Phil--I told you: the way some ports + plugs behave can be finicky.

As to the way the "low batt" indicator behaves from one version of CF to the next... well, that can depend on the "lowbatt" (or is it lbatt) configuration parameter... the LED's fwd voltage... other components that draw energy during usage... and the battery cell setup in general.

Now keep in mind--I NEVER bother with the lowbatt indicator and parameter--some people understand from many of my previous posts that I feel it is completely irrelevant and pointless (although my perspective is of the MINORITY in this regard).

Still... CF is generally using the lowbatt parameter to get an idea of "when to go off". Obviously, if you have a 9.6v setup with an LED that only requires ~4v... you may never reach a point where the light is able to go off--the saber will simply "go dead" or start behaving in a berserk fashion BEFORE the voltage is able to drop down to a point which makes CF think the cells are low.

That's one very generalized example.

Then you have a Li-Ion setup. Oh joy, yet ANOTHER factor coming into play. Here, we have the Li-Ions under control of the PCB. A 7.4v pack will NEVER fall below 6v and continue to allow current draw. The PCB will trip, and the juice will be cut off.

Additionally with Li-Ion cells... you have your "flat" discharge curve. In other words, Li-Ions tend to maintain voltage throughout a discharge cycle... and only drop in voltage "significantly" near maybe the very very last minutes of the charge. Which means--if you set the parameter correctly with config.txt--you MIGHT see the battery low indicator start flashing like 5 minutes before the thing croaks, lol.

In the past, it's been pretty tough to get CF to "behave properly" with the low battery indicator when you're using Li-Ion cells. I don't remember what Erv did to newer versions of the code (v3.x?? v4), but I think he made some alterations.

Ultimately--I'll just say what I've always said... you know you're outta battery juice... .... when it's gone. When the saber stops working... it's over. If you're using Alkalines or Ni-Mh and the saber starts dimming really badly... it's over.

WHY people need to know if their saber is *about* to die... I'll never know. Even if you have precognition with it... you STILL have to take the time to recharge the cells (which is rarely <2 hours minimum)... and even if you have alkaline cells to swap out--what difference does it make if you swap them out NOW... or 3-5 minutes later when you "start seeing signs" that the cells are losing charge?

To me... ALL devices have a built-in "low battery indicator"... THEY STOP WORKING. LOL