Hey everyone, I’ve recently joined the forums after my first serious purchase of some CREE XM-L T6 torches and find it quite funny that I began an interest in torches after playing Alan Wake.
For anyone not familiar with Alan Wake’s gameplay mechanic; you have to collect and use torchlights and spotlights to defend yourself against dark creatures. There is a boost function on every torch you use that draind the battery and blasts the creatures to bits.
I bought a generic CREE XM-L T6 1300lm torch and a high power 3800lm 3 led CREE XM-L T6 powered by 3*18650 batteries within a few weeks of finishing the game.
What did you buy? If you didn’t purchase anything, did the game cause you to take stock of what lights you had and how they were powered or some other effect?
Cheers
None as I have not played the game. Welcome to BLF. You are the closest BLF member to my address (I think)
edf man thats cool but man you’ve posted nearly as much as the value of my postcode!
Pro. How did you come across that torch in your sig? Is it official BLF merchandise or a gift for your significant contribution to these forums?
Specs man does it go 100m water proof or is it like cheap merchandise to promote the site?
Its sad you havent played alan wake but its one of those playable movie type games with a bit more freedom. I just kept thinking during the game like “why you no make super torch with some wires and the 20 batteries in your inventory?” and again “why you no steal high beams and car battery make big light”.
That leads me to another question for the forum - what ratings do car bulbs have (brightness, amperage and voltage) and has anyone ever modded a handheld torch to fit them with lithium rechargables and a high power filament based bulb.
I managed to crack open a 6v heavy duty torch battery (which means bright for but a moment in english) and replace the four 1.5 carbon cells with two 3.7v lithium cells from a spent battery pack. I decided against going further to 3 or more cells because the bulb was rated 6v .75A and I am quite content however it could be brighter and I could add two more cells ;).
Also has anyone seen a squeezable torch that goes brighter as you apply pressure (or inversely)?
The BLF light was a group buy collaboration between Tank and Manafont. I baked the body so it would change colour. Definately not waterproof.
People have done car headlight mods. Not sure how legal they are. I have hung a 3 xml out the window whilst driving and its brighter a my headlights.
I have heard of QTC but not a squeezable flashlight.
hmmm this QTC is quite an appealing concept. It might make a suitable pressure based power control for the large SLA to lithium spotlight conversion mod I’ve been pondering. I figure until now its been used quite similarly to how variable resistors or power control circuitry has been used - basically set an intensity and forget it but i figure being able to apply slight pressure while holding a torch with one hand to increase power could be quite useful, and have a handbrake should you want to keep talhat setting or allow it to return to original intensity by loosening grip.
I’ll look into it thanks edc.
Welcome to BLF, Phirebird.
Hi and welcome to BLF, Phirebird.
Welcome to BLF, Phirebird. I've never heard of Alan Wake before but if the game involves flashlights it could be interesting.
Welcome to the site phirebird - sure sounds like you have cought the bug ;-)
And yes that QTC stuff is amazing, but it is not very durable in real applications. I have a few projects with it that I have not published here since they were short lived. And one or two that I did publish. Funny that you should mention a flashlight that you squeeze to get more brightness. I've been considering trying to make a all copper XML version of the popular keychain light type that looks like this
And then make a QTC switch so it becomes infinitely variable and run it off 2 of those 2032 batteries in parallel. But I have no acces to copper plate lately so it was abandoned for other more pressing issues. I think it would rock though it would only have a 3 minute runtime if pressed to the max. Of course you might burn your fingers before that but thats entireky up tp the user. :-)
So durability is an issue? Is it an issue with the strength of the crystal or does the qtc “burn out” during usage?
Might have to wait for it to come out on a better manufacturing process or incorporate some dampers into the design.
That mini chain in all copper with an xml and 2 2032 batteries? I can picture that. You could make it almost egg shaped with the whole front xml half diced up as a heat sink and the rear holding the batteries and a chamber for the qtc pill. big issue is that the whole thing would be 2-3 times higher than the normal keychain unless you were going to skimp out on the heatsink and let people burn their hands :).
Even the xml would be much larger than the led in the original. But since your going with a qtc then it probably wont be going too hot during use.