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

Since the lantern is based on the Q8, I am assuming that it can only accept button top batteries right? Or will this lantern be designed with a battery carrier?

Thank you to The_Driver and ToyKeeper :+1:

I understand the tint shift issue now. I’m unlikely to have a problem with tint shift unless it’s truly dire - CCT and CRI are the things I notice - but I agree that we should have the best quality light for everyone, especially since this is going to be a high CRI lantern (the feature that sold it to me).

If the 7135 driver with high frequency PWM is the favourite among the rest of you to achieve that, then it’s fine by me. High CRI and ramping from 3000K to 5000K are my must-haves; I’m not going to lose any sleep over the odd bit of efficiency here or there.

Because any help I was inclined to give vanished. I will roll my own driver for my lantern keep it to myself.

I must admit, I made an assumption. Usually when people talk about boost or buck drivers, it’s implied that the driver will function in a manner which delivers constant current to the emitters. It’s uncommon for people to talk about the benefits of boost/buck drivers and then use PWM. But the two concepts are indeed independent, and I shouldn’t assume.

It could even be possible to fix the level of boost current firmly in place and then use only one pin per channel to do PWM, turning the boost converters on and off. Maybe even give the boost circuits a regulated voltage source which bypasses the MCU, so it could still measure the battery directly on its VCC pin. I’m not a circuit designer so I’m not sure if it would work, but it seems like it might. And then instead of burning off a volt as heat, it might have a smaller amount of wasted energy.

This isn’t a thing I can make though. So for now I’ll go with the assumption that the driver will be one of the designs Lexel already posted. I’m particularly looking forward to trying out the new flashing connector at the edge of the board.

That’s the Spirit!!!

YEAH! :partying_face:

rolleyes

Hi sbslider,

Can you add another one for me for a total of 3? If it makes any difference I’m currently 251 and 375 on the list.

Thanks

it will be the same as the Q8 and positive contact ring, which will require button tops. (or the solder button mod to flat tops to work with them.

Thanks

Done SIGShooter, added your third at number 970.

Gotcha Captain_Joe, you are number 969 on the interest list.

edit, Benidin added for a third lantern at 971 on the interest list.

I should be on the list for 2, and would like to goto 3 total please.

I really appreciate teh work you guys are putting into making a great lantern!

A few pages back I was going to suggest a poll of people that have gotten a spot on the around 1000 devices spoken for. If that can be done so that each person signed up for the lamp would be notified, it would provide insight on those so far "committed". ID and units "ordered" would distribute the results for multi orders. The poll should provide a place to show how many the participant is intending to buy. The results would be scaled by buy quantity. A good list of possibilities in the poll would allow a sense of what the majority wants.I believe there are a lot of people waiting for these lanterns, but not interested in the technical details. They should be heard.

Personally I am on the side of highest efficiency (e.g., battery run time). No color light changing. No other functions like USB charging ports for cell phones or charging the lamp and poking extra holes in the shell. With stick in rubber covers that will eventually fall off and/or leak. I never really agreed with the non-use of the most efficient power system in the Q8 (I have 3). Nor was I particularly crazy about very complex operational requirements. Yes - you can sort of avoid them, but mis-stepping is also real easy. I think I actually suggested back then that the Q8 be used as the base rather than starting from scratch that the initial device was doing. But the old brain sometimes makes things up. But, for whatever reason, it went in the good direction we see now.

When this project started (I am one of the earlier people signing up for several of the lanterns), my expectation was:

A waterproof lantern

Robust construction

Simple operation

Maximum light duration with the most efficient power system possible (I do care if it goes dark 10% or 20% or more sooner than is necessary)

I think emergency light not beer party (although I see no reason why beer should not be involved)

Preferably with the ability to dim the lamp

No rubber plugged holes for external devices - no external devices or sources

A low intensity visible light in the power button

That was pretty much it. That defines a lantern in my mind. It is actually what I would still generally like.

So there are essentially my poll answers.

A quick other thought - has anyone looked at the effects of low ambient temperatures. I would think that things will get warm quickly, but will all of the pieces work to turn things on in low temperatures (e.g., 0 F). And by that I mean, it is 0 F outside, and the lamp has been sitting unused in the car/garage/front porch for two days.

Why was my name remove from the list?

Do you remember what number you were on the list? ( nobody should be removed unless it was accidental. ) message sbslider to get re-added if needed, as he is handling the interest list. :slight_smile:

Indeed the original V1 started out to be a simple lantern with 4 modes & long run-times, and good light tint, but over time it got developed into a more versatile design. Once we get the current V2 into production, we may work on a simpler, lower cost basic version of the same lantern for those who need just a simple, reliable off-grid light that will run for days with no bells & whistles for those seeking a “base model” so to speak.

It’s weird because there were more people? Maybe people backed out? I was 928, lol. So it looks like it’s an improvement? Add me back please :slight_smile:

Looks like maybe people took things too serious. I’m not expecting the PERFECT lantern, lol. Just an improvement of what is out there. From what I’ve read I’m pretty excited. Beside, the “ultimate” lantern won’t be that way for long. Every light eventually gets dethroned. The lumen race, size race, etc. Nobody holds it long…

That is critical. Tint above the BBL can be very unpleasant for staying longer periods of time, and it makes foods and people uglier. If we are building the “ultimate” light we should strive towards getting the best output available. And that includes below BBL tint, and R9 values above 90. This chosen led has tint in the green, and R9 values that are between 60-70 as far as I can see Samsung LH351D color testing - #4 by maukka which is not ideal for a BLF lantern, since we are choosing the parts.

Since we are set on these leds, at least we can try to find some some samples from Samsung that are lower in the BBL which will boost the R9 values a bit, and make the light more pleasant for longer usage.

It’s simply impossible to build the perfect lantern for everyone. Some want the longest possible runtime, others the best tint & cri and we need to find a good compromise. But I like the idea to build an enthusiast variant with all the great features (like tint ramping, powerbank,…) And a simpler base Version for the one who don’t need this.

Concerning the driver I want the highest efficiency that is possible without significantly influencing the light quality.

The thing with the boost driver, which would work the most efficient and I would love to see it happen, is that someone must design it (Sofirn won’t I’m sure), with all requirements like: for Sofirn affordable parts and able to run TK’s UI. If someone can do that now I think it is a good idea. If a boost driver development remains on the level of a theoretical discussion for too long it just delays the design of the lantern and in the end the boost driver may not even happen after all.

That is what makes the Lexel design so attractive: we suggest it, he just makes it, it is there and can be used. Same for Toykeepers firmware: we discuss what we would like for it and she already wrote the firmware, with smart features added that we even did not think of. And both have skills that Sofirn lacks so both BLF and Sofirn profit from the cooperation.

In my opinion, without the most efficient driver possible, this lantern may still be called the ‘ultimate’ lantern :wink: .

Hi does anyone updated interest list last time?