UPDATES,April,20,2018 -:The Q8 sample/mule arrived for the updated prototype. I have already torn down the head, and have the driver out, and doing measurements of where to cut the head down to incorporate the new lantern shade/lens and center support post. First thing is i need some guidance on what to do with the Q8 driver to reduce its maximum output in all the high modes down to 1.5 amps possibly? I could leave it as s, but with the high output current in the lantern running continuous it would overheat the LEDs & lantern head very, very quickly and likely cook the LEDs or melt the lens attached to the solid aluminum head. I plan on the new prototype to run two down-firing LEDs on each side of the center support post/bolt instead of the single LED as in the 1st gen prototype. Also will use a frosted main shade/lens with no inner diffuser instead of the clear lens & inner diffuser as the 1st prototype does to reduce manufacturing costs. The lantern head I have already blue-printed and in thw works on the Q8 head design, right now i need to driver experienced team members ToyKeeper, DEL, and even possibly the original Q8 team to help directing me to modding the driver to reduce its peak current to the LEDs. As of now I will keep the current Narsil program in place for the first prototype lantern, using the #7 mode set. But we will look to Toykeeper to possibly add the extra good modes including the candle & sunset modes to the firmware later. More updates soon as i work on the structure of the Q8 head for the lantern
SECOND UPDATE:-After looking over & measuring the original Q8 copper 4-emitter star, I may build the V2 prototype lantern using that very same start & its emitters, as it already has a center hole, & can be actuall fitted to the same heat-sink head of the V1 prototype of the lantern, (further reducing costs? but unsure if it will be cheaper for the production model to use that Q8 PCB, or use two separate more generic 16mm copper single-LED stars.