FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public

I have few questions & feedback after playing a bit with my FW3A

1) Why final version got this badly fitting clip design? Its mouting ring around body protrudes beyond the body of FW3A feeling really annoying in hand and in pocket. See post #8523 for photos.

2) Why muggle mode steps down to bottom of muggle ramp? It seems to happen from every higher muggle ramp power - the higher the faster. You can ramp back to higher or switch off and back on to get back to higher muggle ramp power. Battery has plenty of voltage: works fine without stepping down in non-muggle-mode. And thw FW3A stays cold.

3) What is official CRI of used 3D tint?

4) 3D tint color and beam shape is really awesome! I can only wish same would be available at 90+ CRI.

5) Shape and size of FW3A is really good after removing pocket clip (see point 1).

6) This is really a quick nut roaster at turbo. Mainly as weight is so low. I like it :slight_smile:

7) Thank you everyone who worked to get this done!

TLDR; Change the clip design and fix fw bug(?)?

Now I wish I could cancel my order just to add one of those awesome glow gaskets…
I thought shipping from china was mostly substituted anyway? How do sellers on e. g. ebay manage to offer free shipping for items that are only like 1-2 USD, but a small, lightweight 15 USD item costs 5 USD shipping? I do realize we’re all spoiled with free worldwide shipping, but I can’t keep myself from making that comparison to other sellers…

@cannesahs

The CRI of the XPL-HI is 70.

Can you please add a bug report in this thread

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/56568

see port number 3 for format/instructions.

  1. Unknown as to reason. A matter of increased strength was suggested by someone. Annoying to you?? OK, to each their own. :+1: . Personally, it is a non issue to me.

2. I do not know. EDIT: See Answer HERE

3. 70+ (Medium CRI)

4. I agree, it is awesome. :+1:

5. Shape of the FW3A is fantastic. :+1: . With or without clip is personal preference.

6. Yep… :smiley:

7. Amen!! :beer:

Can you run 2x 16340 in short duration for more output?

Thank you, Neal!

This “problem” it happens in my two Fireflies E07 with Anduril, so it’s due to the design of Anduril and not the FW3A.

no, only 1 x 18650 and 2 of those batteries wouldnt produce more output anyways.

Yeah.

And you’d be killing everything inside of the light.

And you’d be getting less capacity.
And you’d actually lose output even if it worked.

The average value can be considered as medium but in details, colors rendition are pretty mediocre : see Bob_McBob’s measurements here.
The black circle is the reference light, the red circle is for the XP-L HI 3D. The more the point drifts within the circle, the more the colors are desaturated in the corresponding region. The more the arrow drifts from the perpendicular to the edge of the circle (on the left or on the right), the more the hue drifts from the reference point.
See local chroma shift graph and local hue shift graph.

I read on reddit and here that there will be a copper version coming in the future, is this speculation or confirmed?

Copper and Titanium

Just like the D4ti, nice.

Yeah, i was hoping for a less expensive solution :wink:

This should probably be in every FAQ, just after the part where it tells people to put the battery in from the front instead of the back. It seems to be one of the main things people don’t know, but should.

If muggle mode steps down, you need to calibrate the temperature sensor.

This only needs to be done once, when the light is new. Afterward, the value is saved permanently so there should not be a need to do it ever again.

The sensor is built in to the attiny85 chip, and the attiny factory does not calibrate it. The flashlight factory does not calibrate it either. This, unfortunately, leaves that job to the user. If it is not calibrated, it will have no idea what the temperature is. It could be off by as much as 25 C.

To calibrate it:

  1. Let the light settle to room temperature.
  2. Go to the thermal config mode.
  3. At the first menu option, while the light flickers and waits for input, click to enter the current room temperature. This is typically about 20 to 25 C, meaning 20 to 25 clicks.
  4. Wait until the light falls out of the menu.

On this version of Anduril, here’s how to get to thermal config mode:

  1. From off, click 3 times. This goes to battery check mode.
  2. Click twice. This goes to sunset mode.
  3. Click twice. This goes to beacon mode.
  4. Click twice. This goes to temperature check mode.
  5. If you feel like it, let the light blink out what it thinks is the current temperature. On a new light, this number is probably wrong. Have a laugh.
  6. Click 4 times to reach thermal config.

This is also shown in the UI diagram. Follow the pink line:

On newer versions, I’ve also added a shortcut to this, using ten clicks from off. But that’s a very recent thing, and isn’t on the FW3A yet.

Based on experience, muggles (i.e., kids) tend to like to click things a lot. They could very easily do 10 clicks in a row, then who knows what to the thermal setting.

Maybe this is already the case, but perhaps don’t allow users to enter configuration settings if in muggle mode. I’m guessing you already did that, but just in case…

Without the 10 clicks, it’s not so important. It seems difficult to get into thermal config by accident.

To calibrate it:

  1. Let the light settle to room temperature.
  2. Go to the thermal config mode.
  3. At the first menu option, while the light flickers and waits for input, click to enter the current room temperature. This is typically about 20 to 25 C, meaning 20 to 25 clicks.
  4. Wait until the light falls out of the menu.


    thank you for the simple explanation here. Could you please explain in simplicity part 2, the temperature limit thing? Thank you from us who find this rather confusing … even after watching M4DM4X video of it :wink:

@ Saypat

Here you go, in detail…. Temperature Calibration & Setting Temperature Limit

:+1:

thank you kindly teacher, appreciate your help….