NarsilM - configurable e-switch firmware for Multi channels, v1.3

Yes i found it. Thanks

So far, everything is normal for the Astrolux MF-01.

If I accidently let it lock on a mode like beacon, could I reverse nav through every mode? It seems like it only goes back to the first strobe then turns off.

Should nav back thru all strobe modes. Press&hold til mode changes, release the switch, then press& hold again. It's not press&hold continuously. Some other light UI's work like that to automatically change modes, sort of like a slow stepped ramping.

I implemented the navigation the same way Werner did it originally. It was called the "Werner UI". My only unique twist to it was to add the timeout for locking in a mode, so once locked in, a simple click turns the light OFF. With the Werner UI, you had to nav forward all the way, or nav backward all the way to turn the light OFF.

I’ve got a light with NarsilM and one with v1.2.

I can’t get into strobe mode on the NarsilM light. I might have blinky modes turned off.

On the v1.2 light, I can only go backwards to the first strobe, then it stops.

I honestly don’t even know how many strobe modes are on there because I’ve never gone that far. I think at least five.

I hate blinky modes personally, but I’m still trying to figure them out because I want to do a video on narsil for the Q8 guys.

You can factory reset now in NarsilM, but of course that depends what your factory settings are. It sure gets confusing, even for me

The way I've been defaulting is all strobes enabled with the following set in order:

STROBE_MODE, POLICE_STROBE, BIKING_STROBE, BEACON_2S_MODE, BEACON_10S_MODE

2S is for 2 seconds, 10S for 10 seconds. This is the default Q8 setup, NarsilM v1.0.

So of you click thru to get to 2 sec beacon, then press&hold for biking (release the switch as soon as the mode switches), then press&hold again for police. Once you nav back, you can nav forward before the lock-in time.

Okay, yeah. I can go forward as well.

I just have to remember that once I get into the first strobe mode I can only click the button 4 times, any more than that will turn the light off. Also, if I try to reverse past the first strobe, it will turn off.

So now I just aim for the middle. 2 x 2 then 2 clicks. Then I have room to move backwards and forwards. Neat trick. Pretty complicated, though. Lol

Does that work in the main light modes as well?

Yes, what I call "Mode set operation" works the same way.

NarsilM V1.0,Ramping TEST

Chinese:

How do I need to modify the channel.h to get FET+1 on the Triple channel board

so that indicator LED is on Pin 7 and the FET on Pin 3

just the 7135*8 pin unused

I could do it electrically, but I dont understand the code in that file

Well, combo of Setups.h, RegisterSettings.h., and maybe Channels.h.

I'd set OUT_CHANNEL to 2, then edit up the RegisterSetting.h to match up signals to pins. Not sure how further to go, that might be enough, but I'd have to carefully review the ATMEL specs to be sure that all works out. Might have to do some mods to functions in Channels.h.

Certainly ramping and mode sets should work out as-is with the OUT_CHANNEL of 2 setting.

Ooops, probably definite you have to change the initialization code right in the beginning of main(). Critical initialization of ports for I/O and PWM's is there.

I dont understand how to do that

Ok, find this code in main:

  #if OUT_CHANNELS == 3    // Triple Channel
   // Second PWM counter is ... weird (straight from bistro-tripledown.c)
   TCCR1 = _BV (CS10);
   GTCCR = _BV (COM1B1) | _BV (PWM1B);
   OCR1C = 255;  // Set ceiling value to maximum
  #endif

Comment out the #if and #endif, so the code is executed. That looks like the only change you need to make in main(). This enables PWM on pin #3 I believe, which you need.

A quick question about the protection circuits.

At low voltage I believe it blinks 3 times then reduces output. In ramping, can you press the button to return to the previous level or will it just turn off?

What happens when thermal protection activates? Any blinks or just a reduction in output? Can a single button press bump it back up or will it just turn off?

My batteries were low and it blinked 3 times then reduced power. I clicked the button once and it went back up in power. I tried to video it, but I never could get it to repeat what it did earlier. It just turned off. So I’m confused.

As I know:
Low Voltage Protection (LVP) Output decreasing from 3.0V on.
Main LED: 3x blinks as indication
Indicator LED: every 8 sec

Shut off at 2.8 V
Main LED: 8x blinks as indication and shut off

You should at least remove the cells to prevent any more drainage! Otherwise your batteries can be damaged.

Taken from the Cheat Sheet for NarsilM v1.0 / BLF Q8

At thermal it should only step back without blinkies

Yes, when the LVP warning level has been reached, it will blink 3 times at moderate speed, and output is reduced. If the critical level for LVP is reached when the output can't be reduced any longer, it will blink 8 times quickly and shut off the light, and then continue to run for 6 minutes, blinking the switch LED twice every 8 seconds.

In ramping, the output is reduced by 20% of the ramping level each time.

In mode set operation, it's reduced by 1 mode.

So for ramping, if it's at the max level of 150:

  • first drop would be to level 120
  • 2nd drop to level 96
  • 3rd drop to level 76
  • 4th drop to level 60
  • 5th drop to level 48
  • 6th drop to level 38
  • 7th drop to level 30
  • 8th drop to level 24
  • 9th drop to level 19
  • 10th drop to level 15
  • 11th drop to level 12
  • for the 12th drop when it gets below 10, it's dropped to level 1

So in ramping or modes sets, if it reaches the lowest output (level 1 or mode #1), then it monitors the battery for dropping below the critical level.

I don't see anything in the firmware that would allow you to return to the previous output level by a single click. Maybe this was discussed at some point but it's not how it ever worked in Narsil or NarsilM.

I do see a problem though with having to go thru 12 steps at a minimum of ~ 5 seconds each. Here's a breakdown of using other percentage drops:

25%: 150 -> 112 -> 84 -> 63 -> 47 -> 35 -> 26 -> 19 -> 14 -> 10.5 -> 1 (10 drops)

30%: 150 -> 105 -> 73 -> 51 -> 35 -> 24 -> 16 -> 11 -> 1 (8 drops)

32%: 150 -> 102 -> 69 -> 46 -> 31 -> 21 -> 14 -> 1 (7 drops)

35%: 150 -> 97 -> 63 -> 40 -> 26 -> 16 -> 10 -> 1 (7 drops)

36%: 150 -> 96 -> 61 -> 39 -> 24 -> 15 -> 1 (6 drops)

For the next version of NarsilM, I'd feel better going with 6 drops from max, using 36%.

Okay, so it was definitely the LVP kicking in. Maybe I pressed the button just a tiny bit too long and it got brighter. Maybe I just thought it got brighter. My NarsilM driver is acting a bit funky in other ways, so it might have been a fluke. IDK, I can’t repeat it.

Thanks for the clarification.

What? double blink every 8sec?

So I should change

to

Edit: or blinks the main LED?

You could. I'm incorporating all the LVP details into a "Advanced Notes and Usage" manual. Working on it now. Basically I want something available in greater detail, we can refer people to when they have some in depth tech questions.

Tom, is it okay to dump a problem here?

I’ve got a TA FET driver built by Lexel with NarsilM that has some problems only in the mode sets area and Lexel thinks it might be in the programming. This is a 2S driver.

Dang, lost my typed response...

There's no 2X, 3X, 4X fast clicks in mode set operation. It's described in the manual, in the OP link. Fast clicks would cause countless # of inadvertent actions in mode set operation -- the two methods don't get along.

Mode memory in mode set operations is "Not Recommended". I used to say that explicitly in the manual. I should have taken out that feature, really. It doesn't work well.

What you are seeing, I think, is the lock-in time. You must be in a mode a min length of time in order for it to be saved. If you don't hold in a mode long enough, it won't be remembered.