Hi Stef, if a light must be designed from scratch, I like to be in for helping with ideas and contacts.
A website thing: if you keep the interest list in the second post, every update gets subscribers of this thread a notification email (if notification mails are turned on like I have) and a click on the link in the mail gets you to the updated list instead of new posts in this thread. If the list is in the first post this does not happen, updates of the first post do not generate notification mails.
Basically I and other flashlight lovers as well want a high CRI flashlight that has the reliability of a HDS but only costs 15 USD.
Currently this particular combination of flashlight parameters is not commercially available.
A really simple solution to this unaddressed need is modding a Fenix E01 (high reliability) with a Yuji 5mm led (high CRI).
However instead of hacking the E01 flashlight itself, with the leverage of the BLF (and possibly other flashlight communities such as CPF or TLF) collectively we can hack Fenix the company, to do the modding work for us.
If we tell them how to built it, they can do it.
Then on the definition of cockroach light:
- cheap
- reliable (potted electronics)
- long runtime on common alkaline cells (battery vampire circuit)
simple twisty design
Any Chinese flashlight manufacturer can built such a flashlight by copying the Fenix E01 design and put in Yuji LED. Given they are willing to do so. Let us provide them the motivation by making clear there are buyers.
That is why Fenix is the number 1 choice for this project as they have a track record for building reliable stuff.
If that option does not work out, I am sure there is enough expertise in the international flashlight enthusiast comminity to design a driver that is at least as reliable as the one in the Fenix E01. If not by just simply cloning it.
I am no electrical engineer, perhaps someone could chime in to explain how to build uber-reliable (flashlight) driver boards. I am certain though that potting by encapsulation makes circuits able to better withstand environmental stress such as vibration, temperature shock, moist.
Well…. good luck convincing them of that. Most of the smaller chinese flashlight makers chase lumens instead. None of them want to make 1xAAA lights under 30 lumens. The Manker Boney was one of the last ones.
I’ve looked quite extensively for cheap dim single mode 1xAA and 1xAAA lights with good runtime. I want something that I can give away in blackouts and emergencies. They don’t exist. The closest thing are those 9 LED 3xAAA cheapos. It will be more than a simple LED swap to make it happen
The major brands still have them. Jetbeam NE01. Klarus Mi02. Sunwayman R01A. Fenix E01. Nitecore T0. Led Lenser P2BM. Nextorch K00. But most of these are on the way out. I don’t think they’ll be too open to making a limited run. Just guessing but the big appeal to producing these lights is that the design hasn’t needed to be changed or updated in a decade.
One thing that might help this project would be the larger quantities. If we can get the right design, I can imagine people ordering 4 or 5 to toss in go bags and cars all over the place. Not many people need more than one Q8, so the overall quantity could be higher. Maybe even work out a ‘bulk discount’? Not sure.
At the end of the day if Fenix doesn’t bite, it could be hard to make this happen.
Klarus’ Mi02 would be a good backup option. Plan C would be a custom light, and I’d have to guess between Lumintop, Manker, or Thorfire, but I think it might be harder to get a cheap fully potted light if this route is taken.