Texas Avenger "TA" Driver series - Triple channel + Bistro or Narsil + Clicky or E-switch - The Ultimate open source driver!

Hello my blf friends. For those fortunate that are with these driver boards on hand, is it possible to post pictures and test results please. For sure there are others blf members like me waiting some feedback to pull the trigger and order some boards to assemble. Is there a board layout revision ongoing, or can we order now? Thanks for additional information.

Didn't have a chance yet to reflow one, but fully buzzed out a 22 mm last night, and all looks good. Think I need to print out your pics in the OP since I don't have a screen handy by my bench. The labeling is tough to read, and in some places not so clear on what pads it labels. Even on the 22 mm board, real estate is super tight, and OSHPark's labels don't work well at those sizes.

I'm really confused now bout pad sizes and parts... Thought the 22 mm pads were all 0805's - I measured a few of them and they matched Richard's red board, accept for the 0402 resistor he uses of course.

Think you state in the OP they are all 0603 accept C1? Is this across all size boards? Weird because the pad sizes match exactly with Richard's, so was it common to use 0603 pad sizes then on all our common OSHPark driver boards? Didn't do more compares, but I got a ton of OSHPark boards laying around from several sources, in several sizes -- way too much unused, and looks like they will never be used now, with all these great new ones . It's a good problem I guess...

All of wights and my own boards use 0805, and Richard used to, but since he is using his own designs and his part picker machine he switched to smaller stuff.

Ahh, I see. He spec's 0805 or 0603 parts. I've only used 0805's with his boards and seems to work out fine, plus his kits are mostly 0805's.

I just built one, when I have more time I will run some tests and post some pictures and results. Most likely tomorrow.

I would wait to order until I get a few minor things with the silk screen and mask swell fixed, nothing major, just convenience things. Should be able to get the updates made later this week hopefully.

Yeah, I just reflowed one a little bit ago, not much time right now to say a lot but there are a few silk screen changes I will be making (make sure the diode is pointed towards the FET, I got it mixed up the first time). The solder mask swell seems to have cause some of the silk screen to get covered up.

Sadly beside moving the silk around a bit there is not a lot of room to do much better. Although now that I see how OSHpark does the silk I will give it a go.

Far as the pad sizes go, everything is 0603 except C1 and OTC (17mm version is 0603 on OTC), this applies to all the sizes as I wanted to standardize my parts drawer. I built mine with 0603 components but there is a lot of extra room around them, I think 0805 should be possible.

My built driver looks exactly like the Diptrace 3D rendering. Only issues I ran into was the solder mask was slightly misalligned on the back of the driver exposing some of the 7135 trace that is near the spring. As long as I used a smaller spring it worked fine but a large spring caused it to bridge. Simple fix though.

Texas_Ace, thanks for your reply.
I’ll wait the revision to order the board. I already ordered the necessary components to this driver. Curious about the results/images…

I am actually knee deep into polishing up these drivers as we speak. I will update the OP with the newer, cleaner and better sorted selection of drivers later today along with pictures of a built driver.

Quick spoiler, it works great from the little testing I have done so far.

Ok, I just finished building, testing and knocking out the updates to the design I wanted after building a few. Nothing major, mostly silk screen changes, A few minor tweaks for ease of assembly, extended the SOIC-8 legs a bit and I moved 1 via.

Here are some pictures of the assembled drivers:

Fully assembled and working:



And for size comparison, it is easy to forget the size of these things.

I had a few minor issues with the first board I reflowed bridging traces due to what turned out to be a misaligned solder mask. The rest of the ones in my order turned out fine, so I will just address those.

I agree with Tom, there were some minor changed to the silk screen that could help. I did the best I could with the silly tight space. You will need a magnifier in order to read them, that is for sure.

I tweaked a few minor things to help address minor mis-alingments in the manufacturing.

I moved a via that was close to the back side 7135’s that could bridge to ground if you used too much solder paste near it (not that I would know :innocent: ).

I also extended the SOIC-8 pads to allow fitting tiny25’s easier.

Besides those changes the drivers appear to work as intended. Bistro is working great, I posted my revision of it in the OP that is tweaked for this driver. Although I need to recheck the voltage readings since I was using 19.1k R1 before, should not make much of a difference but gonna check anyways.

Overall I am VERY happy with how they turned out and I think I can officially endorse people ordering them at this point assuming that Tom and others have similar experiences with them.

The OP has been updated with final designs, firmware links, and a digikey cart among other updates!

Please do have a look at point out any mistakes or issues you may notice. Thanks!

I still use 19.1k for R1. I think it’s better, but it might just be superstition.

What I really want to know is, what did you use to take such clear pictures?

Yeah, I don’t really care myself, I have both. I just figured I would match DEL’s part list.

Funny thing is I was actually upset that the pictures didn’t come out as good as I was hoping but didn’t feel like dragging out the tripod and my “good” equipment in order to get it better lol.

The setup is actually pretty simple, an old Nikon D80 with an ok macro lens. For some reason my exposure was messed with by someone and it caused them to wash out a little. Luckily I always shoot in RAW so I was able to patch it up there.

The real key is lighting, I have a lightbox setup with high’ish CRI ring lights to light things evenly and properly. Lighting is by far the most important thing with taking pictures.

I want to get some 5000k 90+ CRI LED’s at some point and make up some photo lights.

The setting I use for a 220K/47K are dead-on accurate from the blinked out voltage reading for wight style boards, and the BLF Q8. Took a lot of time for me to tweak the table (2.0v to 4.5v), so I'm sticking with that. I did develop tables for a 191K and 220K for use in a modded MTN17DDm red board (diode in different sequence), but I prefer to stick with the 220K. Table values are the same for x10 (220K/47K or 22K/4.7K) or not - that's what's nice bout it. It's proven many times in the 10 or so lights I've built up and tested.

I guess they are a little washed, but mainly I was just impressed with the focus. It’s nice to be able to read the part labels. I need to start skimming craigslist for cheap equipment

I use 19.1k for anything using an OTC. Somehow it affects the timing, or at least it appeared to in my own experience and TK’s testing. Like I said, it might be snake oil, or just better quality resistors instead of resistance value, but now that I’ve got it in my head my superstitions won’t let me go back

Yeah, they came out pretty clear, could have improved on it a bit with a tripod but I was happy enough.

You really don’t need much to take good pictures.

An DSLR is a must, doesn’t have to be the latest model, heck this one is over 10 years old. I REALLY prefer nikon over cannon but that is a bit of a ford vs chevy thing, except for lenses, nikon is better.

A good lens is worth the investment, I love my 18-200mm nikon. It sits on the camera 95% of the time since it handles 95% of the shooting situations you may run into. They have some newer / better versions of it out now but that means you can get the older ones for cheaper.

If you want close up pictures a macro lens is a must, something reasonably fast.

After that a tripod of some sort, I have a few but honestly one of the nicest was $3 at a garage sale.

Then the real key, lighting. High CRI is highly recommended but most important is even lighting. For things like this you can’t beat a light box / tent. The lights shine through the fabric and cast a nice even glow over the item removing most shadows yet still giving contrast.

Oh, and shoot in RAW format and learn how to edit it RAW. It is so much better then jpeg/photoshop.

Texas_ace, can’t wait to build some drivers with those boards.
Just a question. Wy your boards aren’t using the zener diode? Richard’s red drivers uses the zener in 1S configuration. Congrats.

There is no need for the zener diode unless you will be using 2S. It is simply there to keep the voltage from going above 4.3v. You can install it all the time if you want, but zeners are not cheap.

Same for the bleeder resistor, only needed if you are using a lighted tailcap.

Texas_Ace I edited my post in the same time that you replied it. I intend to use the zener as I already have then.
I respect your work, and understand that these boards will be widely accepted here at BLF. Keep the inspired work.

In answer to your edited question. RMM uses the zener to deal with the voltage spike issue that happens with high currents in the FET. The zener would bleed the voltage spike off keeping the MCU from seeing it.

Since these drivers are using DEL’s updated schematic this is not an issue for these drivers in theory. The new parts fix the voltage spike from happening.

So you can use the zener if desired but they should not be needed.

I put them on the driver simply because I wanted a driver that could do everything, including multi-cell setups.

Now I see the point. Thanks once more.

Plus the zeners bump up parasitic drain on e-switch lights. I've been pulling them off, using the 4.7 ohm resistor instead, before the diode - has to be jury rigged in, however.