Code now public! BLF A6 FET+7135 Light. Short 18350 tubes and Unanodized Lights Available

the final sold version will have a dtp copper MCPCB - right?

Dale - some Q's:

  • from those 7 modes listed above, looks like they are using a 380 mA 7135, not a 350 mA - think that's correct? Actually it's a pretty good idea - I should build my DD+1's that way from now on.
  • Since you think you got a neutral tint, maybe 3C, do you see the tint shift going from mode 4 (.38A) to mode 5?
  • since you are hitting close to 6A, suppose they are not using those "new" lower max amp XM-L2's. Every XM-L2 T6 4C I've gotten seems to go to 6.5A with no problem.
  • I just built a hot setup DD+1 ZY-T11 clone (UCL lens, 20 AWG LED wires, + direct from cell to LED, 20 AWG bypass's, etc.) with RMM's XM-L2 U4 1C and it max's out at about 5.12A, though still delivers about 1,700 lumens @30 secs. Wondering do you think a CW in this A6 will also have the limited high amps? Have you tested a CW? They may still be using U2 1A's, and if so, may still be high amp capable.

Looks like the timing works out so I’ll be able to test and update it as soon as I receive it.

DBCstm, thanks for the levels for each mode. It looks like the middle modes may be running a tad bit off spec, but that’s easy enough to recalibrate. The visual difference (cube-root model) between each of the modes ranges from 1.43 to 1.94 instead of being a constant value for each, so I’ll see what I can do to adjust that.

Driver Pic from post #1623 from Dale...

Only things different is the resistors "01C" labeled, if I have that correct (Dale mentioned the FET is different as well). They appear to be connected to the FET and 7135 inputs - tied to ground. Probably to stabilize the signal transitions. I know with my DD+1 driver builds using the SIR800 FET, I get little blinks on transitioning between the 7135 and FET. It also occurs on the DD+1's when just turning an e-switch light ON where it goes to moon initially - you see an intermittently occurring brighter flash for a sec before moon kicks in. Doesn't happen every time. I tried a 100K resistor on the FET input and it helped a little - probably needs a lower resistor...

Just looked it up - a 01C is a 10K, so 10K probably eliminates the flicker. These Eagle Eye guys seem to know their driver designs!

Great Job One and All!!

Ohh - I'm not in on this GB because I'm not a fan of this tube light styling, and can build my own DD+1's anyway, but very interested in how this converison of one of our own driver/firmware combos gets to manufactured in China -- hope this works out, I'm cheering on the sidelines... Smile

Hi,

Sing me up for 1 N :slight_smile: W

Thanks

No, the tint shift shouldn’t be noticeable. I set it up to mix both tints in the middle modes so it’ll gradually transition from the 7135 tint to the FET tint as you get brighter.

Before I set it up that way, the tint shift was very noticeable. Here’s a short video showing how it looked when both channels were set to the same lumen level. The other light here is a Nichia 219b triple, for reference.

Ahh - ok, so the 0.38A mode then isn't the full 7135, then it's not a 380 mA chip - ok... Dunno your 7 mod values off hand - ok, I'll check out your latest code. Thanks!

Yeah that is a good idea, strange i didn’t think about that, i like to build lights without driver, and then the battery is the driver :wink:

I wish i had snagged up some of those now gone 20mm quad board :frowning:

@Tom, Is there really any performance to gain in light output, by using a less efficient U2/T6 XM-L2? Isn’t 1700 lumens at 30 second very good performance, are you saying, that the U2/T6 would output more lumens at 30 seconds?

Sorry, I'm just stating what I measured... You have a higher bin, cooler LED (U4 1C) running at lower amps and it will outperform a T6 4C that runs at higher amps. The step up in bins compensates for it's lower max amps. In the XM-L2 family, neutrals and warms are still in lower bins than the best cool whites, but unfortunately, the new "revision" or new "batch" of XM-L2 LED's from CREE can't be pushed as hard as the older ones - that's why the U3's and U4's are constrained somewhat, and possibly the warms and neutrals in the T6 and below levels, though I haven't see the warms or neutrals suffer yet.

To further confuse (everyone?), our light meters measure cooler whites higher than neutrals or warms, from what I understand (djozz proved that). So, my meaurements are all "ballpark" #'s, but Dale's and my measurements compare well because we have the same setups Smile. I could, actually do some calibration/compensation of my measured #'s based on tint, but I don't really want to get into that -- I have nothing "real" to compare to, or calibrate against, accept what djozz published, but too many variables... Frown

I can only imagine they will start selling this driver in other lights as well, especially if it's not "the BLF driver" but something that looks like it..

And maybe they'll even copy the firmware, but make it different enough to not be called "the blf TK firmware".

I’m already signed up for 2 lights:
–55 NW
–318 CW

I’d like to sign up for one more light in NW (or WW if that ever happens).

Thank You.

They’re welcome to sell, rename, and/or modify the firmware, but if they do I hope they’ll respect the GPL and share their modded source code. Technically they’re also required to provide a copy of the code to anyone who wants it, if they sell a product which uses it. However, the GPL hasn’t been tested in court in China yet so it has no “teeth” there.

I wonder if the upgraded carobrons or copper beryllium springs are 100% off the table or still up for negotiation :wink:

I doubt there will be many changes at this point, I’m sure they want to start making some money.

If you want to stack noctigons it looks like you’d need 1 16mm and 3 20mm, The total height I made it was 0.3” and it fits well without the front glass.

Ok thanks Joat, good point about no front glass. That is how i like my optics build + you get higher lumens output with no lens & the optics gets higher to the rim & that also raises lumens :wink:

But now i realized i should have kept all of the spare Noctigons, when i made Richard reflow a bunch of leds onto 10mm Sinkpads in my last order…… :frowning:

I like having the glass on my X6 triple I’d destroy the optic too quickly without it. But on the A6 I can’t see the need it’s so small even if it was in my pocket with my keys it shouldn’t get scratched up quickly.

Ok gotcha :slight_smile:

Hey guys im new here, if it is possible i would suscribe for 1 nw flaslight. Nice Project and realy interessting price

If you build it, they will come.