# Flickering/PWM in new Fenix HL55



## bearbreeder (Oct 4, 2014)

Well folks after the nitecore HC90 switch issue i decided to give another chinese brand light a try

Turns out that a fresh out if the box Fenix HL55 has a quite noticeable flicker on low, you can see it in the video below

This is with Fenix 3400 mAH bats, and Nitecore 3400 mAh bats, all new, same issue

And yes i did clean the contacts and threads

Does anyonr elses HL55 have this issue?

Im fairly new to these Chinese made Fenix and Nitecore lamps ... I uually own petzls which dont have these problems

Are these issues somethig folks here just expect and tolerate with these brands ?????

This is two brand new out of the box headlamps from these chinese manufacturers with issues!!


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## Crotulus (Oct 6, 2014)

I have not spent much time in eco mode but I checked it out after seeing you mention this. Yes, my unit has a slight flicker to it in this ultra low mode. The other modes... low, med, high and turbo are all rock solid. For my use I spend most of my time in low and high so it's not much of an issue for me.


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## bearbreeder (Oct 6, 2014)

Thanks for the update

its actually eco mode this happens in, im not used to the fenix terminology yet!


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## AirmanV (Oct 6, 2014)

Interesting... I noticed the same exact thing happen to my new Fenix TK09. It'll flicker just like that in the low/eco mode, and in medium and high mode that flicker goes away, just as you and Crotulus are experiencing. I've also noticed that the PWM is especially noisy (loud ringing), more so than any of my other fenix lights by far.

I tried cleaning the contacts with rubbing alcohol, but to no avail, I still get that flickering in the low mode. I'm not sure wether or not it's an "issue", or perhaps I am just more sensitive to PWM. Regardless, this is one of the reasons why I prefer CC over PWM.


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## bearbreeder (Oct 7, 2014)

I contacted the fenix distributer and the said fenix wasnt aware of the issue and that this shouldnt be happening with the light

Ill post up with my experience of Fenix CS and the resolution once it gets resolved ... And if the new light they send me has any similar issues

For reading at night it definately and issue .... Its like trying to read with a slowly strobing/flickering light

thanks folks


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## AirmanV (Oct 7, 2014)

Yes it's certainly an annoying effect. I emailed Fenix a few days ago about the occasional flickering, and they insisted I send the light in for warranty service. I decided to pass on that, as I don't really use my TK09 much anyways. I am sure they'll want you to send your HL55 in as well. I can see how it'd make reading difficult.


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## Labrador72 (Oct 8, 2014)

I really had high hopes in this headlamp but started getting a bad feeling when I saw that 900 lumens burst mode: another victim to high-lumen advertising!
I was disappointed to see that the lowest mode was 10 lumen and there was no red LED... now the flickering problem. Too bad because it's pretty light and it has an IPX8 rating!


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## CUL8R (Oct 8, 2014)

I recently received my HL55vn and hadn't noticed this. But admittedly my use on low has been minimal and when walking, so any minor flickering wouldn't have been noticable. Anyhow, I just tested the light on low standing about 3' from a wall and it does flicker a little. So I decided to test it with some reading in the dark. While the flickering is noticable if you are looking for it, it really isn't noticable if you aren't looking for it - i.e absorbed in your book. 20 minutes of reading didn't bother me at all. This is now my primary backpacking light and I don't know why anyone thinks this minor flickering (only on low) would be a deal breaker. Is the light perfect? No. And while I have beaucoup lights in my collection, including many customs, I don't think any of them are perfect. This light has 5 (if you count Boost mode) well spaced modes, is lighter than my other 18650 based headlamp and disipates heat extremly well, which is very important on my vn modified model on high and boost. I also like the fact I'm able to use this light without the top headstrap and it doesn't move around. I'm keeping mine and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others. If there was only one change I could make it would be to increase boost mode timing to either 1 or 2 minutes. But even 30 seconds is lots of time to look around before the light returns to whatever mode it was in when you entered boost. 

I'm not certain this "flicker" is a manifestation of PWM. It doesn't seem regular enough for that. But it may be some other artifact of regulation or the driver used. It'll be interesting to see what fenix has to say. I'm sorry this is so irritating to some folks. It seems incredibly minor to me. As I said, I didn't even notice it until I read this thread. And unless I concentrate on looking for it, I don't notice it now. Did I say I really like this light?


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## bearbreeder (Oct 9, 2014)

I noticed the issue right away

thr fenix dsitributer indicated that fenix isnt aware of the issue, also its possible that all of the fenix HL55 have this issue as they tested a new one in stock and it flickers on eco

Whether you consider it an issue is up to you, there are some folks who are much more sensitive to PWM/flickering than others here

What astounds me is that this is happening on fenix lights which are generally considered quality lamps here

it doesnt happen on any of my petzls, even the budget priced ones

it seems that some folks here "cheerlead" some light without mentioning their drawbacks or quirks

these issues should be documented and then the purchaser can make the decision as to whether or not its acceptable .... Rather than having the issue hidden or being put down for pointing it out


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## CyclingSalmon14 (Oct 9, 2014)

I have a VN version comeing I'll let you know what its like.

Hmm at least if PWM then it would not be an issue but that fenix say it is not meant to do it is a worry, just hope it won't lead to further issues with anyone's lights and maby there will be a simple fix, I doubt I'll use eco node much though so dksent bother me.

I'll take a bit of flickering over switch issues!


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## Labrador72 (Oct 11, 2014)

Does anyone know if the HL55 ever steps down from High to a lower output?

I suspect it does but it doesn't the runtime on High would be excellent. Definitely worth considering for that alone despite the 10-lumen low - at least after Fenix fix the flickering issues!


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## CyclingSalmon14 (Oct 11, 2014)

High is not really that high, so no step down I think as he at sinking is excellent, only step down on turbo.

I guess I won't know till it gets here but I see no mention of a second step down, but it doesn't need one...


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## Labrador72 (Oct 11, 2014)

Thanks a lot. Even if heat-sinking is good, 420 lumens for 3 hours 45 minutes would be a very good runtime even on a 3400 mAh 18650 cell. I am not saying it's impossible but I think is unlikely! I could be wrong of course.


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## CyclingSalmon14 (Oct 11, 2014)

Yes you could be right!

But also bear in mind that's FL1? So it will only be doing 10% output at that time, so when you factor in the dropped output it can proberly do it, and again heat will be less so I doubt there is a second stepdown, but I am possibly wrong, won't know till mine gets here.

Guess we will find out soon enough though.


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## subwoofer (Oct 13, 2014)

Labrador72 said:


> Does anyone know if the HL55 ever steps down from High to a lower output?
> 
> I suspect it does but it doesn't the runtime on High would be excellent. Definitely worth considering for that alone despite the 10-lumen low - at least after Fenix fix the flickering issues!



It only steps down once the cell is depleted to the point it can no longer keep the High output going. The only timed step down is the 30s Burst output.

The runtime graph in my forthcoming review will show this.

I'm still waiting on feedback from Fenix regarding the flickering issue, and have stopped work on the review until they update me.


*CyclingSalmon14* is correct in that the full runtime on High does include stepped down output which is due to the cell no longer being able to maintain the previous output level.


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## bearbreeder (Oct 13, 2014)

subwoofer said:


> It only steps down once the cell is depleted to the point it can no longer keep the High output going. The only timed step down is the 30s Burst output.
> 
> The runtime graph in my forthcoming review will show this.
> 
> ...




is it possible to get a preview of the runtime graph on high, or if you could let us know how long it stays ~400 lumens before stepping down?

also does anyone here have a HL55 that does NOT flicker on eco?

im debating whether to keep this headlamp, and would really like to know if its a design or QC problem ... basically are there ones out there that dont have this issue


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## CyclingSalmon14 (Oct 13, 2014)

My order from vinh just shipped today expect to have it in 4-8days but up to 14 depends on shipping method. No tracking unfortantly, I'll let you know if I have flicker, either way it dosent bother me much though, but like you I want comment from fenix and closure on the issue, Ie should we be concerned for any problems that may develop due to this.


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## Labrador72 (Oct 13, 2014)

bearbreeder said:


> also does anyone here have a HL55 that does NOT flicker on eco?



That's a good question. I saw even in the German flashlight forum they reported a slight flickering on the Eco mode. It may be a QC issue but it seems to be across several batches.
http://www.taschenlampen-forum.de/fenix/36050-review-fenix-hl-55-kopflampe-900-lumen.html/


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## Szemhazai (Oct 13, 2014)

Judging by a naked eye and camera I would say that the light output it is rather unstable in eco mode than it is flicker effect.

Fenix HL55


Armytek Wizard Pro - Firefly 1, 0.4 lm


You can compare with Rayfall H1L


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## Labrador72 (Oct 14, 2014)

subwoofer said:


> It only steps down once the cell is depleted to the point it can no longer keep the High output going. The only timed step down is the 30s Burst output.
> 
> The runtime graph in my forthcoming review will show this.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the info Subwoofer, looking forward to your review as always. 
For the time being I pulled the trigger on a HC50 (your review is also to be blamed in part :thumbsup but may get the HL55 too at some point if overall feedback is good.


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## CUL8R (Oct 14, 2014)

Labrador72 said:


> Thank you for the info Subwoofer, looking forward to your review as always.
> For the time being I pulled the trigger on a HC50 (your review is also to be blamed in part :thumbsup but may get the HL55 too at some point if overall feedback is good.



The HC50 is a very nice headlamp. It’s fairly powerful and quite versatile. It was my main backpacking headlamp until I just replaced it with an HL55vn. The only real drawback is that it’s fairly heavy. You definitely need both bands to wear it. I don’t use the top band on the HL55 and don’t have any movement. Also if you look at the picture below you’ll find the reflector on the HL55 is slightly deeper (both are tiny) and to my eye at least the HL55vn reaches out a little farther. Of course the approximately 1200 OTF lumens on the HL55vn (burst mode) might make most of the difference. Again the picture below shows why the HC50 weighs more. It is one solid chunk of light that I don’t think would be hurt if you drove over it! I don’t know if you were aware that, at least on the early models, the HC50 had its own issue. Many of the lights’ main leds would continue to glow after they were shut off. You could only see this in total darkness. Mine does this. To fix it, all I do is unscrew the battery cover a little and retighten after I shut it down. Don’t know if Nitecore ever fixed this “issue” or not, but initially many people were concerned about it. In short, both are very good lamps in my opinion. Each has, or had, a minor issue – really more distraction than issue.


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## bearbreeder (Oct 15, 2014)

well REI sells the HC50, with their return for any reason 1 year warranty, and their willingness to cover defects even after that period ... this gives alot of peace of mind with these lights

the output of the HL55 is quite good, though the beam on mine has an outer "ring" in addition to the hotspot, its not as even as expected

were still waiting to hear back from fenix, they really arent aware of the flickering issue as they want samples sent back to them for them to test ... which is really weird as taking a beamshot against a wall on eco mode immediate shows the issue on mine

i would prefer to keep this light as ive already got fenix 3400 mAh bats and their charger ... not to mention that ive already tried the HC90 (switch issue) ... the problem IMO is that we dont know if its a QC issue (not good) or a design issue (still not good, but at least its not QC!!!)

HC50s glowing issues, HC90 with the switches not working as advertised and HL55 flickering on eco ... theres a thread somewhere about the zebralight tint lottery as well

are there *ANY* of these lights from chinese manufacturers that dont have these issues or "quirks" ... one that works the way it should

maybe im spoiled by my petzls which dont have these issues ... and if there was an issue i could simply return after buying it from somewhere like MEC or LL Bean which have a lifetime no questions asked warranty

im not looking to collect lights or have closet queens ... i need lamps that work properly, ill be using them for hours on a daily basis on everything from reading in camp at night, to technical night climbing, to fixing things in the attic, etc ... theyll be used often and used hard


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## Labrador72 (Oct 15, 2014)

CUL8R said:


> The HC50 is a very nice headlamp. It’s fairly powerful and quite versatile. It was my main backpacking headlamp until I just replaced it with an HL55vn. *The only real drawback is that it’s fairly heavy. You definitely need both bands to wear it. * I don’t use the top band on the HL55 and don’t have any movement. Also if you look at the picture below you’ll find the reflector on the HL55 is slightly deeper (both are tiny) and to my eye at least the HL55vn reaches out a little farther. Of course the approximately 1200 OTF lumens on the HL55vn (burst mode) might make most of the difference. Again the picture below shows why the HC50 weighs more. It is one solid chunk of light that I don’t think would be hurt if you drove over it! I don’t know if you were aware that, at least on the early models, the HC50 had its own issue. Many of the lights’ main leds would continue to glow after they were shut off. You could only see this in total darkness. Mine does this. To fix it, all I do is unscrew the battery cover a little and retighten after I shut it down. Don’t know if Nitecore ever fixed this “issue” or not, but initially many people were concerned about it. In short, both are very good lamps in my opinion. Each has, or had, a minor issue – really more distraction than issue.



Thanks for all this information is very useful. It is odd that the Nitecore HC50 is significantly heavier than the Fenix HL55: according to the manufacturers' specs the HC50 weighs only 15 grams than the HL55. A 15 gram difference should be hardly noticeable. Of course weight distribution can affect weight perception and carry to some extent but the size and shape of the two lights look very similar so I wouldn't expect major differences in weight distribution either.

Another explanation is that Nitecore advertised a weight of 130 grams without including the plastic holder but even so the weight difference should not be huge. Have you had a chance to weight the two flashlights with or without 18650 cells?

Regarding the HC50 glare after being switched off: I really hope they have fixed it after 2 years but with Nitecore you can never be sure!



bearbreeder said:


> are there *ANY* of these lights from chinese manufacturers that dont have these issues or "quirks" ... one that works the way it should
> 
> maybe im spoiled by my petzls which dont have these issues ... and if there was an issue i could simply return after buying it from somewhere like MEC or LL Bean which have a lifetime no questions asked warranty
> 
> im not looking to collect lights or have closet queens ... i need lamps that work properly, ill be using them for hours on a daily basis on everything from reading in camp at night, to technical night climbing, to fixing things in the attic, etc ... theyll be used often and used hard


IMHO, Petzl lights are very much underrated because they are not ridiculously bright as those from the main Chinese brands but I find some of their models are really well designed for the outdoors sports they are advertised for. I think some of the problems with brands like Fenix and Nitecore - and many other prominent flashlight and headlamp brands - is that they now focus too much on achieving higher brightness levels at the expense of other critical features and overall performances. That said, if you check the threads on Surefire headlamps, you'll find plenty of people complaining about stuff: there's always somebody who is unhappy about something!


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## subwoofer (Oct 17, 2014)

Labrador72 said:


> Thanks for all this information is very useful. It is odd that the Nitecore HC50 is significantly heavier than the Fenix HL55: according to the manufacturers' specs the HC50 weighs only 15 grams than the HL55. A 15 gram difference should be hardly noticeable. Of course weight distribution can affect weight perception and carry to some extent but the size and shape of the two lights look very similar so I wouldn't expect major differences in weight distribution either.
> 
> Another explanation is that Nitecore advertised a weight of 130 grams without including the plastic holder but even so the weight difference should not be huge. Have you had a chance to weight the two flashlights with or without 18650 cells?



I weighed my HC50 and HL55 both with 18650 loaded. HC50 was 183g, and HL55 was 168g, so it is indeed only 15g difference. However, the HC50 does 'feel' quite a bit heavier due to weight distribution. The strap of the HC50 seems very light, so most of the weight is in the lamp unit and holder. Th HL55's strap seems heavier, and the weight more evenly distributed, so therefore the lamp unit seems lighter. This is a feeling, and I'm not intending to break everything down and weigh this bit and that (I did think about it, but the HL55 lamp would not easily come out of the mount.

So I would agree, that in the hand the HC50 feels heavier due to the weight distribution, and even a little heavier on the head as well due to more weight being in the front. In real terms, this is not important as I've very comfortably worn the HC50 for hours on end and not even noticed it after a short while. Both are perfectly comfortable to wear, and the HL55 will feel just that little bit lighter on the head despite the minimal 15g difference.

The unstable eco output is a real disappointment. When testing the HL55's output, there was no PWM on the output, but there was some 'noise' where the output trace on the oscilloscope was not perfectly stable. This is not uncommon, so I thought nothing of it while measuring the output, it was only in real use, that I found this 'noise' was indeed visible in the eco output level as a visibly unstable output. Not flickering on and off, but visibly unsteady.


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## Szemhazai (Oct 17, 2014)

Labrador72 said:


> IMHO, Petzl lights are very much underrated because they are not ridiculously bright as those from the main Chinese brands...



U say so ? 



I would say that Ultra Rush or new Nao is bright enough :thumbsup:


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## Labrador72 (Oct 17, 2014)

Szemhazai said:


> U say so ?
> I would say that Ultra Rush or new Nao is bright enough :thumbsup:


True and I find the Nao well designed too and only costs... as two HL50 - IMHO with that design it's totally worth it! 



subwoofer said:


> I weighed my HC50 and HL55 both with 18650 loaded. HC50 was 183g, and HL55 was 168g, so it is indeed only 15g difference. However, the HC50 does 'feel' quite a bit heavier due to weight distribution. The strap of the HC50 seems very light, so most of the weight is in the lamp unit and holder. Th HL55's strap seems heavier, and the weight more evenly distributed, so therefore the lamp unit seems lighter. [...]


Thanks for all the feedback Subwoofer! I got my HC50 today and I am impressed so far. It seems Nitecore fixed the lasting glow after switch-off: once I switch it off there's no light left in the LED.


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## bearbreeder (Oct 17, 2014)

Just as a note the hl55 weights 145g bats in without the top strap and IMO is perfectly fine without it

Im debating whether to get the petzl nao or keep the hl55

The hl55 has the not insignificant advantage of being able to fit in the pocket of your chalk bag pocket for night climbing 

ill just need to accept that the eco mode flickers/pulsates

and pray that its not an issue that will get worse or affect it latter on


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## Labrador72 (Oct 17, 2014)

The HL55 also has the big advantage of taking any or at least most 18650 batteries. I think the NAO still needs to be modded to fit regular 18650 or you need to buy an extra battery pack with a miserable 2300 mAh 18650 for the price of 2x3400 18650s. The customizable UI, headband, and balanced design are absolutely great though. I've been debating whether to get the MYO RXP or or the NAO for long trail runs for some time now and if it wasn't for the proprietary battery pack I would have already pulled the trigger for the NAO.


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## bearbreeder (Oct 18, 2014)

Labrador72 said:


> The HL55 also has the big advantage of taking any or at least most 18650 batteries. I think the NAO still needs to be modded to fit regular 18650 or you need to buy an extra battery pack with a miserable 2300 mAh 18650 for the price of 2x3400 18650s. The customizable UI, headband, and balanced design are absolutely great though. I've been debating whether to get the MYO RXP or or the NAO for long trail runs for some time now and if it wasn't for the proprietary battery pack I would have already pulled the trigger for the NAO.



the petzl nao battery pack is quite cost and weight inefficient .. now granted there are certain advantages such as the built in USB charger, the fact you can change it even in the middle of a hurricane (most single bat lights arent "water resistant" once you take off the tail cap), and the battery level indicator

but overall the petzl proprietary packs arent that efficient

now i do own a petzl tikka RXP and while the accucore pack still suffers a bit in weight and cost .... it isnt too far off the power per weight of what a 14500 bat and is better than AA eneloops in that regard (what other lamps in its class would use) ... especially once you consider the built in USB charger its not bad at all in comparison

you can see this in the chart below


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## Labrador72 (Oct 19, 2014)

Thanks for the chart very interesting. The Petzl Tikka RXP looks interesting though I'd happier to have something that shines at least 200 to 300 lumens on turbo. Also the weight is all on the front of the headlamp though I'm sure they distributed the weight well as some Petzl lights seem to be designed with running in mind. Fenix headlamps seem to be designed more for general recreational use: they might work well for hiking, caving, etc. The HL55 will probably turn out to be too heavy and bouncing too much for that purpose as it has all the weight on the front.


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## Szemhazai (Oct 21, 2014)

*Labrador72*, if you have some time and skills you can mod RXP 2 to Cree XP-G2 and 10* optics. I'm manufacturing those for some friends and adventure enthusiasts, the best classic headlamp on the market :thumbsup:


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## CyclingSalmon14 (Oct 22, 2014)

Hmm got mine today, and its all over hyped, almost zero flicker on mine...however mine has had a current bump, I can see the flicker on eco when the light is held still on a white background indoors in pitch black but in any other conditions such as real world use...no noticeable flicker, even indoors. Its like a very tiny almost unnoticeable flicker. Dose not effect the end product IMO, if you was doing critical viewing or reading then maybe slight annoying but more than useable but of critical views you really should be using a HCRI source not this kind of high output headlamp, on another note the output is simple barbaric for a headlamp, insane and mad but dose not get that hot in use due to the 30 second timer for just when you need it. Love the neutral can see colors amazing, when I shone it one a wall I though the hotspot would be to obvious but when in use outside its just a really nice very wide flood with plenty of punch, more range than expected tbh, LOVE IT. BUY ONE NOW!!! (Mine was a V54 version)


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## bearbreeder (Oct 22, 2014)

Mine is noticeable when reading indoors

I just heard back from the distributer that fenix is making a modification to the circuit board to prevent it from happening in the next batch

bottom line is that this issue isnt something that they expected nor should it have been happening in the first place ... Apparently their initial demo versions didnt flicker

does ANYONE have a HL55 that doesnt have this flicker/instability on ECO?


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## CyclingSalmon14 (Oct 23, 2014)

Yhea I'd notice it reading I guess but once in to the book would not bother me much, tbh its not what I'd use to read I'd prefer a mule flood for that this is a bit to well defined hot spot for extreme close range like that.

Even indoors I can see the flicker only when held still against a white background, of you guys had not mentioned it I would have not seen it!!!

When used for anything other than extreme close range on eco its basicly fine, I guess urs flicker more maby due to lower drive level? Mine is high and turbo boosted but all modes get a minor bump on them so this might make yhe effect less obvious on mime??

Either way I am happy with it, the more I use it the less I even notice it, hard to see the flicker.

Glad to hear fenix has fixed it though all good =) very quick action unlike nitecore then.

Well TBH job well done to fenix!!! They rock once fixed it will be amazing, very comfy even on my small head and no headache or anything could share for hours, also very secure!!

Turbo is insane and high will be great for some close night filming.


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## Labrador72 (Oct 23, 2014)

Thanks for the good news bearbreeder! 

Unless Fenix do a recall, buying the HL55 is going to be hit-or-miss for a while: once the new stocks it might still be hard to figure out out who stocks non-flickering new batches and who still has HL55s from the initial flickering batch.


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## bearbreeder (Oct 23, 2014)

itll be a few weeks minimum before they start shipping the new updated versions ... 

ive decided im going to keep the lamp regardless even with the flickering issues on ECO, which may or may not matter for some users, the sheer output of the lamp for the weight is too good to ignore

good things from a climbing perspective

- it has a clicky up/down adjustment, not a stiffer rubber one that can sometime be hard to adjust single handed while yr hanging on for dear life

- it is more a block than a tube with less protrusions to catch on the rock/rope when you are climbing/rapping

- the interface is simple and easy to use with minimal pressure even with one hand ... fancy interfaces when yr climbing arent the best ... KISS, keep it simple stupid

- the modes are well staggered and sensible (not like a recent headlamp review where it jumped from ~90 lumen to 600+ lumen)

- you can use it without the top strap just fine saving some weight ... the nitecore HC90 is substantially heavier on a helmet, as it the nao

downsides for climbing

- the beam is not a floody as a dedicated flood lamp, or the hc90, it also has a bit of an outer ring ... fortunately the block is flat enough that i think this can be solved easily with scotch tape

- you cant really change the bats without risking getting the internals wet if you are in the middle of a storm on rappel ... i can do that with my petzls, the batteries might not be sealed but the internals are ... also you can drop the tail cap when changing the bats, which when yr a few hundred metres up is generally a bad idea

- there is no voltage/charge indicator so its harder to change the bat proactively to make sure you arent stuck climbing/on rappel and the bats die on you ... the petzl tikka rxp and nao have this feature, as does the HC50

- there is still the uncertainty of a lamp not working the way the manufacturer claims, will the unstable/flickering output on ECO affect things latter on, or will it be fine ... theres are folks out there where things not quite working as intended probably were a precursor to future problems with the light

i think most CPLers simply "accept" these type of problems, and manufacturers either dont find out or they get away with it because of it

quality lamps should not have issues that are fairly obvious, and the manufacturers should be testing their products rigorously and have good QC procedures

now there will be the occasional defective lamp, and if those are dealt with in a reasonable way for the customer thats fine

but rather than "accept" these issues, if you want manufacturers to improve their design, testing and QC ... speak up about em 

rather than chasing the highest lumens, fanciest UI or other latest and greatest but fairly useless "feature"

as a note though ... fenix has been much better than nitecore, in keeping me informed about the issue


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## Labrador72 (Oct 24, 2014)

bearbreeder said:


> Just as a note the hl55 weights *145g bats in without the top strap *and IMO is perfectly fine without it (...)



Bearbreeder, did you weigh the HL55 with a 18650 or 2xCR123? If you weighed it with a 18650 it means with 2xCR123 it won't weigh more than 130g which is extremely light for a headlamp of this size. It might turn out to be decent enough for running even if all the weight is in front.


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## bearbreeder (Oct 24, 2014)

Labrador72 said:


> Bearbreeder, did you weigh the HL55 with a 18650 or 2xCR123? If you weighed it with a 18650 it means with 2xCR123 it won't weigh more than 130g which is extremely light for a headlamp of this size. It might turn out to be decent enough for running even if all the weight is in front.



with a 3400 mAh fenix 18650 ... 145g without top strap

as a note seems like a recent review of the fenix LD60 has the same exact flickering issue

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...xCR123A)-review-RUNTIMES-BEAMSHOTS-SCOPE-more!


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## Labrador72 (Oct 24, 2014)

Thanks Bearbreeder, appreciate all the feedback! 

Yep, it seems at least Fenix are implementing flickering consistently across their new models...


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## bearbreeder (Nov 14, 2014)

well fenix send me another HL55 ... this one actually has no serial number

looks like they fixed the issue

cant complain about the customer service!

my climbing partner using my headlamp for a lead climb


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## WhitedragonBC (Nov 23, 2014)

Has any distributor been confirmed as having the fixed version? This is holding me up from buying one.


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## Labrador72 (Nov 23, 2014)

Same here but no confirmations so far!


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## bearbreeder (Nov 23, 2014)

WhitedragonBC said:


> Has any distributor been confirmed as having the fixed version? This is holding me up from buying one.



if yr in western canada drop notosora a line

they are the distributer for the region

they should have a pretty good idea


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## Labrador72 (Dec 15, 2014)

Has anybody bought a HL55 recently and got a sample without flickering on Low?


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## subwoofer (Dec 15, 2014)

Labrador72 said:


> Has anybody bought a HL55 recently and got a sample without flickering on Low?



Remember this is not PWM. The thread title really needs to be updated. Certainly the initial batch had an unsteady output on Eco mode.

If only Fenix could confirm from which serial number the issue is resolved.


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## Labrador72 (Dec 23, 2014)

I received my HL55 today and I can't detect any flickering on low. So far I'm impressed with it: as reported by other users it's very comfortable and extremely light, especially when using CR123 batteries. I'm not sure how stable it fits for trail running on longish distances - when I test it, I'll post my experience.


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## donovanlai (Dec 23, 2014)

I bought a HL55 two months ago, it did have the unstable output on Eco mode, I checked with the CS, they said it was the first batch issue, so mailed it back to China Fenix, they replace and sent back a new one with the orange peel reflector, and now it's stable on every mode... btw it's a good choice for headlamp, can't go wrong with neutral white with 3hours++ run time, I hope it come with hidden moonlight mode as Lumintop HL01.


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## Szemhazai (Dec 24, 2014)

*Labrador72* , in my opinion it's too front-heavy for running, especially without top-strap. 55 is much better for hard-hat / walking application's.


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## bedazzLED (Dec 30, 2014)

I just received mine today and there is no flicker at all. This is quite an impressive headlamp. I've tried it with an 18650 and CR123A's and works fine. I'm really liking this light; it's very comfortable to wear also.


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## Labrador72 (Dec 31, 2014)

Thanks Szemhazai, I had sort of the same feeling but after checking specs of different headlamps I realized the Tikka RXP weighs 115 g while the HL55 with top strap and CR123 weighs 147. Without top strap and the top-strap holder, it goes down to 129 grams - only 14 grams more than Tikka RXP.


Anyway, I did tests running in the woods and bog on the hills with and without the top strap. As expected, without the top strap the light moves around a tad too much and so does the light ahead of you, especially when using a 18650. Now with the top strap attached the overall weight slightly increases but the light is much more stable and I found it to comfortable enough for running even with a 18650. With CR123 and without top strap it's not moving too much but it still moves around enough to become a nuisance. Now I only tested it for a couple of KMs as I wanted to put on the top strap and see how it worked with CR123 on longer distances but unfortunately I realized I had lost the top strap so I had no chance to see how well it works for trail running with both CR123s and the top strap.

My guess is that the HL55 on CR123 and with the headstrap will do just fine for running off road for 10, 20 and maybe even 30 Km.
Obviously until someone tests it for that purpose, it remains just a guess.

Other than that, for hiking at night the light works perfectly, is powerful enough, reasonably light, it is IP-X8, it has an impressive runtime - aside from wishing it had a red LED, I personally find this light has been very well and carefully designed.

Belated merry Christmas and happy new year! : )


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## Kueh (Oct 7, 2015)

Received mine today as a replacement hard hat light. I believe that it is a very good match for my PD32UE, in tint and brightness levels. Initial testing shows no pwn or flickering in ECO mode. I am using Sanyo 18650F 3400 unprotected cells in both lights. 

I believe that I had read somewhere that pwn was attributed to an interaction between a light's circuits and the battery's protection circuit. Switching to unprotected cells seemed to have eliminated the problem.


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## subwoofer (Oct 8, 2015)

Kueh said:


> Received mine today as a replacement hard hat light. I believe that it is a very good match for my PD32UE, in tint and brightness levels. Initial testing shows no pwn or flickering in ECO mode. I am using Sanyo 18650F 3400 unprotected cells in both lights.
> 
> I believe that I had read somewhere that pwn was attributed to an interaction between a light's circuits and the battery's protection circuit. Switching to unprotected cells seemed to have eliminated the problem.



I can't see how that would happen as the protection circuit should be transparent unless tripped. I know that Fenix did update the HL55 and it was only the first batch that had flickering in Eco mode. If you have a later one, the protected/unprotected cell will make no difference.

However, despite my scepticism I'm going to try an unprotected cell in the flickering HL55 I have and see.

Edit: definitely not related to the cell. My HL55 flickers with an unprotected cell.


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## Kueh (Oct 8, 2015)

It was in a cell that used multiple 1650 cells, I believe. 

Guess that I lucked out by waiting.

Problem with reading too much is that some facts may get mixed up.


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