, Chinese, and Korean); each language’s section is complete as the text is quite small. Nitecore has included candela and throw specifications for not just Turbo but all modes.

The manual itself is written in 7 languages: English, Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese. Content is quite complete though text is small.

The manual is also available online:http://flashlight.nitecore.com/pdf/TINI_UM_EN.pdf​ 
Nitecore Store (the official U.S. distributor that provided the TINI for review) included a Quick Start guide of their own creation. This addresses to the power-on delay and Demo mode that may confuse users initially.

 

Nitecore backs the TINI with a 1 year warranty. Nitecore services lights in the market where they were allocated for distribution, so purchasing from your local market is advised in case there’s an issue. (If you are in China and purchase from the U.S., it must be sent to the US for service. If you are in the U.S. and purchase from a Chinese retailer, the light has to be returned to China at your expense for service.)



*Design*

The Nitecore TINI is a tiny keychain light – just as the name implies. Nitecore reports the light to be 43.3 mm long, 25.4 mm wide, and 11.5 mm deep. My measurements were within 0.6 mm.

For size reference, the TINI is about as wide as a U.S. quarter and shorter than a typical house key. It is small.

 

The TINI makes modern car key fobs look gigantic.

 

One side of the TINI has the two buttons – Mode towards the head, Power towards the tail. The buttons, bezel ring, and center section on both sides is silver-colored.

 

The buttons are backlit in blue. They flash when the battery is low or while the battery is charging. They are solid when the battery is charged. And they serve as a battery life indicator. Turning on the TINI requires holding a button for about 2 seconds. If the Mode button is pressed for less time than that while the light is off, it will blink to indicate battery life. 3 blinks is <50%, 2 blinks is 10-50%, and 1 blink indicates <10% battery life remaining.

 

The other side of the TINI has the Nitecore name, model, registration, and disposal information embosses in white. All writing is clean and clear.

 

The black case (also available in 6 other colors) is thin and feels like plastic in hand – but is actually aluminum. The coating (whether hard anodization, PVD, etc) is not disclosed, but it so far has proved durable and resisted scratching when I drug a Torx bit over it. The silver-colored surfaces appear to be painted plastic.


The charging port is micro USB. The rubber port cover is easy to open thanks to a raised flap, but the port cover itself doesn’t move fully out of the way when open. Bulky USB cables will prove challenging to use.

 

The head of the TINI is about 3.5 mm deeper than the rest of the body. The bezel is chrome-colored. The XP-G2 S3 emitter sits behind a diffusing TIR optic.

 

The tail has a key ring that’s not removable as the post it goes around is deep inside the TINI. This ring adds about 3 mm to the length and keeps the TINI from tail standing.

 

It will stand on its charging port side. This illuminates a room better than laying flat – but not as well as tail standing would.

 

*Disassembled*
The Nitecore warranty is void under certain terms, including if the TINI has been “broken down, reconstructed, or modified.” I likely invalidated the warranty by taking it apart for the following pictures – but couldn’t resist learning what was inside.

Three (3) small Torx (star) screws on each side are required to access the internals. Under the flat side is a thin heatsink. It starts at the front with the LED and covers one side of the battery back to the tail. A sufficient amount of thermal paste transfers heat to the case.

 

On the switch side, the circuitry is largely visible and there is no heatsinking. A rubber pad insulates and protects some of the components, but the battery attachment wires, TIR, and switches are all in view. The switch buttons are plastic and have no gaskets around them on the outward-facing side. For this reason, I’d advise against using the TINI with wet hands as pressing the buttons could force water into the TINI.

 


*Accessories*

The included snap ring for keychain attachment is the only included accessory. Given that the TINI is a keychain light, it is no surprise there are no pocket clips, cigar rings, cases, etc.

 

*Performance*

*Beam*
The XP-G2 S3 and TIR optic combine to produce a wide beam with a wide hotspot. There are minor artifacts around the outside of the spill but this is only noticeable indoors and when the light is rotated. Overall the beam is quite smooth.

 

*Tint & Temperature*
Tint is cool. The center of the hotspot is around 5600K while the outer part of the spill is around 7000K. I found the hotspot color to be nearly colorless, but the spill had the blue tint typical for cool temperatures. (tested on Turbo)

To demonstrate the overall color balance, here is the TINI surrounded by lights with emitters of various tints and temperatures on lower output modes. Camera W/B set to daylight.
L to R: Convoy S2+ (cool XM-L2 U2 1B), Olight S1R (cool XM-L2), Nitecore TINI (cool XP-G2 S3), BLF 348 (neutral 219B SW50), Lumintop Tool (warm 219B).

 


*Output*
Nitecore rates the TINI at 380 lumens on Turbo. Runtime is listed at 15 minutes, though this is “based on theoretical arithmetic.”

Nitecore also advertises that the TINI has “Advanced Thermal Regulation” – and multiple Turbo tests confirmed it does. The light was tested 3 times: in hand, with a fan, and without a fan. In each test, the TINI performed differently.

At turn on, the TINI’s output was about 460 lumens. Between 30 and 120 seconds (ANSI FL-1 standard), peak output was 370 lumens (+/- 3 lumens). This was consistent.

When I held it in my hand, the TINI stepped down sharply at 4 minutes and 6 seconds. It had reached a temperature that was uncomfortable to hold but did not cause injury. (Note: Maintaining a perfectly steady hand while testing for over 4 minutes is difficult so chalk some of the variation in the curve up to tester movement.)

 

When tested by itself with no cooling, the TINI stepped down at 2 minutes and 17 seconds.

 

When tested with a fan (80mm Thermaltake Mobile Fan II), the TINI had no stepdown. Instead, the light gradually declined in output until shutting off at 24 minutes and 27 seconds.

 

Nitecore lists calculated Turbo runtime at 15 minutes based on “theoretical arithmetic”. By conventional testing methods, the TINI’s runtime can be anywhere from 2.3 minutes to 24.4 minutes based on the environment. In reality, the requirement to hold the Mode button to access Turbo means that real-world use will be different. Few people will hold the button for 24, 4, or even 2 minutes solid.

 

Safety note: During testing, I used a wooden clothes pin to hold the Turbo button. After the TINI turned off due to low battery, the continued pressure on the Mode button caused the TINI to turn back on as soon as the battery rested and voltage bounced back. It would only stay on a few seconds before turning back off again…and then it would repeat this cycle. I stopped it during within 30 or 40 seconds, but in real world use I highly recommend not locking the Mode button down like this as it will over-drain the battery and cause damage.


High is rated by Nitecore at 145 lumens for 60 minutes. I measured 164 lumens and a runtime of 58 minutes. The output was extremely flat through 52 minutes when output began dropping. The TINI turned off after 68 minutes.

 

Medium is rated by Nitecore at 38 lumens and 4 hours. I measured 36 lumens and a runtime of 4 hours 42 minutes. The output was very flat for the first 4 hours 30 minutes before output began dropping. During this final period, the TINI had a very high (and odd) spike to 62 lumens before falling back off. It turned off entirely at 4 hours and 46 minutes.

 

Low is rated by Nitecore at 1 lumen and 60 hours. I tested it at 1.8 lumens. Runtime not was tested. 


All outputs:

 

All runtimes tested:





​ 

*Throw*
I tested throw distance at 1.41 meters and the resulting candela was 1065 - equivalent to 65 meters of throw. 

Nitecore rates the TINI at 1020 Cd and 64 meters of throw – almost exactly what I tested.



*PWM*
No PWM was detected visually or using a camera’s CMOS sensor. Nitecore lists constant current as a feature of the TINI so this is no surprise.



*Parasitic Drain*
The R1 uses an electronic switch so some parasitic drain is to be expected. As it is a sealed unit I was unable to test this, but Nitecore says the TINI can be stored for about 1 year before the battery will self-deplete. 


*Internal Charging*
Nitecore lists battery capacity at 280mAh. Using an inline USB meter, I measured charges of between 330mAh and 355mAh following each of the output tests above. Though some of the amperage will have been lost to the charging circuit and side switch illumination, it appears the stated battery capacity is valid or understated.

Charge current peaked at 34mA with typical charge rate of 32mA. Towards the end of the charge amperage decreased to <10mA. It took about 1 hour 30 minutes to fully charge the TINI though the majority of the charge happened in the first hour. Nitecore states a full charge should take about 1 hour 45 minutes.

The side switches flash while charging and remain solid once fully charged.
All modes (including Turbo) can be used while the TINI is charging. Given its low power consumption, an external battery connected to the TINI’s micro USB port will extend the TINI’s runtime exponentially.

 

*Impact Resistance*
Nitecore rates the TINI’s impact resistance at 1.5 meters. This was not tested.



*Water Resistance*
Nitecore rates the TINI as IP54, meaning it is protected against most dust and splashing from water. After seeing how the TINI is constructed without gaskets to keep water out, I would try to minimize the amount of water the TINI is exposed to – especially around the buttons.




*Interface*

The Nitecore TINI has two modes: DAILY mode and DEMO mode. Daily mode functions in a normal manner; Demo mode shuts off after 30 seconds automatically. 

A 2 second button hold is required to turn the TINI on in either mode. Mode memory is present (L/M/H); there are no special modes like SOS.

From off:

Press and hold the Power button for 2 seconds to access the memorized mode
Press and hold the Mode button for 2 seconds to access Turbo for as long as held
Press and hold both buttons for 2 seconds to switch to modes (Daily<->Demo)
Short press the Mode button to perform a battery check
3 flashes indicates >50%
2 flashes indicates >10%
1 flash indicates <10%

From on:

Press the Mode button to cycle to a higher mode (L->M->H)
Press and hold the Mode button to access Turbo for as long as held
The last used mode is restored when the Mode button is released
Press and hold both buttons to switch modes (Daily<->Demo)
Short press the Power button to turn the TINI off
 



*Problems*

No problems were experienced with the Nitecore TINI while testing. 



*Commentary*

Nitecore seems on a mission to introduce as many keychain options as possible. Each one seems to have its own advantages and disadvantages – and the TINI is no exception. 

The TINI and TIP are at the top, with $29.95 MSRPs, multiple body colors, peak outputs of 380 and 360 lumens, and similar mode spacing. The $19.95 THUMB and $9.95 TUBE can’t compete with their peak outputs of 85 and 45 lumens.

The TINI is considerably smaller than the TIP though the TIP handles heat better. One of the more common complaints about the TIP was that it could activate in a pocket too easily. Nitecore responded with the TIP by providing a pocket clip that covers the TIP’s buttons – a solution eschewed by many. With the TINI, Nitecore shrank the size, skipped the clip, recessed the buttons slightly, and added a 2 second delay on the button press and a 30 second auto-off mode.

So far, I have found that the 2 second delay is successful at preventing accidental activation in pocket. It does take a little getting used to, though – most flashlights turn on as soon as a button is pressed – but not the TINI.

The cool tint will not be to the liking of some. Nitecore introduced high CRI versions of other lights before – including the TIP – and I look forward to seeing if they do the same here. A high CRI TINI would be excellent.

Another weakness is ingress protection. The much cheaper TUBE has IP65 water resistance; I find the IP54 ratings on the TIP and TINI to be a little disappointing. Granted, nobody would ever try going diving with the TINI – but asking a light to survive a walk in heavy rain or an accidental drop into a puddle doesn’t seem like too much to ask. 

I do not carry anything but a key fob and small light in my front pocket. The keychain clip doesn’t open wide enough to clip on my key fob, so I’d prefer to carry it with no keyring at all. The fact that the small tail ring can’t be removed is therefore a little annoying.

The outputs and runtimes as tested are all inline with Nitecore’s specifications – which is excellent. Better yet, it manages these outputs with constant current (no PWM). The internal charging is also fast and effective, though the rubber port cover doesn’t quite swing far enough out of the way.

The mode spacing is very useful, escalating (as tested) from 1.8 to 36, 164 and 372 lumens. When modes are too close or too far apart it’s difficult to find just the right amount of output but I haven’t had that experience with the TINI. The TIP shares very similar ratings, so the TINI’s mode spacing should be consistent for TIP users. 



*The Nitecore TINI has true-to-specification outputs and runtimes, is PWM-free, has a nice floody beam, offers a battery indicator, fast micro USB charging, and can be used while charging. The cool tint, 2 second power on delay, momentary Turbo, and poor water resistance won’t be to the liking of everyone. Still, it’s my favorite Nitecore keychain light and the one that I’ve started carrying.*




_Lux Meter: Dr. Meter LX1330B
Integrating "sphere": Homebuilt tube-style device calibrated on other known lights and test results. Numbers should be considered relative to each other and my other review figures but accuracy is in no way certified or guaranteed._
_Camera: Canon SD4000IS _
_Micrometer: Mitutoyo CD-6ASX_
_Multimeter: Craftsman 82170
All measurements and representations are in made in good faith but are not guaranteed to be correct.
_


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## zespectre (Jan 15, 2018)

Very nice review. 

Thanks for "taking one for the team" and opening it up, I've been very curious about the insides myself but have found the light too useful to risk it.

As a side note. I leather wrapped my TINI to add additional durability in a pocket environment and I'm glad I did as I already put a good "key scar" on the leather which would have been an ugly scratch had it been directly on the metal. I also talked to Nitecore about offering a leather wrap or at least a similar case for added pocket durability and they are considering it.


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## cp2315 (Jan 15, 2018)

Very nice review. Thanks!


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## Bdm82 (Jan 15, 2018)

zespectre said:


> Very nice review.
> 
> Thanks for "taking one for the team" and opening it up, I've been very curious about the insides myself but have found the light too useful to risk it.
> 
> As a side note. I leather wrapped my TINI to add additional durability in a pocket environment and I'm glad I did as I already put a good "key scar" on the leather which would have been an ugly scratch had it been directly on the metal. I also talked to Nitecore about offering a leather wrap or at least a similar case for added pocket durability and they are considering it.



Thanks, and you bet!

Funny enough, when I had it open, I tried to scratch the INSIDE of the case with the torx bit. My thought was if it scratched it there I wouldn't care, and at that point I thought it would gouge a little bit if the material was ABS.... Well, the bit didn't scratch it.

I'm not saying the TINI won't scratch by any means, but it isn't super scratch prone at least. 

A wrap or case would protect it and recess the buttons, but I guess it's also a question of bulk vs protection. Getting a specific color of iphone, to just put it in a bulky case, makes relative sense for a $800 phone. For a $30 light, I wouldn't worry about it but I respect those that do to minimize wear.


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## 270winchester (Jan 17, 2018)

Thank you for the review.

It's wild to see something this small can deliver 164 lumens for an hour and over 460 on turbo. I must be getting old. :wave:


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## Beckler (Jan 17, 2018)

Why don't they make some actual quality-built keychain lights? Not plastic ones like Tip (which I have - it's ok ) and Tini that apparently isn't even waterproof. These things are in contrast to their normal flashlights - heavy duty, all metal, all waterproof.


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## Fitz (Jan 18, 2018)

Beckler said:


> Why don't they make some actual quality-built keychain lights? Not plastic ones like Tip (which I have - it's ok ) and Tini that apparently isn't even waterproof. These things are in contrast to their normal flashlights - heavy duty, all metal, all waterproof.



Because when they make the perfect keychain light we won't need to buy anymore. 

Great review, I picked up a couple of these for gifts. I'm on the fence whether to replace the little copper Jetbeam mini-1 (that replaced a lovely little Draco Drake which replaced the Arc AAA) with one of these, the lack of waterproofing kinda puts me off though I like the form factor and not having to worry about it coming on in my pocket with the 2 second delay. The search continues eh.


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## pc_light (Jan 18, 2018)

Nice, thanks for doing the review BDM82. Might have to pick one up to check out now.

On the TIP, I found the same potential issue with heat sinking or lack thereof for the emitter. So when I had mine apart, I filled the cavity around the metallic reflector with Artic Thermal Adhesive to help establish a path from emitter area to aluminum body shell. I see from your photos that the Mini uses a plastic reflector so that kludge is out for it.

Still the Mini's numbers are impressive. I find myself increasingly drawn to these pocket/keychain lights and starting to replace the AAA lights I have on my various sets of keys.


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## pc_light (Jan 18, 2018)

(sorry double posted, Forum seems to be running unusually slow for me and I hit Submit twice.) 

Since I've already taken up the post, here's a photo of what I did while the TIP was open. Even the CRI TIP wasn't warm enough so I put in a 4000K of my own.


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## KITROBASKIN (Jan 19, 2018)

Those users who like warm light may not want to tolerate the color temperature of the TIP CRI, much less the TINI, but for a person who finds 5000K-ish a nice balance of efficiency and non-distracting light, the TINI actually does its job. I have gotten used to it. Is it 6200K? 6000K? Don't know but it works. The color temperature is not distracting.

Depending how you carry it, the on/off button can get held down over 2 seconds, resulting in unwanted activation. Best to keep it in demo mode on a lower setting. Or carry it in such a way that it will not happen.

It is so lightweight, and useful.


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## zespectre (Jan 19, 2018)

So I got one of the early release models, then later ordered one for the wife. Now she wants me to leather wrap hers too so I guess I'm going to get additional practice.


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## bltkmt (Feb 5, 2018)

Great review, thanks. I love this little light. It has replaced the Aeon in my pocket daily.


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## chorlton (Apr 3, 2018)

Nice review. I'm on the fence though as no cri option and a lot of chrome plated plastic. I prefer the build quality of the tip! Ticks the 'lots of light from a tiny flashlight' box though😮


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## IMSabbel (Apr 15, 2018)

Hm. Thanks for the review. THe total nonexisting water resistance is a bummer.


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## KITROBASKIN (Apr 15, 2018)

IMSabbel said:


> Hm. Thanks for the review. THe total nonexisting water resistance is a bummer.



Do you have this flashlight? Did you test for water resistance to failure? If not, then your comment is inaccurate at best.


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## Timothybil (Apr 15, 2018)

KITROBASKIN said:


> Do you have this flashlight? Did you test for water resistance to failure? If not, then your comment is inaccurate at best.


Per Nitecore, it has an IP54 rating, which puts it somewhere in the don't drop it in the puddle or put it in front of the hose area.


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## chorlton (May 22, 2018)

KITROBASKIN said:


> Do you have this flashlight? Did you test for water resistance to failure? If not, then your comment is inaccurate at best.


As is clear from the pictures there are no gaskets and the hard plastic buttons just sit under cutouts in the case so I would say that was a fairly accurate comment. I do love the size and functionality and would buy one in a heartbeat if they offer a nichia option. I'm tempted by Vinh's mod but its hard to justify the cost for a cheaply made light!


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## KITROBASKIN (May 22, 2018)

Having lived with the Nitecore Tube, T360, NU20 (premature battery failure), TIP, and now TINI, just looking at something will not provide the answer regarding water resistance as opposed to using it day-in and day-out when it is raining and in other very wet environments. Is it totally waterproof? No. But prudent use similar to having a cheaper cell phone without port covers should give a good service life. I have taken all but the T360 apart after using them extensively, and it is easy to tell where dust particles have infiltrated the case. They all function and I do not act recklessly around fluids.

Now here's an opinion to match the opinion about “THe total nonexisting water resistance...”:

Nitecore is pretty successful and will often find ways to sell a decent product for a fairly competitive price. To make the TINI truly seriously water resistant would raise the price (and increase the weight) more than many of its target consumers are willing to pay. In the TINI, they have made it reasonably protective probably based to some degree on durability tests. Thank goodness we are not stuck with forcing anyone to buy the TINI, and internet-opinionators will continue to look at pictures and make their pronouncements. And to make something less expensive yet mostly effective, a certain small percentage of products will be defective because that is a part of how many manufacturers have been thriving for years.


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## Timothybil (May 25, 2018)

Engineers have an algorithm usually called 'tacking on 9s', where after the basic design is finished the work changes to increase reliability, ie: 99.999% as opposed to 99.9%, with the understanding that each additional 9 has a close to exponential cost increase. So knowing when to stop tacking on the 9s becomes as much a marketing decision as an engineering/production one. Or to phrase it another way, when does it become 'good enough', for some value of good.

For my purposes a rating of IP54 (limited dust ingress [no deposits] and protected against splash water) is more than good enough for me. Since it would spend most of its life in a pants pocket, dust is not a major concern, and the odds of a puddle in front of my door are slim to none. Besides, that's what backup lights are for. Remember "Two is One, and One is None".


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## sobediny (Jun 7, 2018)

Thanks for the review. I got one. And the weakness:
[FONT=&quot]Frequent and inadvertent activation of turbo mode.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]-2 seconds to turn on is less than convenient.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]-Off switch is too sensitive, which easily turns the light off when unintended.[/FONT]


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## andygold (Sep 25, 2018)

Battery question. I realize the run times are theoretical...
With a fully charged battery, I can use Turbo. Will Turbo work when the battery is at less than 50% (2 blue blinks) or less that 10% (1 blue blink)? Basically, at what battery level does Turbo stop working? I'm just trying to figure usage time... Such as if I was on high for 50 minutes total time (not all at once) out of a theoretical 60 minutes max, then would Turbo still function, or would there not be enough juice left?


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## D6859 (Nov 13, 2018)

I've been away from this forum for years (venturing into woröd of knives and multitools). But when I came here and read your review I had to login again to thank you for it. Ordered one for myself based on your detailed review.

Thank you! This community is great!


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## Vemice (Nov 13, 2018)

Both TINI & TIP are available in copper. Have had my TINI riding on me keychain for months with no significant scratches or dings. Don't care about the light quality (which I think is fine) as when I use it I just need light.


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## fonaryk (May 12, 2019)

I’ve been off this forum and off the grid so to speak for quite awhile and have only recently started to dabble in lights once again.
i thank you for this in depth review but it has left me concerned that I have purchased two Tini’s In copper with possible battery issues. Both were purchased through an authorized dealer at the exact same time and both suffer from the same issue;that being loss of charge when not in use for any length of time. For example, after being fully charged, I keep one on my nightstand and when I needed to use it after only a week or so of it sitting dormant,the light did not turn on at all.
as for the run time per your test, both lights, fully charged , on high lasted approximately 8-9 minutes before shutting off. Not dropping down in power-shutting down completely. The other light used to be on my car key chain but it is so unde-endable,it now sits in my junk drawer along with many other useless lights and bits cast off from everyday use.
It’s not rocket science ,so I doubt I’ve done anything wrong but at this point, I’ll stick to any one of my other pocket rockets which depend on AAA or other cells. A light which loses its charge without being used is useless.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## Bdm82 (May 13, 2019)

fonaryk said:


> I’ve been off this forum and off the grid so to speak for quite awhile and have only recently started to dabble in lights once again.
> i thank you for this in depth review but it has left me concerned that I have purchased two Tini’s In copper with possible battery issues. Both were purchased through an authorized dealer at the exact same time and both suffer from the same issue;that being loss of charge when not in use for any length of time. For example, after being fully charged, I keep one on my nightstand and when I needed to use it after only a week or so of it sitting dormant,the light did not turn on at all.
> as for the run time per your test, both lights, fully charged , on high lasted approximately 8-9 minutes before shutting off. Not dropping down in power-shutting down completely. The other light used to be on my car key chain but it is so unde-endable,it now sits in my junk drawer along with many other useless lights and bits cast off from everyday use.
> It’s not rocket science ,so I doubt I’ve done anything wrong but at this point, I’ll stick to any one of my other pocket rockets which depend on AAA or other cells. A light which loses its charge without being used is useless.
> Any advice would be greatly appreciated.



I've been off the forum for several months myself; you never know when life is going to get in the way of forum time... Anyway, the TINI I have has gone months between uses without permanently dying. It is electronically-switched so some parasitic drain should be expected, but it certainly shouldn't die within a week. I noted in the review that Nitecore reports 1 year storage; I'm not sure if they still report that -- but sometimes I have seen specs change. It's like how i have 3 TUBEs and I think 2 of the 3 have lockout capability...maybe it's just 1...either way, you get what I mean.


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## fonaryk (May 13, 2019)

Thanks BDM. I thought it strange;stranger still that both are experiencing the same issue. Also,thanks for bringing back to my mind the term I was seeking-parasitic drain. I know the issue is not form being accidentally switched on while in my pocket since it’s happening while it’s on a nightstand. Reckon I’ll try and reach out to Nitecore.


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## AVService (May 13, 2019)

Bdm82 said:


> I've been off the forum for several months myself; you never know when life is going to get in the way of forum time... Anyway, the TINI I have has gone months between uses without permanently dying. It is electronically-switched so some parasitic drain should be expected, but it certainly shouldn't die within a week. I noted in the review that Nitecore reports 1 year storage; I'm not sure if they still report that -- but sometimes I have seen specs change. It's like how i have 3 TUBEs and I think 2 of the 3 have lockout capability...maybe it's just 1...either way, you get what I mean.


Interesting as the TIP2 that I got Today says to charge every 3 months if not used AND they completely eliminated the Lockout feature in the new version as well though I had not seen that advertised or observed anywhere yet.

Mine is going back because of it too.


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## Timothybil (May 14, 2019)

Reminds me of the original TIP. If you put it in lockout, the parasitic drain was ridiculous. I waited until the TIP 2017, which doesn't have that problem. I'm a little disappointed that the TIP 2 does not come in a high CRI version.


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## Timothybil (May 14, 2019)

KITROBASKIN said:


> And to make something less expensive yet mostly effective, a certain small percentage of products will be defective because that is a part of how many manufacturers have been thriving for years.


Went back to look at my post and saw this. 
From a manufacturing perspective there will always be duds, yes. They are usually caused by a phenomenon called 'stacking tolerances'. Basically, every part of every device has a design measurement, and a +/- tolerance around that measurement. Now, for the most part, those plus and minus variations tend to even out, and the final device is just fine. I think we have all had the experience where with two identical devices, one just works better than the other. That's the one where all the tolerances balanced each other. On the other hand, you have when all of the tolerances work against each other. If the device can even be assembled, it probably won't work very well, if at all. Usually, the 'no go' ones are found before they are shipped, but sometimes one gets away. And if the device does work, it doesn't work well. So, yeah, some duds get loose in the wild. Most manufacturers these day s use SPC [Statistical Process Control] to monitor things and correct process problems before things get out of tolerance. The only way to get no bad devices is 100% inspection, and that makes things way to expensive. That's one of the reasons parts and assemblies for planes and spacecraft are so expensive - it is cheaper to do that kind of inspection/testing than have something fail and lose the entire craft. A perfect example of this would be the 0-rings on the shuttle boosters. Somewhere in the design process the decision was made on a lower temperature performance bound, but that number never got to the people making the decision to launch that day, even though some of the engineers were telling them not to.


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## KITROBASKIN (May 14, 2019)

Timothybil said:


> Reminds me of the original TIP. If you put it in lockout, the parasitic drain was ridiculous. I waited until the TIP 2017, which doesn't have that problem. I'm a little disappointed that the TIP 2 does not come in a high CRI version.



I was glad to have gotten the version 2 of the original TIP, that has a functional (for me) lockout that I use all the time, except when I forget...

The TIP 2 appears to have more heat sink but like the gentleman from Iowa, without emitters that make skin look insipid, it is a no-go for me. I have a copper and an aluminum TINI that sit around because of hohum tint and a propensity to be turned off while in use, among other factors with the UI.


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## Burgess (May 20, 2019)

I bought a TINI (in copper),
and the charging socket BROKE
in less than a month ! ! !

And it was NEVER carried in my pocket,
or dropped, or Anything ! ! !

Never suffered a Moment of unkindness !

WTF !

Would NOT recommend this !


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## Nichia! (May 20, 2019)

Nitecore doesn't care about quality products all they want is to sell lights to people! I don't recommend them either


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## zespectre (May 20, 2019)

Unfortunately I have to agree. I really looked forward to this light and it has been a near total disappointment. Faulty battery, weird electronics behavior, some stark design issues in terms of it coming on in the pocket and so forth. Just not a great pocket light.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Agpp (May 20, 2019)

My Tini also died quickly. The switch failed.


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## Beckler (May 25, 2019)

Nichia! said:


> Nitecore doesn't care about quality products all they want is to sell lights to people! I don't recommend them either



Well in my experience they are quality products. Companies shouldn't make cheap stuff though, like the 'tini' and other plastic junk t-series. This just damages reputation for no reason. New Tip2 seems like the first quality nitecore keychain.


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