Hi kokosnh, not sure if there is any conflict with Anduril II ui, but /adjusting the brightness for fold and throw separately by 1H, 2C for changing between changing fold and throw brightness distribution/ sounds great.
We have improved the fins already, the previous design with shallower fins, we will still look chance to improve it. Hopefully we can see it in the final product.
I would suggest something similar to Acebeam X45. 4 x XHP70.2, but with deeper reflector for better throw.
With USB charging port and removable handle.
Ps. I like that the tube looks like it have lots of small fins, does making them deper have any considerable impact on cooling, or on the heat transfer to the hand?
I like the idea of purchased separately optional difuzer in a form of lantern, to screw in place of strike bezel. Or do some threads on outside, so you can screw difuzer directly to the flashlight. So that it can be used outdoor and indoor. And then, with difuze, the tint changing and 6 x 2700K SST-20 and 6 x 4000K SST-20 would make more sense for me. I was waiting for sofirn BLF LT1 lantern version on multi 21700 cells, but that could be end, if this have option to buy separately an additional difuzer.
I believe your 12 SST-20’s with almost no reflector are going to create a wall of light and glare. This would actually inhibit some of the throw from the center LED as to what the user could actually see. Those 12 LEDs are in a very short range of usefulness. I believe you would be better served with 4 evenly spaced LEDs such as XHP70’s or SFT40’s. The dimensions look good. As others have pointed out larger fins and maybe a little more mass.
I really like the look of this. If sales go well then you could offer different LED options. For example as well as 12 SST20 + 1 SFT40 you could offer:
12 Nichia E21A (or 219B) and 1 SST20. Not so much output but warm white and high CRI
12 Samsung LH351D and 1 Osram Boost HX. Should give some more output and throw.
12 XHP50.2 and 1 SBT90.2. This would require a different MCPCB and maybe different reflector but it would be very fun! Similar to the Acebeam X80, which fits loads of XHP50.2 LEDs in a small space
I think you have a good point, but to me this merely proves that the ability to use both channels at the same time is not important. The two sets of LEDs are designed for different things, flood vs throw, and there is no application when one would need to run both. There are some two channel lights where I might want to run both at the same time, as for tint ramping, but this is not one of them.
IMO this is a solution in search of a problem. Keep stock Anduril II with two separate channels exactly as is.
In the future, if you want to contact a specific person on BLF, the private message system is much more effective. The only reason I saw this thread was because someone else notified me about it.
So… I responded in a PM.
One detail which would really benefit from public feedback though… Do people actually want to ramp smoothly between flood and throw, or would it be better to switch instantly? The tint ramp takes several seconds from end to end, and that might get annoying. I’m not sure about anyone else, but I usually want flood or throw, not something in-between. And I usually want to switch quickly from one to the other.
But that’s just me. What are everyone’s thoughts on this?
Oh, also… I’m guessing this light uses a contact ring like a Q8, but that requires button-top cells… and I don’t think I’ve ever seen an unprotected button-top 21700. Do people already have button-top 21700 cells laying around, or would they need new cells for a light like this?
Personally I don’t think a smooth ramp between flood and throw makes much sense, but a 3 steps ramp : flood, flood+throw, throw, yes maybe.
Another option is a flood+throw turbo, for the absolute max output, maybe accessible with 2H or something else, regardless of the flood/throw position.
And I was thinking of something similar for tint ramping, if I understand correctly, the middle tint power can be configured between 100 and 200 % (TINT_RAMPING_CORRECTION). But rather than having an uneven output tint ramp, you could have a turbo with 100% on both channel, so, middle tint, regardless of the position on the tint ramp, again by a different press than 2C, or maybe replacing 2C because I’m not sure if the tint of the turbo is really important anyway. Then as it thermally throttles down it goes back to the position on the tint ramp (that might be complicated to implement? )
On a flashlight that has 2 relatively powerfull channels that might not sound necessary, but with low power channels, say 2x(2xE21As) driven at 2.5A for each channels, if you’re on the cool side for example and go to turbo, that’ll only be 2.5A which leaves a bit to be desired for a turbo, 5A that’s more like it.
(Sorry this is slightly off topic, plus there isn’t any Anduril tint ramping flashlights yet)
Seems like nitecores hu60 flood/throw interface could definitely be as useful in a flashlight. It could be nice, in the woods, where terrain and vegetation changes to be able to adjust the amount of both. But, I think it would go unused unless there are at least 2 buttons and a very easy interface
Similar to the Acebeam X80, which fits loads of XHP50.2 LEDs in a small space