JasonWW wrote:

Texas_Ace wrote:

Banggood has offered me the chance to help them improve the driver in this light.

I was just curious. Did you do any work with HaikeLite to help improve their drivers? They are saying their MT09R and recent versions of the MT03 are using a new TA based FET driver, but their own UI. I didn’t know if you assisted them or if they just “borrowed” your driver design.

Kinda sorta. They did ask me if they could use the design in their lights and I offered to help them but they decided to do it on their own and use custom firmware. Why, I have no idea.

I then got a message the other day asking for some kind of help with the drivers, so I am not real sure what is going on with them at the moment. I am hoping that I can talk them into using Narsil at least.

Finally heard back from Banggood on the S42 so I could start work on the driver. They want to use the LY4057 charging circuit which looks like it will work.

Got the main driver almost laid out, then start work on the charging pcb. I am not sure what footprint the USB connector is, still got to track that down.

Tell them how much a success narsil was on the Q8. I’m sure it would increase sales. It’s like a factory custom light. What could I do to mod it? Nothing! Lol

Well, if people were to start contacting them asking for Narsil to be used with the drivers it sure would help the chances of it being used.

Tell them I am happy to help them get it working, they have seemed hesitant to use outside help for some reason.

Narsil would be amazing, hope they are reading this thread?

+1 for narsil.

Hey guys, let’s go to this thread and tell Haikelite directly that we would like to see them using NarsilM on their TA based drivers.

http://budgetlightforum.com/comment/1234543#comment-1234543

Oops, posted in wrong thread.

Lexel wrote:

JasonWW wrote:

Hey guys, let’s go to this thread and tell Haikelite directly that we would like to see them using NarsilM on their TA based drivers.

http://budgetlightforum.com/comment/1234543#comment-1234543

Astrolux lights are manufactured by Mateminco!

Dirt wrote:

+1 for narsil.

Yes, that would work really well as a UI on this light. Like a mini-Q8.

Can you guys give me a little help? When I switch to Group 2, I only get 4 modes (Low,Med2,High1,High2) and I can’t get to turbo. I want to be able to enable memory so I can start at Turbo mode instead of having to cycle through each mode in Group 1.

Mode group 2 only supports those 4 modes. You don’t have access to turbo in that group. You’ll have to use the default mode group 1 if you want turbo. But, then you don’t get mode memory.

This light has a really weird UI. I’m making my own driver for it.

Lexel, you use the charger circuit that comes with the S42 on your mod? I’m considering making my own with MCP73831, but maybe it’s not needed if the S42 charger circuit is good enough?

Thanks. I think I’ll just go ahead with my own design… it’s part of the hobby after all

As soon as I hear from TomE to get a me narsil with the new pinout I will release the S42 driver that should be going in all future S42’s from the factory. Never could get narsil to compile properly myself.

A simple FET+1 TA setup but with Narsil it is a heck of a lot better then what it comes with now. Plus should increase the output a lot.

Texas_Ace wrote:

As soon as I hear from TomE to get a me narsil with the new pinout I will release the S42 driver that should be going in all future S42’s from the factory. Never could get narsil to compile properly myself.

A simple FET+1 TA setup but with Narsil it is a heck of a lot better then what it comes with now. Plus should increase the output a lot.

Damn I just ordered a S42! Ahh

Edness wrote:

Texas_Ace wrote:

As soon as I hear from TomE to get a me narsil with the new pinout I will release the S42 driver that should be going in all future S42’s from the factory. Never could get narsil to compile properly myself.

A simple FET+1 TA setup but with Narsil it is a heck of a lot better then what it comes with now. Plus should increase the output a lot.

Damn I just ordered a S42! Ahh

moderator007 wrote:

Edness wrote:

Texas_Ace wrote:

As soon as I hear from TomE to get a me narsil with the new pinout I will release the S42 driver that should be going in all future S42’s from the factory. Never could get narsil to compile properly myself.

A simple FET+1 TA setup but with Narsil it is a heck of a lot better then what it comes with now. Plus should increase the output a lot.

Damn I just ordered a S42! Ahh

Me to
I guess I’ll have to mode it with TAs driver when it comes out.

I modded my first one but bought a 2nd one this week. If I’ve known I would wait for the new one. But I think we get better quality driver from Lexel? Not sure if the factory uses the same components as Lexel.

Any updates from Astrolux on the new driver version?

Thank you Lexel for the nice review and pictures.
I have this light,exactly the S42S one, and trying today to find the strobe mode, I gave up.Can you or some other guy help to find it out?

Theodore41 wrote:

Thank you Lexel for the nice review and pictures. I have this light,exactly the S42S one, and trying today to find the strobe mode, I gave up.Can you or some other guy help to find it out?

Click to turn on.
Press & hold for about 1-2 seconds until the light switches to maximum.
Click again for strobes.

WalkIntoTheLight wrote:

Theodore41 wrote:

Thank you Lexel for the nice review and pictures. I have this light,exactly the S42S one, and trying today to find the strobe mode, I gave up.Can you or some other guy help to find it out?

Click to turn on.
Press & hold for about 1-2 seconds until the light switches to maximum.
Click again for strobes.

The sale price and Nichia emitters are appealing. I am not at all happy with the light for some of the reasons mentioned in the review and comments. The USB cover doesn’t stay in place, it gets very hot very fast, and it isn’t efficient. Additionally, mine did not work at all with the 18650 tube for some odd reason. The switch is wonky. Sometimes it does not work until it is good and ready.

My experience with budget lights and Chinese vendors has had a high failure or disappointment rate. I have received dead and defective lights and it is like pulling teeth to get the vendor to make it right. I have spent more money on multiple poor quality lights than if I had just purchased from Fenix or Zebralight. I have several Fenix and one Zebralight and they have been utterly reliable.

Naam Penn wrote:

The sale price and Nichia emitters are appealing. I am not at all happy with the light for some of the reasons mentioned. Mine did not work with the 18650 tube for some odd reason. The switch is wonky. Sometimes it does not work until it is good and ready. BLF is a great forum. My own experience with budget lights and Chinese vendors has had a high failure or disappointment rate. I have spent more money on multiple poor quality lights than if I had just purchased from Fenix or Zebralight.

Interestingly, my experience with Zebralights weren’t that great. My first one was a SC5c II and it was a horrible green mess that I had to return. My second was a SC5w II and its light output was dimmer than my $10 Utorch UT01. A few weeks later, it pretty much got stuck at a 10 lumen level. I then bought two more SC5w II, which didn’t have that problem but their brightness level really is a lottery as well as their tint so I just kept one of them. However, I’m still not giving up on Zebralights and hoping they will get it right after a few batches/revisions of their 4th gen flashlight, when I will buy more. Some of the Chinese vendors are pretty good like the Emisars and Noctigon Meteor that I bought were perfect and my Thrunites and Sofirns are very reliable and good quality. With that said, the Astrolux S42 is one of the worst flashlight purchases I made. HORRIBLE UI.

I was just about to say that those 2 brands also have their issues.

I dumped my S42 (early buyer) after denting a couple 18350s and shortening the spring(hatchet job). I have the S41S w/18650 tube and if they fix the UI I would buy the S42S. I like the aggressive knurling and the weight in the hand. Beats a roll of coins for assisted knockout punch and pretty bright in the eyes. I’m not really violent, just trying to justify it to my wife.

I received one of these recently in a giveaway from a generous member here.
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The reports of the UI being, um, perplexing had me a little worried about how much use it would get, but happily I’ve been able to work with it so far and have been enjoying the light.

Instead of assessing the UI as good/bad, my approach has been more one of “it is what it is,” which admittedly is maybe a little easier with a light that was free to me.
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Some thoughts:
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-The “no off from moonlight without going through turbo” conundrum is fairly easily sidestepped by using a “twisty off” on the head.
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-As Chinooker states above, I also like the knurling and weight, as well as the overall form and appearance.
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-I like that even with an 18650, it’s still more compact and pocketable than some other 18650 lights I have (S2+, Sofirn SP31 and 32A).
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-USB charging is potentially useful, but the port cover was lost before I got the light, so it’s not a light I’d want to expose to moisture. Even if I got a replacement cover, I’d still have some reservations about the water resistance.
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-I don’t find the duration of the long press to off to be excessively long.
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-I like the lack of mode memory in Group 1, it seems reasonable to simply turn the light off and then back on as a sort of shortcut back to moonlight when needed.
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-The Group 2 “muggle mode” seems like a decent option to have available if I want to hand the light off to someone without giving them a detailed account of how to use the light.
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-I’m a big fan of Nichia emitters, which is probably the biggest factor in my willingness to work with the UI, and why I keep grabbing it over other lights lately.
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-Heat build up is noticeable, but I tend to mostly use the lower modes anyway.
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-No issues with the switch yet, and I actually like the “breathing light.” I having been leaving it on with the light on my bedside table at night.
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-No issues with the 18650 tube on mine fitting an unprotected Sanyo GA.