Hmm. I haven’t tried configuring the button LED (“aux-LED”) on the FT02S, but after reading your comment, decided to try it on my FT02S.
I can confirm your finding.
Normally, for relatively new Anduril, the aux-LED (button-LED wired as aux-LED) can be set via 7-clicks (while Off), to the Off-Low-High-Blinking state (the “blinking” state is sort of like “breathing” or ’heart-beat” pattern).
On the FT02S, when I did 7 clicks from Off, I notice that it only cycles from Off-Low-High, there does not seem to be a Blinking (Breathing/Heartbeat) state.
I decided to also check the EA01, which uses the same Anduril version (15 clicks from Off version-check function done on the FT02S and also on the EA01 will read firmware version 2019-12-05).
The EA01 button-LED also only can be configured as Off-Low-High, but no “Blinking” (breathing) state.
I wonder if this is due to this specific Anduril version?
I notice that the Astrolux FT03 model has also started to shift from the nicer white cardboard box (similar to your picture) to a simpler brown cardboard box (ie. similar to how the EC01/EC03 is shipped)
My green SST40 5000k arrived today, really liking it so far. Using a fully charged 40T I measured about 24A with a clamp at the tail. It has a good balance between throw/flood for my needs. The beam is a bit odd when projected onto a plain surface (flower-petal like rings on outside, dark ring halfway in with some color shifting), but that was expected based on the reflector design and not an issue to me. The notches on the head do not prevent it from rolling around on a hard flat surface, even though it looks like it might be meant to.
Thermal throttle could be a bit more aggressive. I calibrated the temperature using a thermal camera as reference (22C at the time). I had it set to a limit of 40C (10 clicks, to add to the base 30), let it turbo for a while hands off, no other clicks - I manually stopped the test when the handle reached 58C, the neck right above the button was 72C, it reported 58 when having it check its own temp. I’m not sure if it ever really throttled. I have quite a few Anduril lights that calibrate and throttle fine, best to keep an eye on this one’s temp when using it.
quote snip: "...It has a good balance between throw/flood..."
I am going to amplify on that. This light has more superlative quantity of defined hot spot with nice throw and wide, bright flood/spill width combined, in one single cell light of comfortable size, than any other light in its size class, by virtue of four major caliber emitters in deep reflector wells that overlap a lot, to provide for power for flood and spill width, and defined hot spot that reaches out there, both at the same time, in the same beam profile, from a single cell light.
This host and reflector configuration, on top of that, also has potential for enhanced throw and lumens specs via modding, or at least I fervently hope so. Soon, I will find out for myself.
Also, 26650 for more runtime than 21700, or 21700 for more burst performance. Also, this unique exciting configuration is made available by a quality manufacturer at bargain basement cost. The beam artifacts are different, therefore interesting. That's why I like the white wall beam pattern. It's not boring.
I should order half a crate of these single cell, 4 x 50.2 flood and throw beam generators before the supply dries up.
MCPCB is 25.75 mm wide and 2 mm thick: thickness is decent, always want more copper, but the MCPCB overall is small for 4 high amp LED's like the XHP50.2's. For modding, not sure how XHP70's or SBT-90.2's could fit - tight squeeze maybe on a custom MCPCB, but again, very small for all that heat
not much thermal grease - what was there separated into the gray part and clear fluid. I've seen this before, not sure if is normal or indicative of improper thermal grease (will be replaced anyway)
The MCPCB is well mounted with a center screw, and 2nd screw to prevent it from spinning. I didn't notice any non-flat surface indicators or contaminants. I like the setup they used, machining out the reflector for clearance of the wires, and another screw in the reflector to again, prevent spinning
The reflector has very low inner walls, I mean really low - they have to be because the LED's are so close, but doesn't seem to effect performance much.
The centering pieces had some bumps underneath - I'll sand them down smooth, probably didn't have much effect
The driver was potted - unusual to see in a budget light. The potting material was putty like, soft and malleable, like plumbers putty I'd say. Easy to take off, but not sure if I'll re-use it, replace it, or not use any.
Driver is our typical Attiny85 FET+1 design (Q8 style), but typical for Mateminco, the pin wiring is not standard - 7135 is on pin #3, FET on pin #5 and switch is on pin #7. Anduril can handle it though, no prob there.
The FET is the good old SIR800DP, though borderline outdated now. I would never use one in a light of this power. The SIR800DP's from China have been proven to be fake, but a good fake, meaning it seems to do almost as good as the real one. I'll be replacing it with a SIRA20DP (better).
LED wires are as short as possible - must be unsoldered on the MCPCB in order to get the driver out. They are 18 AWG (nice) and 36 mm long (shorter is better, so this is good). On my light, I noticed the LED+ wire popped off the pad when opened up the head. This is weird because of all the prevention it has for spinning the MCPCB, so shouldn't be much pressure. Looked like a bad solder joint, using lead free solder. The light was working, so must have came loose from taking it apart.
I got a ton of pics.
Where the copper is bare on the outer edges, there's clear fluid there, Weird they use a marker on the bottom, clearly they are not cleaning or sanding before assembly:
since you did a full teardown… maybe you’ll be able to help answer aggalitsas question regarding the button-switch LED states —
Usually the button-LED for Anduril flashlights (assuming the button LED is wired as the ‘aux-LED’), like on the MF01S, MF01-Mini, EC03, EC01, SP36 BLF Anduril; but NOT on the EDC18), the allowed blinking states of the button-LED will be Off - Low (default) - High - Blinking (breathing).
On the FT02S (and also the EA01), it’s noted that the button-switch LED only has Off - Low - High states (no Blinking/breathing) state.
(doing 7 clicks from Off, as per changing the Aux-LED state in Anduril 1)
Is this due to the Anduril firmware? Or is it due to the way the button-LED is connected, or would it be due to the specific Anduril firmware version used for this light?
I can't answer why it was done. It's implemented in firmware, so someone specifically modded Anduril to remove the blinking/breathing state. The FT02S manual does not say it's removed.
Also I learned from the tear down that the FT02S (and FT03) have a driver configuration (MCU I/O pin usage) that doesn't match up to any Anduril configuration, so again, someone had to specifically modify Anduril to get it to work for these flashlights. Since it was modified, BG/Astrolux/Mateminco are required by the licensing agreement to publish the modified source code which they failed to do. TK has pointed this out many times - it's easy to comply with the licensing agreement, but BG/Astrolux/Mateminco continue to break/violate the licensing agreement.
The downside effect to us of them not publishing the source code is for flashing upgrades, it makes it harder to do. But after the tear down, I now know what hardware changes they made, and can modify Anduril2 to support. Actually this was already done by SammysHP, and posted, because he posted a FT03 version and that driver matches the FT02S's. The other problem is Mateminco's choice of flash pin configuration - it's a straight line of 6 pins and doesn't match any of my flash adapters that were somewhat standardized on other Anduril lights.
I've seen worse lights with the use of thermal grease. I think it's marginally ok, certainly not a deal breaker. It could have been worse if the surfaces were noticeably not flat, or had contaminates, but the MCPCB mount was clean and surfaces machined well.
It's a sharp looking light and seems well made overall. There's going to be QC issues from piece for piece but that's normal. I got mine from freeme's contest, but I'm sure it was just a standard production unit.
Btw, one of the best cells out there for this light is the Vapcell T50 - remarkable combo of performance and capacity in a 21700 cell. That's if you can get them. We 'think' it's the new Samsung 50T, so if you are familiar with the Samsung labeling, as the letter goes up, so does the performance. 'T' is currently the highest level available. Examples are 30Q, 25R, 25S in 18650's, then 30T and 40T in 21700's. I was waiting for the 30R or 30S but it never happened to the 18650.
A lighter package should be able to bring down shipping and raw material cost by small margin. As long as the content is well protected, a simpler packaging design is just as good imo, and environment friendly.
Thanks for bringing this up, I will inform them update their product pages this week.
I guess modding options are limited with the custom MCPCB?