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

[bindi]

Yeah but the problem is the lower level isn’t really (read: at all) visible to the naked eye (while the light is on at <50% brightness). Can’t find the button in the dark (while the light is on <50%), have to shine another light at it, or spin it around a few times…

[deleted-200707]

Hmmm… I seem to have a fourth mode, lightning flash.

[sbslider]

@chinooker

Hmmm… I seem to have a fourth mode, lightning flash.

Yes, you are correct, I’ll update my post above.

[sbslider]

@bindi

Yeah but the problem is the lower level isn’t really (read: at all) visible to the naked eye (while the light is on at < 50% brightness ). Can’t find the button in the dark (while the light is on < 50%), have to shine another light at it, or spin it around a few times…

Ahh, I get it now. I agree, the low button light when the LT1 is on is sort of worthless. Nothing wrong with your unit, just an opportunity for improvement in the firmware. It would be nice to be able to chose button illumination level while on, this could be 7 clicks from on. But I think the current build uses almost all the memory, so I don’t know if there is room for this.

[bulbed]

@ sbslider…That was very helpful and plan to connect/bridge with pencil across all options.

[sbslider]

@bulbed

@ sbslider…That was very helpful and plan to connect/bridge with pencil across all options.

[Coyotehawk]

@sbslider

@bulbed

Can some experts put a sticky around the bridging on why/hows or least point me one single post explaining it…yep… a muggle but goes by -have it and not need it than need it and not have it

I’ll try.

The LEDs produce light when current is passed through them. The LT1 has two sets of LEDs, Warm White (WW) and Neutral White (NW).

The LT1 has seven current regulator chips in parallel with each set of LEDs, 7 for the NW LEDs, and 7 for the WW LEDs. In the design of the LT1, 3 of these driver chips are always connected. The other 4 have the driver control signal brought out to a set of pads, one set for WW and one set for NW. These pads have numbers next to them, 7, 6, 5, and the last set has both 4 and 3 next to it. I don’t know why the 3 is there, as there is no option to connect or disconnect driver 3. For the remainder of this I will refer to the pads with 4 and 3 near it simply as 4.

The LT1 should come from the factory with the pads 4 and 5 soldered together. This configuration produces roughly 600 lumens maximum if I recall correctly. The way the board is designed, the pads at 4 must be connected for the remaining pad connections to be effective. The connections are all in series. I don’t understand why it was designed this way, that may change of future. If your LT1 came with pads 4 and 5 connected, you are all set. If not, then connecting both is recommended. Methods of connection will be discussed below.

If you want more light from your LT1, you can connect pads 6 (one for NW, one for WW). If you want even more light, then connect pads 7. If you connect the pads 7 without 6, you will not get any more light, pads 6 must be connected for the connection at pads 7 to be effective. This is because the connections were made in series for reasons I don’t understand.

There are two methods I know that are effective at making these connections. One is solder, presumably with a soldering iron. The other is to use a pencil and fill in the space between the pads with graphite. As mentioned above, the connection being made is the control line for the driver. Very little current flows through this connection, and the graphite provides enough of a connection for the signal to get all the way to the driver. I have experimented with making the connection at pads 6 and verified by measuring the current drawn from the batteries that making this connection with a #2 pencil is effective. Someone asked what hardness of pencil. I just used one in a drawer at home. Just fill in the space between the pads with graphite. The advantages of using a pencil to make this connection include being able to remove the connection with an eraser (verified in testing), as well as not requiring special tools.

I hope this helps, if DBSAR chooses he can add this to the first post, that’s the only “sticky” that will happen with this explanation.

Thank you for the very informative post. I’m gonna assume that bridging 6 & 7 will draw more volts resulting in less run time from your batteries? Has anyone assessed what the difference in runtime is?

[MtnDon (Don Miller)]

@Coyotehawk

Thank you for the very informative post. I’m gonna assume that bridging 6 & 7 will draw more volts resulting in less run time from your batteries? Has anyone assessed what the difference in runtime is?

Not volts. The change allows more current to flow. Each one of the 7135 chips can pass 350 mA (milliamps).

You can do the math and come close to the real life decrease in run time.

[Coscar]

Good Job SB…… thanks

[cm64]

@Pöbel

A tighter Oring won’t help as the groove is too shallow.

I added a bit of superglue in the groove and this does the trick

Thanks

[cm64]

@seriesone

@cm64

@Wazaloob

Anyone know what size is the outside orange o-ring and where is best place to get different colours? Thanks.

I also would like to know this as my orange ring keeps popping off so I would like to use a smaller o-ring but not sure what size to get.

see if this link works / helps:
*BLF LT1 Lantern Project) (updated Nov,17,2020) - #10193 by Julez

Thanks

[sbslider]

@Coyotehawk

Thank you for the very informative post. I’m gonna assume that bridging 6 & 7 will draw more volts resulting in less run time from your batteries? Has anyone assessed what the difference in runtime is?

Just to elaborate a bit on MtnDon’s reply, if you enable both channel 6 drivers, you can expect 5/6 the run time as reported here. If you enable both channel 6 and 7 drivers, then 5/7 what is reported here.

The only downside of enabling more drivers is less ability to get fine tint mixing at very low levels. If you run at one tint all the time, then you SHOULD be able to just run at a lower level of control to get the same lumens. However, in order to do so you would need to add more steps if you used stepped control, or just use the ramp side of output control

[DBSAR]

@sbslider

I hope this helps, if DBSAR chooses he can add this to the first post, that’s the only “sticky” that will happen with this explanation.

Will add it to the OP :+1: Thanks sbslider, good post explaining that.

[leftdisconnected]

@bindi

My button/switch backlight on “low” setting is barely distinguishable. Does this mean my unit is faulty, or does it happen across all units? It’s rather hard to find the button in the dark when the light is on at lower levels. It does come on full brightness after a certain level and you can easily see it.

Mine is the same and I noticed this almost immediately. Though it seems too dim at first, the Low setting is generally visible in the dark if your eyes are adjusted somewhat, which should generally be the case when you’re searching the switch. It’s pretty much invisible when the light is on at a low setting, however.

[Agro]

I’m not sure if this was mentioned already - Q8 tailcaps fit on LT1 and make it a little shorter and lighter.

[particleez]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me;

Is it ok to run the lantern without batteries but with the battery tube attached, and the charger plugged in?

I read in the instructions that you are not supposed to run it at more than 70 % of maximum output while it is plugged in so not to over stress the circuitry. How easy is it to mess it up?

Thanks.

[sbslider]

@sueli428

Hello,

Can anyone tell me;

Is it ok to run the lantern without batteries but with the battery tube attached, and the charger plugged in?

Definitely

@sueli428

I read in the instructions that you are not supposed to run it at more than 70 % of maximum output while it is plugged in so not to over stress the circuitry. How easy is it to mess it up?

Thanks.

The manual wording is not the best here.

It reads,
If operated without batteries the maximum output will be reduced. In order to not overstress the circuitry it is recommended to not operate the LT1 lantern above 70% of its maximum output when running on USB-C power externally,

It should read,
If operated without batteries the maximum output will be reduced. In order to not overstress the circuitry it is recommended to not operate The LT1 lantern will not produce above 70% of its maximum output when running on USB-C power externally, due to the maximum current capability of the charging circuit.

[whitecitadel]

@sbslider

@bindi

Yeah but the problem is the lower level isn’t really (read: at all) visible to the naked eye (while the light is on at < 50% brightness ). Can’t find the button in the dark (while the light is on < 50%), have to shine another light at it, or spin it around a few times…

Ahh, I get it now. I agree, the low button light when the LT1 is on is sort of worthless. Nothing wrong with your unit, just an opportunity for improvement in the firmware. It would be nice to be able to chose button illumination level while on, this could be 7 clicks from on. But I think the current build uses almost all the memory, so I don’t know if there is room for this.

I don’t think its you, mine is also doing something strange here - I need to do a proper test and document. It seems on level 1 and 2 (lowest power output) its not lit up, but once you get above 3 the power button glows visibily like it does when the lamp is off.

Don’t really need help to find it when its on so not a big usablity issue, but something is definetly off somewhere with what mine is doing.

Its a great lamp though, been using it arround the house a bit much to the wife’s annoyance/amusement….

[BrianK]

@whitecitadel

Its a great lamp though, been using it arround the house a bit much to the wife’s annoyance/amusement….

Want more amusement? Simulate a power outage and turn all lights off and use the LT1 only. :smiling_imp:

I didn’t have ours very long before we had a for real outage and the value of the light was plain to see even though we have a whole house backup for the mains.

[Tixx]

Sorry, got lost and am 100s of posts behind. Any changes to the one offered now from the one originally sold? Thank you!