I was trying hard to get everything done before going on vacation but I haven’t done enough testing. I found a few more bugs in the firmware and things I don’t like and have not been able to fix everything in time, and yesterday I found a couple more. I also found that fixing the 1634 version will take as long as fixing the 3217 version so I’ve shifted my attention to them.
So sorry to say I can’t send them until I get back from vacation. Really sorry about the additional delay but I’ve spent so much time with these drivers and firmware already that I really don’t want to send out buggy drivers. Shifting over to the 3217 isn’t what’s caused the delay, the 1634 firmware wasn’t as finished as I thought it was. I haven’t actually been out using lights in the field since my vacation last year.
Anyhow, all of the 3217 drivers for the giveaway are made and tested, they are just waiting for the firmware. I put springs on during reflow, much easier. I can solder on spring bypass and LED wires if wanted. My girlfriend has a lot of studying to do during this trip so I’ll have some evenings to work out the remaining quirks in the firmware. I’ve sent a PM to all giveaway winners.
I might pop in here once or twice during my vacation but possibly not. I might be out of touch until I return in four weeks. Here are giveaway drivers waiting impatiently to be sent off for adventures:
Thanks all. I got a little work on the firmware done during the vacation, not much though, but now I’ve been back for a while and have put in a lot of work so it’s getting there. Unfortunately the work trips piled up in my absence from the office. Next I week have to head over to Asia for a few weeks and then on to Mexico. I’ll be bringing my flashlight stuff with me but these work trips are generally not very good for flashlight work… or for my weight… I don’t get any exercise and can’t stop stuffing my face with roti canai.
Anyhow, vacation was nice, the highlight was climbing in the Dolomites. No need for the flashlights though, despite fairly late starts we where never forced to descend in darkness.
Ahah, those “walls” make me dizzy
Glad you have a good time and hope you do in the next trips!
Traveling may be good but it surely is tiring and…having so much great food out there to taste and experiment is a great temptation!
I’ve been in Slovakia last week in a Project meeting, and I can tell that sometimes… it is hard to resist!!!
Thanks. We’ve talked about going to Portugal for climbing with our van, but driving from Sweden it is really hard to ignore the wonderful climbing in Catalonia and continue driving.
It’s not hard… it’s impossible. It’s not doable for me so I don’t even try to resist. Food in Sweden is generally pretty boring. That top right photo of yours… man, that looks really good, exactly my kind of food
Ahah! As I’m not into climbing, I’m not sure which are the best places here in Portugal to do that, but in the North and even in some places in the Center of the country you’ll find some places for that! Not like the Alpes or Pyrenees, but we have some places for that, for sure
Well, that’s a good decision, don’t fight back when the food is irresistable I tend to agree that food there is quite good, well cooked, but it doesn’t stand out with strong flavours ! But it is well cooked as far as I can tell!
Those are all things from traditional Slovak food (in Presov, in this case). I cannot remember the names, but it was quite good. But you need to be really hungry to manage to eat all of that
My favourite was the top left (dumplings- bryndzove pirohy -, “grilled” onion, bacon cubes, some white sweet sauce) and bottom right (street food with grilled chicken breast, “Placky”, french fries, grilled vegetables with pieces of meat, and some more stuff). Some info here: Eat Local in Slovakia
But…well, if you ever come to Portugal, your drivers will rejoice for what we eat here
Portugal has plenty of climbing and a good variety of styles. If we go to areas new to us we just get guidebooks, like this one: Portugal Rock Climbing Guidebook
I’m back from Asia, landed this morning. I got a bit of development done while I was away so hopefully I can get these drivers out the door before the next trip. Mexico trip is looming but so far those guys have been silent. I don’t know when I’ll be sent there but I suspect it’ll be short notice as usual.
I’ve re-read the part of the first posts that shows the difference between high side and low side regulation.
I am thinking about DTP boards for LEDs that lack a dedicated thermal pad like E21A.
I have a regular flashlight on my mind, one that passes Batt- through the body.
Am I correct to think that with a high-side regulator it is safe to shorten the LED- pad to the body, effectively making one of the LED pads DTP?
Similarly with a reverse battery direction (positive at the tailcap, passing positive through the body) and low-side regulator it would be possible to shorten the LED+ to the body? (Which would be better for LEDs like typical 3030 which have much larger cathode).
ADDED:
I see that I’m not the first with this idea:
But maybe nowadays with these regulators such setup makes more sense?
I designed a XML MCPCB for my high side regulating lights with no LED- pad, just a fat GND pad. This way I only need a single wire to the LED. I put a wire via for LED- just in case. I haven’t gotten around to testing them yet, I haven’t built a new light in ages, only developing.
I’ve been away for a few weeks of climbing with my girlfriend. It had been many late nights with the development of these drivers so I didn’t bring any development tools with me. I did bring a light for bug testing but I never got around to it, I needed a break.
It was nice with a break but I’m back and development is back up to speed.
Yeah, I put all those small vias in there to help with the heat and resistance from LED- to the host. I’m not sure how effective they are but I figured it can’t hurt. I got them made with OSH Park’s 2 oz copper option. I have to put them to the test one of these days…
I tend to agree that food there is quite good, well cooked, but it doesn’t stand out with strong flavours ! But it is well cooked as far as I can tell!
