I still have just the old LT1 prototype, but it gets used every night and I only have to charge it once or maybe twice per year. It’s a pre-production design with a different shape for the top and the handle, and a different layout for the LEDs, so the alternating warm and cool LEDs are visible inside.
I think the batteries I’ve been using lately are a set of 4 Sofirn cells. Haven’t opened it to look in ages, since I don’t need to open it to charge it.
At some point, I hope to get a newer model. I think Sofirn might be updating the driver to use an attiny1616 chip instead of attiny85, so perhaps I can get another dev unit for updating the firmware. If that happens, I’ll probably enable thermal regulation, because there’s room to spare, and because it could be useful for a future version of the LT1-mini. If I recall correctly, the mini has the LEDs close enough to sense temperature.
If they do this, I hope they take the opportunity to add a red channel.
And if they send you a dev unit, I’d suggest the red channel could be handled by pausing during tint ramp with a brief flash at 100% warm. If the user releases, stay at that tint. If they keep holding, start mixing warm and red. If they release and click, activate auto-tint.
That’s just one idea, though. A red channel would be a great addition to this lantern however it might be implemented.
I would not mind it gaining RGB aux, either, or at least the pads on the updated driver so any of us who may care to can add aux emitters.
And then there’s another coupon (7JM0TD4QV7M9) for $14 USD off $20 USD which I don’t know how to apply. Entering it in the “promo code” field before checkout shows “We don’t recognize this promo code.”
Does anyone know what the best possible final price is?? These puzzles are quite… let’s say, entertaining.
I have and still use/test the same original production prototype, mine is a little beat up, but i run it often outdoors, for camps, all to still test its durability. I do the same with the very first prototype i built from a Sky Ray King light, that uses the Samsung LH351D 2700K LEDs, (that are the newest upgrade the old lantern got) That old prototype uses a Nanjg 105c modified driver, the SRK body, and a simple TP4056 charging module. It worked, and still works as a simple lantern design that became the predecessor to the BLF Sofirn LT1 we have now.
Yeah, it’s pretty nice overall. I think I actually prefer its more-plain top design with a simple curved handle and no O-ring or extra bumps. It works well.
As for the LT1-mini, I’m not sure how practical it will be outdoors — because of its narrow base and relatively small surface area for the diffuser. This makes it hard to place on uneven surfaces, and the higher surface brightness constricts the pupils more at the same lumen levels as a larger design. But it works well indoors, fits into a pocket, and would probably be good when clipped onto a belt or something. I’ve been using it a lot as a candle and for general illumination.
The LT1-stout seems interesting too, as a lighter alternative to the original LT1. Since it’s wide, it should be pretty stable and have lower surface brightness for less glare. But since it’s also short, it won’t be as good when placed on a table or something… it’ll generally need to be raised up on top of something else.
hello, I recently received a new version blf lt1 with Power bank, firmware August 2021, I cannot in any way get the temperature calibration menu, the battery menu contains only the Beacon and SOS, even the reset with 13h does not work, has it happened to any of you? I reset by unscrewing the base but even if the reset is successful, the menu situation does not change. Ah, for the LT1S I created a container in 3d to insert it and hold it up (you can find it in thingiverse)
All temperature functions are disabled in the LT1 because the thermal sensor is too far from the LEDs to perform any regulation. Also, it needed the extra ROM to make tint ramping work.
If Sofirn produces a newer version with a bigger control chip, like attiny1616, it should include the thermal functions again, even if it’s still too far to use for regulation… because at least then it could work as a crude thermometer.
so you also don’t have the external temperature calibration menu? it seems strange to me, moreover the 13h to reset does not work, I am thinking of having a faulty lt1
All temperature functions are disabled in the LT1.
Different build targets have different configurations. The 13H reset has traditionally only been enabled on lights which can’t do the loosen-hold-tighten reset method.
It doesn’t sound like there’s anything faulty about your LT1.
So today I finally removed the 0 ohm resistors to lower the brightness of the 2700K leds. The idea was to keep the 5000K ones. But the WW side is connected to the 5000K leds and NW to the 2700K. Why oh why!? At least the PCB solder bridges are a very nice addition and easily resolved the mixup. I did notice the same WW/NW mixup on the MCPCB in another LT1 that I took apart for an emitter swap. The silkscreen doesn’t match with the LEDs, so this one probably has the same mixup.
Btw, concerning the Anduril 2 driver. Compared to the rev 5.0 driver, does the hardware offer anything new other than power bank functionality? Was thinking of maybe flashing the rev 5 to Anduril 2 if possible.
As Toykeeper mentioned, the temperature are disabled, as they are not needed in the LT1. ( The LEDs & heat sink are at the top (head) of the lantern & away from the driver & battery body area, meaning he driver & batteries are away from the LED heat.
i have an early (first?) release LT1. i found 1 below the top level of stepped is sustainable. top level gets hot.
i don’t know what rev firmware i have, as tracking the flashing is tricky for my old eyes/brain.
My orange LT1 (box labelled Q8LT1) from Sofirn’s AliExpress shop shows BLF-LT1-A4. One difference from the BLF-LT1-A2 is that the indicator LED is now orange. Perfect. Any other differences?
I love how the indicator LED automatically adapts to the main light’s brightness: dim at low brightness, and high at high brightness. Such attention to detail, just fantastic!
The orange anodizing looks gorgeous to me. It looks slightly bronze-ish in some images below due to the camera, but it’s more orange in person. I was also very tempted by the green option, but figure a more visible color is useful to avoid losing it!
Some questions:
The only way I found to get out of momentary mode (5C from ON or OFF in Advanced UI) is to unscrew the lantern until power is cut. Is there another way? The UI map shows this mode is a dead end.
Sunset mode is reducing brightness in steps, even if the light is set to smooth ramping. Any way to have it decline smoothly?
It’s surprising how pleasant and nostalgic candle mode is, especially in the warmest tint.
Big thanks and congratulations to all involved in the LT1 project!
