FW3A mod thread. Post yours!

I got mine too. Though I need to get the gear and learn how to reflash the driver. Currently just connected to battery so permanently on.

SST-20 4000k FD2, Noctigon triple board, 10507 optic, CRX Aqua glow gasket and emisar spring in the tail :slight_smile:

Out of interest I took some measurements (these are with a phone so they won’t be perfect)

SST-20 Lumens:
table(table#posts).
|1*7135|112lm|
|8*7135|754lm|
|Turbo (30Q, 4.19v)|1933lm|
|Turbo (30Q, 3.75v)|1490lm|

SST-20 intensity @ 1m:
table(table#posts).
|1*7135|1099cd|
|Turbo (30Q, 4.19v)|17160cd|

~9.3cd/lm

For comparison here is what I got for the XP-L Hi 5D

XPL Lumens:
table(table#posts).
|1*7135|130lm|
|Turbo (30Q, 4.19v)|2901lm|

XPL Intensity @ 1m:
table(table#posts).
|1*7135|1101cd|
|Turbo (30Q, 4.19v)|24320cd|

~8.5cd/lm

So the SST-20 is slightly throwier, but the output of the XP-L Hi makes up for it. The throw of both at the 1*7135 is basically identical. The beam of the SST-20 is very focused; close to a wall you can see its pretty much made up of 3 squares. Its slightly green on low levels, but perfectly acceptable. It looks more neutral than afternoon sunlight for example (I heard sunlight has slightly positive duv?)

Thanks for the numbers and comparison. I don’t really see much if any green in mine at any level. I do love how neutral it is though. I am using the 10507 optic with my SST-20 and I think the hotspot is quite big still, so the throw from the optic and the SST-20 really make it a great EDC because it can do it all quite well. That’s the case especially for my work. I am a sysadmin and could be close up behind a rack needing the high CRI for cabling or up in a ceiling needing the throw. It really is awesome.

I have some of those washers coming. I’m assuming gorilla glue will work? Acetone can remove it but that’s probably really bad for a rubber boot.

If you have to use Acetone, you can always take it apart first to spare damage to the rubber boot. :+1:

I think I am going to go the washer route too. I am going to add my magnet on the clip. I had a magnet, but I accidentally mostly demagnetized it adding the heat shrink. I rushed it and got it too hot.

Can you tell me what changes you made to the source code to run an external diode? Which pin in MCU did you use for aux led?
BTW Great job!!

I’ll post the firmware changes but click on the aux boards link in the post for more info. There’s a few ways to do it

Ok, thank You :slight_smile:

Here are the changes I made if you are familiar with editing and compiling the firmware. If not Lexel posted some .hex files with similar changes already made in his thread.

Thank you again for your help. Above the final effect :)

Nice, what did you use for your aux LEDs? Lexel’s board or a PCB with secondaries?


@ KB…

You owe me a keyboard. You did not post a ’DROOL WARNING’ wth your photos & I shorted my keyboard out. It was bad…. magic smoke & flames. . :cry: . :wink:

Seriously… those look amazing!! . :beer:

/\ +1

Seriously impressive! Man, sure hope the FW3A evolves into a later version providing aux LED’s like this. I just don’t have the technical know-how to do it myself.

@ KawiBoy, you’re giving my eyes diabetes. :wink:

I did not use any additional board. I placed the additional diode centrally on the existing board and connected it to the driver.
I compiled the latest version (FW3A) of adruil with aux led support. Everything works very well : :wink:

Sorry if this has already been asked, but is there a guide with pics of the mod required and also a guide and firmware for flashing, hopefully including a good cable for the flashing?

Start here: [SALE] FW3A lighted TIR board multicolored with LVP, stabilized or High/low

The flashing process is pretty much the same as any other attiny85 based driver. Lexel has a bit of info and a precompiled .hex file in his thread where he is selling these boards.

You’ll need a USBasp, an SOIC8 clip and something to connect them (dupont wires are the usual recommendation). For instructions, there is a thread going up for the D4V2 and the instructions will be adaptable to the FW3A. The main differences between the lights are the method of connection (FW3A uses a generic clip and the D4V2 uses a special programming key), the chip being flashed (attiny85 instead of attiny1634), and the file to be flashed.

I think there is an old thread/post by Hoop on how to flash attiny based drivers as well. (they are all very similar)

You only need to flash if you want high/low/off. Lexel has a board with LVP built in you can wire up with no changes but you get 1 brightness level and always on.