*BLF LT1 Lantern Project) (updated Nov,17,2020)

[Melez]

@ToyKeeper

@Melez

So this is using Anduril? awesome, candle mode will be super sweet for relaxing when there’s a fire ban.

Yes, it uses Anduril. And I updated the candle mode just a few days ago to make it a little nicer. I haven’t done a video yet, but I graphed two minutes worth of candle mode’s power use, overlaid on the same graph. It’s wide, so you may need to click to zoom in and then scroll horizontally:

I recognize the big peaks and valleys from the older version, the tighter ocillations to replace the big peaks in the newer one look like they’ll be nice. Even better!

[ToyKeeper]

@whitecitadel

Agree last production sample is a wise move - I have an Astorlux S42 on my shelf that crushes its cells that will support this theory!

The S42’s problem wasn’t a matter of BLF not having any production samples. BLF wasn’t even involved. It looked from the outside like the S42 simply wasn’t tested at all. It couldn’t even turn on, since the batteries it was designed for wouldn’t fit inside. And that was only the beginning of its problems.

It was such a big failure that Astrolux made some huge changes in how the company operates, and insisted on getting people from BLF involved in the next model.

Anyway, the BLF Lantern is nothing like that. TBH, I would be pretty happy with it even if the production model was exactly like the prototype. The only major things I want to change about it are to give it newer firmware. I didn’t even try to get it calibrated correctly before a prototype arrived, so the proto firmware is definitely a bit out of tune. But I have most of the necessary changes done now, and am just finishing up a few final things.

[AgentWhiteBread]

Damn, put me down for two more. I’ve started camping with friends more and I don’t want to share mine!

[BillyBobJoe]

Please put me down for another LT1.

[djypo]

Interested

[KawiBoy1428]

Interested in 2 please, thanks!

[Relampago]

I’ll be happy to see these in the national parks this camping season.

[Flintstone]

I’m in for one!

[goshdogit]

@DBSAR

With the Eceen 10-Watt panel i have been using for most of my camping and wilderness adventures, the LT1lantern with the TP5100 charging chip, using four 3000mAh 30Q cells, starting off in the morning with all cells at 3.52 volts, they were fully charged long before the sun set.

Thanks for the solar testing, Den. :+1:

I have that same 10 Watt ECEEN panel and have been quite pleased with it.

Sounds like it’ll get along great with the LT1 on camping trips.

[DBSAR]

@goshdogit

@DBSAR

With the Eceen 10-Watt panel i have been using for most of my camping and wilderness adventures, the LT1lantern with the TP5100 charging chip, using four 3000mAh 30Q cells, starting off in the morning with all cells at 3.52 volts, they were fully charged long before the sun set.

Thanks for the solar testing, Den. :+1:

I have that same 10 Watt ECEEN panel and have been quite pleased with it.

Sounds like it’ll get along great with the LT1 on camping trips.

I do really like its efficiency and size, also its one of the few good solar chargers that has a built in “charge reset circuit mode” every couple minutes. ( meaning if a cloud passes over & voltage drops, it automatically will reset the charging shutdown feature in most Apple products like Iphones & IPads to they can continue charging.

[whitecitadel]

@ToyKeeper

@whitecitadel

Agree last production sample is a wise move - I have an Astorlux S42 on my shelf that crushes its cells that will support this theory!

The S42’s problem wasn’t a matter of BLF not having any production samples. BLF wasn’t even involved. It looked from the outside like the S42 simply wasn’t tested at all. It couldn’t even turn on, since the batteries it was designed for wouldn’t fit inside. And that was only the beginning of its problems.

I was just using S42 as an example of shipping a product before you made production samples and tested, could have used a toaster where the toast doesn’t fit, not suggesting any BLF involvement.

@ToyKeeper

It was such a big failure that Astrolux made some huge changes in how the company operates, and insisted on getting people from BLF involved in the next model.

Glad to hear that, but having ordered two (one as a gift) it just put me off completely any Astrolux product, I have not looked since at one of their products.

@ToyKeeper

Anyway, the BLF Lantern is nothing like that. TBH, I would be pretty happy with it even if the production model was exactly like the prototype. The only major things I want to change about it are to give it newer firmware. I didn’t even try to get it calibrated correctly before a prototype arrived, so the proto firmware is definitely a bit out of tune. But I have most of the necessary changes done now, and am just finishing up a few final things.

I think with this one I need to learn how to flash the firmware so I can put your latest on, is there a post with the final driver details in? I assume this picture in the first post is current?

I saw a thread on programming on a “key” but I don’t see a header on this PCB, would you need to clip to the chip directly? (I am ploughing through the link in your signature for instructions at the moment in an attempt to RTFM)

EDIT: I take it back, the base of the board has a row of 4 pads inside the ring for the battery tube contact, is that the programming header?

EDIT2: Right next to the word “programming” :person_facepalming:

Off to find that thread on the programming board/key…

[whitecitadel]

Looks like this thread talks about the key needed to program:
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/53726

Along with the programmer from the README:
http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~toykeeper/flashlight-firmware/trunk/view/head:/README

There is some “discussion” around a standard - can anyone advise if that oshpark key is suitable for the LT1 driver?

Edit: Or is it this one? https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/72815?page=2

[Wieselflinkpro]

No, it is Lexels programming Key: BLF driver programming key v3.2 launched on Oshpark

[whitecitadel]

@Wieselflinkpro

No, it is Lexels programming Key: BLF driver programming key v3.2 launched on Oshpark

Thanks for confirming it was the second option.

[teacher]

@ToyKeeper

It looked from the outside like the S42 simply wasn’t tested at all. It couldn’t even turn on, since the batteries it was designed for wouldn’t fit inside. And that was only the beginning of its problems.

Ouch… I bet somebody got a serious black mark for that little oversight…. … :person_facepalming:

[sbslider]

@goshdogit

@DBSAR

With the Eceen 10-Watt panel i have been using for most of my camping and wilderness adventures, the LT1lantern with the TP5100 charging chip, using four 3000mAh 30Q cells, starting off in the morning with all cells at 3.52 volts, they were fully charged long before the sun set.

Thanks for the solar testing, Den. :+1:

I have that same 10 Watt ECEEN panel and have been quite pleased with it.

Sounds like it’ll get along great with the LT1 on camping trips.

I see two different ones available in the jungle store. When open, one is roughly square with two panels, and one is rectangular with three smaller panels. One of the rectangular ones is only $16, while the other ones are $30. Which style or 10W panel do you have? (DBSAR and goshdogit)

[DBSAR]

@sbslider

@goshdogit

@DBSAR

With the Eceen 10-Watt panel i have been using for most of my camping and wilderness adventures, the LT1lantern with the TP5100 charging chip, using four 3000mAh 30Q cells, starting off in the morning with all cells at 3.52 volts, they were fully charged long before the sun set.

Thanks for the solar testing, Den. :+1:

I have that same 10 Watt ECEEN panel and have been quite pleased with it.

Sounds like it’ll get along great with the LT1 on camping trips.

I see two different ones available in the jungle store. When open, one is roughly square with two panels, and one is rectangular with three smaller panels. One of the rectangular ones is only $16, while the other ones are $30. Which style or 10W panel do you have? (DBSAR and goshdogit)

Do not get the clone with square panels! - I have the real Eceen 10-watt folding panel,)(that has the cut corners of the cells) This one, but its from the Amazon.ca Canadian site, its available form the Amazon.com US site too. >> Amazon.ca

or go to Eceen’s website here, which is where i got my genuine Eceen 10-Watt from: >> ECEEN Solar Charger External Battery 5V 10W Folding Solar Panel For IOS and Android ECE-647 Cam,solar panel, solar charger, foldable solar charger bag, solar battery charger, solar battery pack, flexible solar panels, waterproof solar bags, solar backpacks, solar cell phone chargers, mobile,ECEEN Electronic limited.

(the real one, the other is a knock-off)

[goshdogit]

@sbslider

Which style or 10W panel do you have? (DBSAR and goshdogit)

I have the same ECEEN 10 Watt model that Den has in his video, but mine is black and his is camouflage. They fold in half and close with a zipper around three sides and look like this:

I got mine on ‘the auction site’ for $14 late last summer. It think it may have been a pricing error.

Den and I discussed this ECEEN panel a while back, and I linked to a couple of review videos I found. One of them discusses the ‘automatic reset’ function that Den mentioned.

[ToyKeeper]

@whitecitadel

Looks like this thread talks about the key needed to program:
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/53726

There is some “discussion” around a standard - can anyone advise if that oshpark key is suitable for the LT1 driver?

Yes, it works. The HQ ProgKey Universal adapter is what I’m using. It works with any layout which has the pads spaced at the right distance, as long as it’s 4x2 or smaller. Admittedly, that’s still pretty specific… but it’s universal as far as my current set of drivers go. I have a few different drivers with different pad layouts.

Either one should work though. I just went with this one because it’s smaller, cheaper, slightly more flexible, and easier to reconfigure.

[Kiltan]

I’m interested in one.