[Available again! - BLF special edition light] new Sofirn AAA twisty high CRI 5mm LED

I still do not think a new thread is needed for this. The main objective is that the flashlight will be developed and that is being cared of and the interest list is for Sofirn to get an idea how wanted this light is. This thread is further used to gather ideas for this light and it has produced useful contributions already.

Only setting up a group buy is challenging but that may not even be in order, wether members from the interest list will receive a discount is not sure and for 6 dollar this light is interesting enough already without discount. If later a discount is indeed in order it is early enough to ask for help and find a way to do it (i.e. maybe a not so secret code to get to 5 dollar would do the trick already).

I’m still in, interested in 3 cool, 1 warm.

Interested at least in three warm. Many thanks.

Ohhh, I like the recent developments! Put me down for a 5600K (I wish there was something in the middle, like a 4500K, but hey… I’ll take what I can get!)

I would like this light to have maximum runtime. So I vote 20 mA if 30 mA will reduce the runtime dramatically. These type of lights are not meant to be bright anyway.

I am interested in 3 of ea.
So a total of 6
CJW

I’m afraid I will need to do a current/output test this evening, and a 24hrs runtime test at 60mA to see how they last. That will generate some data on what current is best.

Has the question of potting come up? Will the Sofrin be potted?

In for one of each.

originally in for 1. If Sofirn and $6, in for 3 more.

Kind Sir, if you’re in California, I will buy you a drink!

I suggested it to Barry, but had to explain what it is, I’m not sure if that is picked up very well so I may have to emphasize it once more.

Being of a skeptical nature, in the meantime I did some searching for the need of potting drivers and what came up is that it is about heavy components that come loose on impact, such as thoroids with ferrite rings. This light will have a tiny boost driver that needs to produce very little current so it has a very small (lightweight) coil, that needs much larger impact to come loose than a big thoroid. So I’m in doubt if the potted driver of the E01 is overkill or not.

So before I bug Barry about this: is there any experience at all among BLFers of small lights failing from broken-off components upon impact?

Not likely, in fact I’ve never been out of Europe sofar, but if I get there I will hold you to that! :slight_smile: :beer:

Only issue I (and another member) had so far was with Sofirn SP10! Somehow the impact (1m above the ground) damage a component or link between components and the light stopped working (even with magnifying lens I was never able to figure what it was).
But the SP10B has a different architecture regarding the driver. So, concerning these even smaller lights, I never had any issue. Don’t know if this helps, but that’s my only experience :zipper_mouth_face:

+1 on grey (Matte)

They can be driven with 30mA at up to 45°C temoerature (at the solder points). This should never be exceeded at night, hotter climates.

I would go with 25mA just to be safe.

Overdriving them is a very bad idea! They will die much sooner because the heat has nowhere to go. I think there are some tests on this on CPF.

I’m in for one warm-white and three cool-white.

I’m interested in two 3200K and two 5600K :slight_smile:

Thanks to all involved, this seems much more likely to happen now :+1:

I was on the list for two of the mooted Fenix version, but with Sofirn aiming for $6, I can put the same money in for twice as many lights!

I strongly recommend that the LEDs only be driven at 20mA.

We’re trying to build a bulletproof light here, and that’s the recommended spec from Yuji. One of the best ways to make electronics ultra-reliable is to run the parts well below their maximum rating.

If I had this project on my lab bench, I’d even be experimenting with 15mA, on the off-chance that the light output might still be acceptable.

Regarding the three colour choices, I’d suggest: hard-anodised black; hard-anodised grey; and red.

Black because many prefer an unobtrusive option; grey as an option that’s easier to find in the dark, but can still be hard-anodised; and red where high visibility is the priority, despite the slightly less robust anodising.

Yes it does matter. Impacts cause extremely high G loads. Solder is not a particularly strong material at 1000 G. The robustness of the E01 is legendary and there have been many tests of it against other unpotted 1xAAA lights. It always comes out on top.

I agree with Parametrek about potting the light.

It’s very important for impact resistance, and it can also help with water resistance in the event that an o-ring fails.

I’d also like to see a spring on the driver board to cushion impacts bouncing the cell around, even at the price of an extra couple of millimetres in overall light length.

Interested in one of each tint.