I’m sorta glad that the 700ish lumen mode will probably be the one I use most, because it will be less rosy compared to the max. Those 9080 nichias driven to their limit are pretty damn pink. Although I might think differently once I get mine.
The driver and configurations on ROT66 (FET+1+6, 3 channels) is different from Q8 (FET+1, 2 channels), so sometimes you cannot simply apply what you observed from Q8 to ROT66. The thermal step-down in ramping in original NarsilM periodically checks if the temperature limit is exceeded, and if yes, it will reduce 1/6 = ~16.7% of the current output level (output levels are not guaranteed to be linear though). And the lower bound of this step-down is the max of the 7135s, i.e., on ROT66 it is (1 + 6) = 7 x 7135. That’s why I said “step-down to the highest regulated brightness level”.
The default mode-sets defined in the code Lexel posted are slightly different from the original NarsilM v1.2, so they did tweak something, and I wish they could release that modified version (they should, for license compliance).
The code from Lexel:
PROGMEM const byte mode7135Set4 = { 25, 255, 255, 0};
PROGMEM const byte mode7135sSet4 ={ 0, 0, 255, 0};
PROGMEM const byte modeFetSet4 = { 0, 0, 0, 255};
Put them in a table:
table(table#posts).
|Channel| #1 (7135 x1)| #2 (7135 x6)| #3 (FET)|
|Level #1|25|0|0|
|Level #2|255|0|0|
|Level #3|255|255|0|
|Level #4|0|0|255|
255 means 100% output of a channel. 25 means 25/255 = ~10% output of that channel. Hope this is much clearer.
Sorry, I have no idea how many 7135s are used in the XP-L HI ROT66.
The Nichia version is using 7 and the Cree version is using 14 according to Lexel.
Okay so I think I’m getting it.
Level 1 is set to 10% of channel 1.
Level 2 is set to 100% of channel 1.
Level 3 is set to 100% of channel 1 and channel 2.
Level 4 is set to 100% of the FET (channel 3).
That’s correct?
Doesn’t the highest level in other versions of NarsilM add the 7135 channels to the FET? In this version it turns them off and uses only the FET?
No.
When all 3 channels are at 100%, the output is actually a bit lower than the FET by itself. So for the very highest level, most lights run FET-only. The 7135 chips would only drag it down.
Tom and I got a copy of the code today. It’ll be up soon.
Okay, I must be remembering it wrong. Thanks.
Here’s the output behavior on a scope. Gif from low to max FET. Horizontal lines are 100% 1x7135 and (1+6)x7135. The latter is almost impossible to activate on ramp mode so had to swap to mode config for that, but the 1x7135 I managed to do a couple of times.
Interesting. 7 x 7135 on the Nichia is right on the spot, the max temperature is ~43C in my runtime test. Curious about the brightness and stabilized temperature when 14 x 7135 are installed for the Cree version.
Exactly.
Sounds good, looking forward to it. 
That’s fairly clear to demonstrate how the modes are achieved. Well done, maukka :+1:
For me, nope. For us non EE, it’s just squiggly lines. Lol
Just like in the code shared previously, you can visually see that the low levels PWM between zero and 1x7135 at 16 kHz. 100% 1x7135 is of course without PWM. Mid modes above the single 7135 are PWM’d between that and the 6x7135 channel at 16 kHz. (1+6)x7135 is again without PWM. Then it PWMs at 32 kHz between the 1+6 and FET and finally transitions to full FET.
On a side note, at some point I’d like to reduce that 32 kHz to 16 kHz, but the attiny85’s second PWM counter works differently than the first. I’m not entirely sure it can run at the same speed.
(pins 5 and 6 share PWM counter 1, pin 2 or 3 uses PWM counter 2)
It looks like the Mid modes are PWM’d between 1x7135 and (1+6)x7135 (i.e., the 1x7135 channel is always 100%), aren’t they?
Oh yeah, exactly like that.
Yes, the 1x7135 power channel stays on, steady, when the Nx7135 channel is active. And both stay on, steady, when the FET is active… Except for the very last ramp step, where it’s FET-only.
Nearly all multichannel lights since the BLF-A6 have done things this way, because nobody has found a better solution yet without major hardware changes.
it would be possible in the ramping table when the FET gets active after like 25% FET slowly decrease the AMC output level, but in fact of having them on reduces PWM on the light output and different PWM frequencies dont interfere with each other
Just fyi here, I recently, like last week, tweaked NarsilM to run FET+1 on a triple channel driver. I did this in order to use a TA 30 mm triple driver, sanded down to 28 mm, in a Maeerxu M8 without using up my very limited supply of the "good" 7135's.
So in theory if this flashlight uses the regular design "TA" design for the triple channels, it can also run as a FET+1, Q8 style, just not taking advantage of the bank of 7135's. Wish I could find a source to buy the good 7135s at reasonable pricing.
Those here seem to be good
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/20PCS-LOT-AMC7135PKFT-AMC7135-7315-SOT89-new-and-original/32802106042.html
That's the German Ali, to US, shipping more than doubles the price. For the global site at the same named store, it's a different deal qty 10 for $1.51 no tracking, or if I order 100 (10 of qty 10), it's about $20, 0.20 each with tracking. Think I'll order the 100 deal w/tracking.
Hope I get what they pictured though - the "raptor claw" versions? Last batch I ordered from somewhere sent me the bad versions. Ali had been real good though with refunds when you don't get what you expected.
Thanx!!
I wish do that for you.
How much？
I will inquire first.
Edit: 100=$5.41