Yes, mine too blink at times. All of them I think. I also recall some 'funny stuff' with the first flash out on the heat cycle? Also not a QC issue either. Or a QA one (for those who appreciate the difference). My advice is to enjoy the pretty lights along with the rest of the Solo and not stress over it?
OF
First off, sorry for not being more clear above, you could read that as 'all the lights on my Solo...'. Rather, I've had four (two got adopted/never returned), they all had flickering, most of it in common I think.
Which brings us to the specific 'funny stuff' above. As so often happens, memory for unimportant details is kind of an approximate kinda thing. It's not the first flash out, but the last. I'll be on say step 4 (my favorite), heater off, ready for the hit. Hit it, heat LEDs drop and the "workin' on it, boss" flashes and it heats back up. The step 4 LED comes on, it heats a bit more and the flashing stops. Just on that last flash (which I'm often watching for.....) the 4 LED blinks.
To me, the reason for this rests in understanding how the unit works. It's a multiplexed display, lights don't turn on and off like you think, they constantly flicker at your and your eyes and brain conspire to keep it from you. Wave the running unit around in the dark and see. Trails of dots, not lines.
There's only one processor, it has to do it all. Run the heater, look for the buttons to be pressed, check for charger, read the heat, change any LEDs that need changing since last time, turn the heater on (or off) as required, run the display, control the charging and so on. Everything has to happen in more or less real time. If something extra needs to happen (say turn a light on or off, make a beep, some fool thing that only happens once in a while) that's going to change timing (the processor can only do one thing at a time, like interrupting a busy mother new demands slow other stuff, if only for a bit. I strongly suspect that's the sort of thing behind these
artifacts?
Regarding flickers, I've noticed that when charging my Solo, in between steps (LED's or numbers) it'll flicker a bunch, as if saying "I'm almost at the power level and can't decide if it's this one or the one before" a bunch of times every second, then once it's charged enough the LED stays solid instead of flickering. Seems to happen through every LED as it charges, but I haven't noticed it happen during actual use.
I have seen that too, but that is different... That is the higher level indicator light actually strobing on/off as it tries to "decide" as you put it. What I'm describing is a fluctuation in brightness- it stays on the enitre time. Kind of like a flickering fluorescent light, only this doesn't give me headaches.
Agreed, Certainly not stressing about it over here. Merely a curiosity. If anything, confirming that there are many other units that do the same thing gives me peace of mind.
Excellent observation. And it seems to me to do it more sometimes than others, perhaps I'm not watching as closely?
The reason for that is exactly as you suggest. In charging, that voltage is read very often and the display adjusted to follow. I suspect to control charging (shut it down when the battery is fully charged). I was able to take advantage of this to 'crack' the calibration by pulling the battery and replacing it with a suitable resistor for the charge circuit to try to charge. I then used a bench supply to add more current (bringing the voltage up). In broad terms the LEDs on the 3 I tested (at a point when I had 3, only 2 now) were .1 Volt apart with the top one lighting around 8.0 or 8.1. The top step is about .2 wide (or a little more), charging stops around 8.3, give or take.
I agree, there's hopefully peace of mind to know that what you see is a common thing. Misery, company and all that.
'cides which, Solos were built (and hopefully purchased) for enjoying, not fussing over. It's a solid tool, and a mighty weapon in the holy war for right and truth........
Time to grab a different strain and take Mister Solo back to the garden I think.
Spring is coming, bees are in the lime bush and the first few roses are out. Regards to all, and best wishes for a pleasant weekend.
OF