FW3A Troubleshooting / FAQ

[teacher]

@steel_1024

@Firelight2

Discovered an issue today:

Several times now after inserting the battery at the head and then screwing closed the light I’ve noted that the head sometimes stops screwing down a couple mm before it should. This appears to be caused by the inner switch contact tube being slightly off-center and hitting the edges of the narrow driver retaining ring. When this happens the inner tube does not make contact with the driver and the light does not work.

If this occurs, the light can still be screwed down by unscrewing and then rescrewing the head in several times until things line up right. But that doesn’t solve the problem and is frustrating to do. This issue occurred with both my FW3As.

Analysis and Solution:

The problem appears to be caused by the driver retaining ring not being screwed tight to the driver at the factory. If you encounter this issue, use tweezers to turn the driver retaining ring so that it is flush against the driver. Once the retaining ring is snug, this problem goes away completely.

In addition to tightening the retaining ring.
Also align the 2 notches shown in the figure below.

Thank steel for the additional advice & photos. That step is invaluable to know also……

You and Firelight2 have save people a ton of annoyances by your postings! :+1:

If they will only read them that is…. :person_facepalming: . .

[ToyKeeper]

@steel_1024

In addition to tightening the retaining ring.
Also align the 2 notches shown in the figure below.

Thanks for posting about this and including pictures!

That confirms the driver isn’t glued, and it also confirms the driver fit issue is completely fixed.

Also, if someone doesn’t know there’s a notch in the driver, it can be easy to miss… and then it’ll be confusing to figure out why the light doesn’t fit together quite right.

[PBWilson]

@teacher

Most likely….

https://youtu.be/LNDlMzx1N6Y

How the heck is she supposed to catch up on new YouTube videos, sip her coffee and discuss the latest Game of Thrones episode? Wow!

A big thanks for troubleshooting the retaining ring and pointing out that notch. I’ll check mine when it arrives.

[steel_1024]

One of my 2 FW3A is not tightened.
This ring is very thin and the structure may not be very strong.
Maybe bring the retaining ring out when disassembling the battery.
But the chances should be small. Because it is not easy to disassemble.
Some retaining rings may have Burr.
You can take it off and trim it, or grind it with sandpaper. (Observant)

[Ryzbor]

Alright, so what do I have to do to run three red XP-E2’s (max 2.5-3.0A/led) safely in the FWA3?

[M3CSL]

I was hoping somebody would run 3xXHP50.2 3V in there But I haven’t seen any triple MCPCBs that would fit.
The end result would probably be a hot light after 2 seconds.

[KawiBoy1428]

@Ryzbor

Alright, so what do I have to do to run three red XP-E2’s (max 2.5-3.0A/led) safely in the FWA3?

Disable or take the FET off…run off the 7135’s……

[Ryzbor]

Will the UI work with a removed fet?

[KawiBoy1428]

@Ryzbor

Will the UI work with a removed fet?

I don’t know on this FW3A, but I have blown FET’s on FET+1 7135 drivers and the lower modes still worked………

Take one for science…

[Firelight2]

@KawiBoy1428

@Ryzbor

Alright, so what do I have to do to run three red XP-E2’s (max 2.5-3.0A/led) safely in the FWA3?

Disable or take the FET off…run off the 7135’s……

That would work, but keep in mind that without the FET the driver will only supply 2.8 amps. That’s less than 1 amp per LED which is well below the rated max that you described of 2.5-3.0 amp.

If you want something closer to the max possible output of a red XPE your best bet is to modify the firmware or download firmware someone has modified. Wasn’t TK working on a lower amp firmware for LEDs like this and Oslon white flat?

[iamlucky13]

@Firelight2

@KawiBoy1428

@Ryzbor

Alright, so what do I have to do to run three red XP-E2’s (max 2.5-3.0A/led) safely in the FWA3?

Disable or take the FET off…run off the 7135’s……

That would work, but keep in mind that without the FET the driver will only supply 2.8 amps. That’s less than 1 amp per LED which is well below the rated max that you described of 2.5-3.0 amp.

If you want something closer to the max possible output of a red XPE your best bet is to modify the firmware or download firmware someone has modified. Wasn’t TK working on a lower amp firmware for LEDs like this and Oslon white flat?

There is a firmware sub-version in her repository for anyone who wants to be conservative with the 219B. It limits the FET channel to 50%. It is also possible to create your own firmware version with different ramp levels.

Because the red XP-E2 has a low forward voltage (and the photo red and far red even lower still), it is probably advisable to avoid FET use entirely unless you’re willing to risk killing a set.

On the other hand, the red and green XP-E2’s seem to have fairly high foward voltages and might work ok with FETs.

Source - XP-E2 datasheet, plus DJozz tests:

blue and green XP-E2, output tests

[image] These tests were done already a month ago (sorry for the delay), but tonight I was finally in the right mood to type in the data, make the graph and do this write-up (I like the testing itself but it always takes some courage for me to digest the numbers and make them into edible graphs :tired: ). Thanks go to MRsDNF for donating me the red and blue XP-E2 (from Cutter, red is bin P3, blue is bin M3), and to telephoneman for the green XP-E2 (from Mouser, bin is R2), they were not easily …

[xevious (Gary)]

@Firelight2

Discovered an issue today:

Several times now after inserting the battery at the head and then screwing closed the light I’ve noted that the head sometimes stops screwing down a couple mm before it should. This appears to be caused by the inner switch contact tube being slightly off-center and hitting the edges of the narrow driver retaining ring. When this happens the inner tube does not make contact with the driver and the light does not work.

If this occurs, the light can still be screwed down by unscrewing and then rescrewing the head in several times until things line up right. But that doesn’t solve the problem and is frustrating to do. This issue occurred with both my FW3As.

Analysis and Solution:

The problem appears to be caused by the driver retaining ring not being screwed tight to the driver at the factory. If you encounter this issue, use tweezers to turn the driver retaining ring so that it is flush against the driver. Once the retaining ring is snug, this problem goes away completely.

Thank you for providing this information. Hopefully it’s an uncommon situation, as it’ll be frustrating to have to purchase a pair of split ring pliers sufficient for the job.

[ToyKeeper]

@xevious

Hopefully it’s an uncommon situation, as it’ll be frustrating to have to purchase a pair of split ring pliers sufficient for the job.

If the ring is loose, tightening it is pretty easy. A toothpick or a nail can generally do the job. But if the ring is tight, loosening it may require better equipment.

[KawiBoy1428]

@Firelight2

@KawiBoy1428

@Ryzbor

Alright, so what do I have to do to run three red XP-E2’s (max 2.5-3.0A/led) safely in the FWA3?

Disable or take the FET off…run off the 7135’s……

That would work, but keep in mind that without the FET the driver will only supply 2.8 amps. That’s less than 1 amp per LED which is well below the rated max that you described of 2.5-3.0 amp.

If you want something closer to the max possible output of a red XPE your best bet is to modify the firmware or download firmware someone has modified. Wasn’t TK working on a lower amp firmware for LEDs like this and Oslon white flat?

Remove the FET then add more 7135’s for your desired current.

[Firelight2]

Is there room to add more 7135s? I’m not sure there’s enough room to stack them.

[KawiBoy1428]

@Firelight2

Is there room to add more 7135s? I’m not sure there’s enough room to stack them.

There is room to stack them, might have to add a taller spring….maybe, or use a button top?

. I just sat a 7135 on top at 3 O’clock

.

. Where there is a will there is a way….

[Firelight2]

I wasn’t so concerned about the spring. I was thinking that with another row of 7135s would there be enough room with an 18650 installed for the battery tube to still close fully. This is one light that has to be screwed tightly together or the switch tube won’t make contact at both ends.

[KawiBoy1428]

@Firelight2

I wasn’t so concerned about the spring. I was thinking that with another row of 7135s would there be enough room with an 18650 installed for the battery tube to still close fully. This is one light that has to be screwed tightly together or the switch tube won’t make contact at both ends.

Well I’m not concerned in the least…. just throwing suggestions out there, you don’t know unless you try, thats what modding is all about, if it don’t work, fall back, regroup and attack, repeat…
Personally I like the light just as it is, well these 2x3D FW3A’s I got, no modding needed, but the next 2 warm yuck yellow FW3A’s will be subjected to all kinds of ……fun!

. If you run out of room, maybe a contact on the cap end?

[saypat]

If the ring is loose, tightening it is pretty easy. A toothpick or a nail can generally do the job. But if the ring is tight, loosening it may require better equipment.
[/quote]

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can we assume that tightening would be ‘clockwise’? Thanks.

[Firelight2]

@saypat

If the ring is loose, tightening it is pretty easy. A toothpick or a nail can generally do the job. But if the ring is tight, loosening it may require better equipment.

•
•
•
can we assume that tightening would be ‘clockwise’? Thanks.

Yes.

The retaining ring uses the same threads that the battery tube uses to screw into the head. So yes… turn clockwise to tighten.