I build a lot of flashlights for myself/friends/co-workers (I know - typical discussion about li-ions and muggles… this thread isn’t about that). Historically, most of them tend to migrate to the Convoy S2 host for its small size. I feel like the S2, while a great flashlight, is getting a little long in the tooth and I’m looking to move more towards e-switch lights. I’ve tried searching around for my “just right” host, but I’m coming up short. Feel free to make some recommendations!
Here’s what I’m looking for:
Pocketable: thinking tube-light style similar in size to an S2 or a bit shorter
18650: related to the “pocketable” request
Clean appearance: no crazy attack bezels or anything of the sort
Mod-friendly: I like using custom drivers, so being able to swap in a driver is a must
No USB charging: unless it’s on it’s own board, USB charging really complicates things
E-switch / side switch: preferably with the switch on it’s own daughter board, and hopefully with a rubber cap that can have indicator LEDs underneath and a removable retaining ring
Not expensive: I’d really prefer under $30
Single emitter: maintain some “throw” and keeps LED costs down
Lights I’ve looked at but passed on for various reasons:
Convoy H1 would be perfect for this if it’s weren’t an angle light (headlamp)… I love this thing as a host
Convoy S9, but it has USB charging and a strangely tiny square switch
Emisar D4, if it was single emitter
Emisar D1, if the head was a bit narrower
Sofirn SP31A V2.0, but the switch is integrated and the two-piece driver needs to fit just right… makes driver swaps difficult
Sofirn SC31 / SC31B, but the built-in USB charging (and glued in driver?) complicates things
YLP Unicorn looks great, but I’m not sure about it’s mod-ability (and the price is higher than I want to spend for a host)
JKK21700, if it were 18650 (smaller) and didn’t have built-in charging
Lumintop EDC18, if it were single-emitter (and less expensive)
Why mod? What would you want to change about a stock Emisar D1, YLP Unicorn 1.0, or Lumintop FW1A? If it’s just minor firmware changes, would it be cheaper to learn how to reflash thestock driver on some of these?
Sometimes I ask myself the same question! But for some strange reason, I enjoy designing drivers and writing/modifying firmware as a creative outlet. And some of it is just due to preferences: I prefer linear over direct drive (especially if the light is for someone else - I don’t want muggles hurting themselves). For linear regulation, I’m exploring options outside of our old friend the 7138 which necessitate a custom PCB. And I like newer MCUs that most boards don’t support. And I like having programming pads at my disposal. Most linear drivers just use the attiny13a, so no internal voltage or temperature readings or other nice features of modern MCUs. At the end of the day, it’s a hobby… and I don’t find buying the flashlight nearly as fulfilling as designing something to my liking.
FW3A: triple, nope. FW1A: ok, you win… sorta. It’s got the e-switch, but ideally I’d like side-switch. I might have to give this one a shot though… it ticks most of the boxes.
I have a spare folomov edc c4 that might be a good host. It has usb charging but it’s single led and side switch. Good size too. I have been meaning to mod it. Maybe you should!
Dunno if they’re even available anymore, as they’re pretty ancient tek, but Motorola came out with “hexfets” (at least that’s what I think they were called) that were massively parallelled FETs, but a small fraction of them were used for sampling current, so you wouldn’t even need any sense-resistors. Ie, no wasted voltage (or heat) in a series-resistor, as you’d do the sampling in a separate “mirror-current” path.
Just goggled around, couldn’t find anything (hey, I did say it was ancient), but those’d be great if they still existed. Or a modern-day equivalent, at least.
It seems to have a press-fitted driver, maybe glued but since you will replace it with your own : On the road M6 (aliexpress).
I don’t know if the e-switch is on the driver.
