*BLF LT1 Lantern Project) (updated Nov,17,2020)

Interested in Group Buy.

I’ve done 3D modelling and animation, but not in the sorts of programs people use for physical production purposes. Less SolidWorks, more Blender. So it’d probably be better to ask ThorFire.

If it helps at all, I could share what I’m using to handle the FW3A interest list. The data goes in a plain text file, one line per request, with tab-separated values. Post URL, request type, username… sorted by post URL. Then a script goes through to assign request numbers and generate a report of requests — one sorted by request number and one sorted by username.

It’s still pretty crude, and I haven’t yet added the bits to automate everything, but it works for manual purposes.

All help is aappreciated :slight_smile: I will work on an updated Cross section drawing in Photoshop like the original in the OP ASAP this week, so we have a base design to work on.

The spreadsheet I have for this project looks fine in a spreadsheet IMO. DBSAR had asked for a rtf version in order to update the OP periodically. What I saw is using the simple post editor it does not keep the tab formatting present in the file. Your post inspired me to fool around a bit more, and I found when I use the Advanced Post Editor to import the rtf data it keeps the tabs. .

So, DBSAR, when you update the OP just use the advanced post editor and it should look just fine ;-) Next update I provide will have the entry number(s) as well, so we can see that flashycali got #579.

Example of what the table will look like (without entry numbers)

Qty User Name

1 18sixfifty

5 808Hi

1 Aardvark

2 Aardvark Spleen

4 Abe87

1 acml

1 adrn77

1 adsum

1 AEDe

1 af241244

I’d be interested to see the lantern go up to 1600 lumen to match the Coleman Pinnacle propane lantern. The planned 650 lumen is the same as the Fenix CL30R, which has trouble filling my larger weekend campsites.

That is unrealistic expectations, and comparing apples to oranges. I also have many Coleman and other brand gas lanterns too, and they are 10 time larger & heavier than what this lantern is & in a different category completely.
Also 1600 lumens is near impossible to sustain without overheating for the size intention of this lantern.

I had a CL30R, and tested it at maximum and the most it produced measured was around actual 500 ~ 520 lumens after running for 10 minutes, (and did not have nearly close to the run time on maximum mode as the V1 prototype of the BLF lantern which was roughly 550 luments for 15 plus hours. While the CL30R is one of the best consumer lights, it is over-priced for a plastic lantern that lacks in features to what this BLF lantern will have, (better modes, better tint, metal design, easier to mod, more compact, longer run times, etc.)

That makes sense. I’ll probably get two or three of your’s then.

Interested

Interested for 2

UPDATES, May,23,2018

I just did some lumens measurements in my Sputnik, (Light Integration Sphere) and got some impressive results from the Samsung LH351D 4000K High-CRI LEDs over the Cree XP-L 3000K LEDs.

The Lux-sphere i have is modified with a special adjustable diffuser plate for the sensor, so it can also measure light sources from the center of the sphere along with flashlights from the top, (flood-type lanterns placed inside the sphere as opposed to flashlights set on top with a directional beam.)

(As shown below with the BLF V2 Prototype placed inside the sphere for output measuring)

Below is a photo showing two new LH351 4000K LEDs flowed onto the Lantern (Q8) PCB, (the loose LED to the left in the photo is one of the two XP-L 3000K emitters removed after the first test)

Here is what i found: > The LH351 4000K High-CRI emitters, measured to be more efficient, and have a higher output than the XP-L 3000K at the same current & test perimeters.

- (two) Cree XP-L 3000K ————————— / 630 lumens / 1.09 amps / High-mode ( maximum of the 5-mode group on 3-7135 AMC chips)

  • (two) Samsung LH351 4000K High-CRI——/ 745 lumens / 1.07 amps / High-mode ( maximum of the 5-mode group on 3-7135 AMC chips)

I did notice a slight tint shift on the Samsung emitters over the High-CRI Nichia 219 series, but the LH351s sem to be much more efficient and capable of higher outputs.
Next up is to test with four LH35 4000K High-CRI emitters, to see the difference from using two of them.

In comparison, the V2 prototype appears very close to the output along side a factory 800-lumen Noma LED 11-Watt AC light bulb. Tomorrow i will test the lantern in the sphere in comparison to the 11-watt 120-volt household bulb to see how close the factory specified 800 lumens is to the lantern. :sunglasses:

Below, is a photo of how i replaced the original Q8 Narsil driver’s FET for the V2 Lantern prototype with AMC 7135 regulators. I used a dead (stripped) 105C PCB, and jumpered it into the Q8 dribver after i removed the FET. This gives me the ability to modify the driver from one up to eight 7135s, ( but i will likely keep it at either three or four AMC regulator chips as for lantern use full amp current is not needed to achieve a good balance of output versus run times. (for lanterns the run times are very important as they will be used in a manner where they are run for many hours at a time continuously as opposed to a flashlight.) considering that the near perfect Narsil firmware offers so many mode options, using up to four 7135 chips may be a practical idea, for those times that close to 1000-lumens may be needed if we can control the heat safely for longer periods or running in such a small size lantern as the BLF Lantern will be. I estimated that with four 7135s, the draw amp load on the cells would be roughly 1.4 amps average on maximum mode, on four good 3600mah cells, so in theory & past testing i did that should still be able to give 8+ hours of run time at between 900 to 1000 lumens output… based on my past run time tests of modified lanterns using Li-Ion cells, (as long as we can somehow manage the heat from the head of the lantern at those sustained outputs for continuous running.

Late night update:

- one of the two LH351 4000K LEDs flickered and went dead for some reason when running for past 2 hours at the 1.07 amps combined. I will investigate to see why it went out tomorrow.

Great news!
Still higher output on 3000K than Fenix CL30R :slight_smile:

*So after further tests and checking on the one LED that flickered & went out, its definitely a dead emitter… Its my luck to get a bad LH351 4000K for the lantern testing.
I have flowed on the three good ones, but can’t do a test of the four compared to two LEDs until i can fins another one*

EDIT I discovered when i gently push in on the LED dome with a pair of tweezers, the LED comes on. So it appears the internal bond wire came loose. I have a short video fo the LED flickering, but don;t know how to post videos here without using Youtube.

As of right now I am in need of a replacement LH351D 4000K High-CRI emitter to test the lantern using four to compare that configuration over the two-LED set up. DO any one have any sources where i could get one?

Good news is Digikey can get them, bad news is the standard lead time is 6 weeks.

Looks like a group buy is happening here on BLF

I posted in the BLF thread looking to see if someone can provide one or a couple to you for this project.

No worries, I’ll send him some today.

I will be on my long trip in 2 weeks, ( leaving on June, 5th) and hope to do better field testing on that trip.

Perhaps BlueSwordM will get you some parts prior to your trip so you can do some real “field” testing :wink:

Much appreciated it!

he will save the day :slight_smile: