Interested. Would also be nice if the battery tube is the same and interchangeable with any of the popular and cheap 21700 or 26650 lights.
This light gave me idea. It has 2 side lights. What if that was extended all around the head? What if we made it LT1-style, with emitters at the top?
Maybe we could make LT-1 style optics around the driver space? Instead of a long screw holding the head make a short tube. Driver compartment tube. LEDs are still at the top. Use not 8 high-power but many mid-power LEDs to counter the fact that theyāl be placed very close to the cover.
In front add a regular optics and LED, so itās not just a lantern but a flashlight as well.
Tube gives little space for the driverā¦unless you make a flex PCB (not very expensive now) and fold it inside.
Yeah baby, someone has similar ideas to mine:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/32760825307.html
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I have one like that atm, its very finicky, flickers a lot, and has some design issues. (added to the radiation-blue tint and built in charger that charged a cell to 4.32 volts.
I would vote for a head with a reflector + a ring of (mid power) leds around it.
I have one like that atm, its very finicky, flickers a lot, and has some design issues. (added to the radiation-blue tint and built in charger that charged a cell to 4.32 volts.
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Bad implementation does not invalidate a good idea. 
I know, its just the quality of most lights of that style on the market need some major modifications or donāt work well at all.
I would support 21700ā¦ā¦ because it means I can use 18650 protected cells! For those of us who only use protected cells, many 18650 lights are not useableā¦ā¦ FW3ā¦. EDC18ā¦ā¦etc but 21700 lights can all take a 69mm keeppower!
Would it be feasible to make it accept 2 CR123s in an emergency? Itād be nice to have a fall-back to those if one is out camping and the rechargeable battery dies. I already take a couple CR123s in a waterproof case for some other lights I have (that are currently running rechargeables) for ājust in caseā.
Also, Iād vote for more than just 1 LED (2-4?) in order to drive them at lower currents for more lumens. A few extra dollars up front for something that can run longer and cooler at a given brightness (vs a single LED) would be good. Either way, Iām excited to see this project.
Edited to add: I was thinking 21700 or 26650 size instead of 18650 which is why I thought of more than 1 LED.
21700 is the goal with the ability to use 18650ās with a sleeve. as a lantern, it will pull less amps than a high-powered flashlight with a turbo that only runs for a minute or less, as lanterns run continuously for hours on end, meaning it will likely have a low-volt protection like the full size LT1, and being a low-amp draw it can run nearly any type of 18650 from old weak laptop pulls up to a 5000 mAh 21700.
The thoughts of having the tube made just large enough diameter to handle a 3-AAA carrier has been thought about, in that case which would add that extra battery versatility of even fitting a basic 3-AAA series carrier in it for that additional option in emergencies to use alkaline or Eneloops. (but not to charge them)
Thatās a good idea DBSAR, a 3xAAA carrier would be a good backup.
I discovered if the inside of the battery tube of the Fireflies PL47 21700 light was just barely half a mm larger, a 3-AAA plastic carrier from any cheap 3-AAA flashlight fits it and works with additional longer springs.
I like this idea, but I also dislike it. Flexibility is always a good thing, but what would be the result of someone having this carrier installed and accidentally / ignorantly plugging up the charge cable? Cooked NiMH or popped alkalines?
Iām sure it would be possible to design a mechanism that would prevent that, but it would complicate things.
ā¦. a keyway, a switch that is activated when the 3xaa carrier is insertedā¦ā¦. everything and anything is possible. Is it worth the effort?
indeed that is a concern.
good points. Something to disable charging with a 3-AAA carrier in it.
Those carriers have a pogo-stick nipple to make contact, no?
Make a small center contact for power, and a concentric ring around it for charging. Should make contact with flat-tops, but not with the carrier.
good idea :+1:
Put me on the list for three. (When the list is started)
Would it be possible to add red LEDās operated as a separate mode in Anduril? Perfect for keeping bugs away when camping or fishing. Perhaps deep red XP-E? They are relatively cheap.