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

Looks like there are are already a few different folks on board, but if you want someone else to help with reviewing, I’m willing to help.

I want in the groupbuy too, Please.

I need one.

Thank you.

Does muggle mode have reduced output in the LT1? Need to know for editing the manual.

As important as instruction manual is, I always find the “How To” videos that some members produce to be enormously useful. Thank you to those of you who take the time to make them.

It does lower the maximum output.

To what level and why? You said the lantern only got to like mid 40’s C on high with five 7135 chips.

As to why, It’s one of several features of the firmware developed for higher power lights. It’s just part of the package, folks don’t necessarily need to use it. There are lots of those features, like party and tactical strobe, that don’t really apply to the lantern. But they are there.

I think I have the most important UI elements collected and organized into an on-battery cheatsheet. I’d appreciate a different set of eyes to check it out.

Is there anything important that I missed or anything I got wrong?

Probably easier to print out a cheat sheet, fold it up, and stick it in the tail cap.

They shouldn’t be if they’re unnecessary or out of place. If the LT1 can’t overheat at full power there’s no reason to limit the output in muggle mode. The two ramping modes should allow “ramping” to max power by default as well (I realize it can be changed by the user).

To TK or someone who has a sample… How does the LT1 indicate that it is in auto tint mode? Does it?

“Tint Ramp configuration

While the lantern is on, click, click, hold to change the tint. The tint ramp goes from warm to cool with an auto tint mode at each end, which changes the tint automatically as brightness changes. To reach the auto tint mode, ramp all the way to either end, then keep holding the button. It blinks at the end of the tint ramp, but can be pushed farther to access auto.”

agreed, hopefully a lantern owner can chime in for the LT1. Ideally ToyKeeper. DBSAR did already say that muggle mode as presently implemented in the LT1.

It is a part of the Andruil user programming. While its not really needed in factory form, but if a user wants to enable all 7 of the 7135 chips, then they can use the muggle mode for when kids are using it, (as the head can reach 70 degrees C with all 7 of the chips running, that can feel some what hot to a child’s hands. (and for those who plan to hot-rod their LT1 lantern, then that head heat can go higher.

I agree with DBSAR’s summary on Muggle Mode. It doesn’t hurt anything as it ships, and it has purpose for those who want to ‘get a little more’ from their lanterns.

On the topic of the flashy modes - I’m of a similar opinion. While there is no “real” use case for bike flasher or storm mode like there is for Muggle, there is no reason to neuter the firmware to remove them. It could even be viewed as a potential SOS / Locator feature if someone gets lost while out camping.

Though, to be completely honest, I have a picture in my head of LT1s, FW3As, EC01s, etc spread through a dark house, all in storm mode. Put on a storm soundtrack and sit back with a whiskey & … :face_with_monocle:

Side Note — I’d swear my Astrolux EC01 lights shipped with Muggle Mode engaged. Any idea if these will be the same? That might be an important thing to mention if they do.

The SOS & flashing hidden modes would make a better emergency beacon for marine use in the lantern than in a flashlight for certain cases, (say in a sail boat or cabin cruiser on the water, place the lantern up high and you have a 360 degree lighthouse, emergency beacon, and sending an SOS flash in all directions at the same time. if your on a mountain or anywhere in an open area, its flashes its location & light in all directions, (not in just one direction like a flashlight.

Great camping lantern. Count me in for 2 please! :slight_smile:

How many LED of different colors are behind the switch? The manual makes mention of red and green, but Den has been talking about it being orange. Does it have 3 colors, is it using a RGB LEDs to achieve any color, or are there some mistakes in there that should be corrected?

it has three separate LEDs , (Green for charged, red for charging, and orange as a nightlight/indicator light.

Okay. A few more questions as we’re editing the manual.

1) What is the low battery behavior of the LT1? Does it back off the output as the batteries get low, or what? Will it turn itself off at any point from LVP?

2) How long is the full ramp from low to high brightness? Is it 3s?

3) Is there any visible indication that the tint mode has been set to auto?

4) Is this a correct description of running the LT1 while charging/on USB power? “The only other limitation is within the Blinkies group, only BattCheck mode is available…”

5) How long do you need to disconnect power by unscrewing the head from the base in order to clear the Momentary UI mode?

It has a step down, then turns off when with the LVP. (verify with Toykeeper though on the voltages & specifics that is set with the Andruil firmware.
it seems to be around 3 to 4 secs from ramp floor to max. The indication is a second blink when holding the button at the end of the manual tint ramp at each end of the ramp. I’m not sure what you are referring to clear the mode, but if the lantern is set for stepped or ramping, it stays in that mode even after locked out or batteries removed.

The manual says the LT1 has a momentary UI mode.

“UI: Momentary mode
This mode locks the LT1 into a single-mode interface where the LEDs are only on when the button is held down. It is intended for Morse code and other signaling tasks.
Brightness is the last-ramped level, so adjust that before entering momentary mode.
Momentary mode enable: 5 clicks from OFF to enter
Operation in Momentary mode is limited to holding the button to turn the LT1 on at the last brightness level before enabling Momentary mode.
Momentary mode disable: physically disconnect power”

It says to physically disconnect power to disable / clear the mode. I’m trying to figure out how long power has to be disconnected for it to clear. The light has some capacitance on the driver board and the standby current draw of the micro is pretty low. This means it could take many seconds if not minutes to discharge the caps enough to put the micro through a reset exiting the Momentary UI mode. If it’s more than a few seconds the instructions should recommend a different method (disconnect power and press the button). Since you have an LT1 I’m hoping you can shed some light on how long it takes.