That’d drive up the costs because the company has a stockpile of NANJG drivers and all they need to do is flash the MCU and piggyback 4 more AMC7135 chips.
On the flip side, I don’t think it’s possible to blow an LED with direct drive to a 1x li-ion cell, whether it be IMR or charged to 4.35V. Plus, we won’t be randomly handing out flashlights with these drivers anyways.
True, as long as the LED is on copper (Nichias not included there), and who would build something with either driver and the LED on aluminum?
It may not be possible to blow the LED, but it’s certainly possible to achieve undesired results. Many people using FET drivers seem to use lower drain cells in order to “tame” the FET driver. That only works while you still have the thing in hand, once it’s in someone else’s hands (depending on the person of course) there is a good chance they’ll change cells eventually. Especially if they are getting advice from some random vaping-shop guy (do you guys not see the writing on the wall here? People we sell flashlights to now may eventually walk into one of the currently-ever-increasing numbers of vaping shops for replacement 18650s), he has no idea that the flashlight is entirely unregulated.
And I thought the point was exactly that we’d be handing these things out. I know some of you guys have large flashlight collections, but we’re talking about ordering 20+ of these (identical, mostly single-purpose) things per person… that’s not for a personal FL collection, to me that seems clearly angled at resale or gifting.
comfychair, you can call it what you want… the current limit is unachievable with the DD drivers we have now. I don’t have a better term for it. Any further improvements in 4.35v cells will result in 20-60min of actual regulation I think.
I don’t think the price would be very good going with a fully custom driver, at least not from these guys.
So for now it’s going to be the two sided NANJG style driver with “The Star” modes. Maybe if this actually works out I’ll try and find someone to do the BLF driver in bulk for us.
What is the going rate for 10?
It’s $30 plus shipping. Shipping will be exact so for you it’s a couple extra bucks.
at $3~ a pop, custom firmware, extra chips already on the board
Put me in for 10
What will the default be (standard Nanjg 105 build w/ extra chips on top)
L>H (H>L w/ star), memory on (off w/ star), moonlight off (on w/ star)?
This is from THE It’s his firmware.
That's the default config.
All of the configurations listed:
- No stars connected (default) => L->H, with memory
- Connect Star #4 (Disable mode memory) => L->H, no memory
- Connect Star #3 (Revert mode order) => H->L, with memory
- Connect Stars #3 & #4 => H->L, no memory
- Connect Star #2 (Tacticool mode) => Strobe -> Turbo -> Low, no memory (0.5s on to forget current mode - mode change requires quick half clicks)
- Connect Stars #2 & #4 (Single mode) => Turbo
..and then there are some hidden (mostly blinky) modes, which work in all above configurations. Currently they are (subject to change):
1. LowLow
2. Disorienting strobe (randomly alternating 13-19.5Hz 60-40% duty cycle)
3. Motion stopping strobe (10Hz, 2% duty cycle)
4. Beacon with background (1Hz - 50ms Turbo / 950ms Med mode)
5. Slower beacon with background (0.4Hz - 50ms Turbo / 2450ms Low mode)
6. Beacon (1Hz - 50ms Turbo / 950ms Off)
7. Alpine distress beacon (50ms Turbo / 9950ms Off, repeat 6 times, 60s Off, repeat 6 times, 60s Off, ...)
8. SOS
9. Turbo that stays on (no timer)
Current mode spacing is:
0.1% (0.003A) -> 2% (0.1A) -> 25% (1A) -> 100% (4.2A), with ramp down to 50% (2.1A)
nice
These sound really good for people who can’t or haven’t got into the driver programming game yet, or those like me that have a problem soldering those pesky 7135 chips.
Only problem i can see is, once you install one of these drivers you’ll probably want to do all your compatible lights with them!
Very Cool, I changed the first post so they can look at your post to know how it works. That covers a lot of ground for sure.
Do people really know what SOS is (the flashing is what catches their attention, not the actual letters)…would be cooler if it just flashed Morse Code “BLF” 
But…that of course if for a “later build” 
Any comments on the mode spacing or hidden modes? Let's make it near perfect before producing hundreds of these.. :)
Especially the order of hidden modes is important. LowLow must be the most used hidden mode, so that's #1. I feel strobe might be the second most important, maybe not most used though. How about other modes? Are they in a good enough order?
Anyone (with the ability to flash drivers) willing to join and help in beta testing of the firmware?
I would agree that LowLow should be first on the hidden. I have never used strobe. I think 90 seconds on the turbo stepdown should be fine as well.
I forgot today was already Saturday (pitfall of being retired) so I won’t hear from the supplier until Monday. I did e-mail and ask them the basic questions. Can they flash, will other people also be able to flash theirs as well, etc.
This looks great but do we really need all the blinky modes? I understand they’re hidden but it’s still too much.
I would be happy with just these modes in hidden:
1. LowLow
9. Turbo that stays on (no timer)
2. Disorienting strobe (randomly alternating 13-19.5Hz 60-40% duty cycle)
4. Beacon with background (1Hz - 50ms Turbo / 950ms Med mode)
8. SOS
My thinking is that extra hidden modes do not bother, as you never have to cycle them through. The firmware is using "short cycle memory" for hidden modes: Route from Strobe to another strobe is: Strobe -> L -> M -> T -> L -> M -> T -> LL -> Strobe -> Strobe2
They just need to be in a correct order, most often used ones first.
[quote=CRX]
I would be happy with just these modes in hidden:
1. LowLow
9. Turbo that stays on (no timer)
2. Disorienting strobe (randomly alternating 13-19.5Hz 60-40% duty cycle)
4. Beacon with background (1Hz - 50ms Turbo / 950ms Med mode)
8. SOS
[/quote]
Turbo that stays on is the last hidden mode on purpose. It's potentially dangerous, so it must be the hardest one to get activated.
I see what you mean. I’d definitely be in for a few of these anyway.
I haven’t read up on the custom firmwares/ drivers yet and that OSH Park thread is getting more daunting everyday
Sounds complicated. 
@18sixfifty, while the has stepped in with his own firmware offering and personal presumptions without considering the needs of the group, most of us have already chimed in loud and clear for several years about how useless and annoying ANY blinky modes are (including the hidden ones). Why would anyone want to bring them back when we all hate them so much? Nothing is more irritating than an inadvertent cycle into a hidden blinky mode. Can you please offer this in the standard 4 mode firmware that we have all grown to love and appreciate? (candle, low, med, high) Add a 5th mode for more even mode spacing if you really must. Its far more intuitive but certainly unnecessary. You’re only adding .5A to the base driver. Also, a timer on turbo is really pretty lame, especially at only 3.5A. If someone cant feel that the light is burning their hand, they probably have much greater physical or mental issues to deal with. Many of us have several hosts that can withstand +5A continuous for 10 minutes or more without overheating, so this would be just another huge annoyance (whether hidden of not).
Just say no to the silly blinky modes and the useless hidden foo-foo. 
If you must, please offer the driver in 2 firmware versions so the buyer can chose which one they want. I have a feeling you will sell far more of the standard version.
Also, my customers have spoken. No one buys my custom lights with blinky modes or hidden mode groups when I offer them without that nonsense. They dont like it, they dont want it and they wont buy it…. so I cant support it either.
Thank you.