Giancarlo wrote:

Texas_Ace wrote:

I designed the driver (and TomE did the firmware), pretty sure it allows you to recalibrate or disable the thermal control It explains how in the Narsil instructions.

I read in some reviews that the GT94 gets hot very soon. Perhaps the step down set by the factory is to prevent the driver from getting damaged. Buck drivers are delicate. Perhaps it is better to leave the factory settings which has some good reason.

I set the default step-down temperature at 55c in the firmware. Due to variances in the MCU’s this can vary by 15c+ from light to light. So the step-down could happen between 40c and 70c depending on your particular light. This is not a problem since the user can recalibrate the temperature to their liking.

The factory did not change the temperature setting from what I set it to, it is just simply variances in the MCU’s. It is perfectly safe to raise the tempreture or even disable it. The internal components are rated for 105c+, the cells are the only thing you really have to worry about, VTC6’s are rated for 80c but lower quality cells can be rated for less.

In my stress testing with thermal control disabled I saw a max temp or ~95c at the head and the cells were ~75c. So still safe even with thermal control disabled, although it is not recommended to do that on a regular basis.

In a nut shell, you are welcome to re-calibrate the temperature control to whatever temp you want or disable it completely. It is easy to do in the firmware, I simply don’t have it memorized. It should say in the manual how to do it though. If not there is a cheatsheet in the GT70 thread that has it for sure.

Tom E wrote:

It’s not a buck – LED’s are wired in 4S, ref here: http://budgetlightforum.com/comment/1687373#comment-1687373

I’m sure it’s 2 channels, with the high power channel being a FET. Voltage divider resistors used to monitor battery voltage.

With 4S LED’s, amps should be in the ~20 range, instead of ~80 range if they were in parallel.

 

Correct, it is the same driver setup as the GT70, a resistor bank for the low modes and FET for the higher modes. The GT4/GT94 driver is just beefed up a fair amount to handle the ~30A it has to deal with.

Giancarlo wrote:

Texas_Ace wrote:

In this lights [GT94] case the SMO reflector has a slight donut hole (simply due to how large the die is on the LED, not much you can do about it).

I haven’t seen a donut hole in the videos posted on Youtube. Perhaps it is very light and can only be noticed by projecting the beam onto a white wall at very short distance.

I doubt a camera would pick it up easily, it is faint but there. I mostly noticed it when getting lux readings, the numbers were higher at the edge of the hotspot then in the center. It is most noticeable at mid ranges.

I am a technical guy though so I focus on things like that more then most. On the flip side I don’t generally care much about cosmetics and that sort of thing.

Texas_Ace wrote:

We should know more once the reflectors are made but I am guessing they will be sent automatically but don’t quote me.

Cool! Thank you sir. Another question. If and when I get the reflector could I send you the head and you install the new reflector? I would be willing to pay a fee. I don’t have the tools and am not comfortable disassemblying the light. We can take this to pm if you like.

Yes, that is an option we can discuss when the time comes.

Texas_Ace wrote:

Yes, that is an option we can discuss when the time comes.

Kind of/sort related/unrelated, TA - were you involved in the HK90 design or driver? I got one coming in a few days. The price of the GT94 is out of my reach for now, so settled on a "Super Shocker", paying homage to the BTU Shocker of a few years back - the HK90 is a triple LED at 100 mm head diameter size, SMO reflector, 3 21700's, 3 SBT90.2's. Neal gave me a pretty good deal.

It's probably a 3P LED setup because the batteries appear to be 3P. Review here: https://1lumen.com/review/haikelite-hk90/

The candela though appears to be about 1/2 of the GT94, unfortunately.

Tom E wrote:

Kind of/sort related/unrelated, TA – were you involved in the HK90 design or driver? I got one coming in a few days. The price of the GT94 is out of my reach for now, so settled on a “Super Shocker”, paying homage to the BTU Shocker of a few years back – the HK90 is a triple LED at 100 mm head diameter size, SMO reflector, 3 21700’s, 3 SBT90.2’s. Neal gave me a pretty good deal.

It’s probably a 3P LED setup because the batteries appear to be 3P. Review here: https://1lumen.com/review/haikelite-hk90/

The candela though appears to be about 1/2 of the GT94, unfortunately.

 

 

Nope, not sure who did that one, my guess is Lexel.

That is an interesting light, a larger version of the MT09r basically, I still love my MT09R / MT03’s and are some of my most used lights. I actually want to get another MT03 or similar light as a Christmas gift sometime soon, keep hoping another stimulus check would show up lol.

Yeah, the MT03 is awesome - I got a couple of them. The HK90 tested at 688 kcd, rated at 750 kcd. It's a bit lower than what I'd expect. The lumens tested at 16K, which is fair, so think'n it's not well focused, or reflector issues. I'm think'n it's not down by a lot, though - was hoping for 750-800 kcd from a triple in this size.

Yeah, those numbers are not bad all things considered but could be a bit better possibly.

I think part of the numbers being low is it being a triple vs a quad. There is more wasted reflector space in a triple vs a quad which will effect the numbers. This is part of why I prefer quads as a rule.

I just got my BLF GT94 Texas_Ace Group Buy delivered to me by DHL. The enclosed instruction set document looks like it is nicely detailed in refreshingly clear English. Texas Avenger driver, Narsil user interface. The battery carrier looks like something that is not for the electro-mechanically challenged person. I was able to get the cells and the carrier functioning properly the first time; no fumbling or repeated attempts were necessary. Insert the cells correct polarity, tighten the thingy-dingy screw cap, insert carrier, double click, instant turbo, no fuss, no muss.

The head has a heavy-quality feel, lots of heat sinking. The cooling fins look like they really were designed to be cooling fins, not just a visual afterthought; so there should be plenty of heat sinking and heat dissipation.

I have to wait nine hours for the dawn of the new flashlight day. Then, I will see for myself how much more it throws compared to the X65 and the R90TS. I am visualizing narrower beam than the R90TS and a little bit more wider beam than the X65. Mine came with orange peel reflector, but word on the street is that Neal will be mailing smooth reflectors some time in the future. This will be an opportunity to see for myself the difference in observable throw for smooth versus op reflectors.

I don't post beam shots, because my beam shots are not high enough quality to be of any value to the discerning flashoholic. I don't post pics on this forum, because I am not capable of working around not being able to attach pics on the forum.

This is a Must Have light. I ordered the HK90 first, but the HK90 has not arrived yet, so for me, this is the first multiple emitter 90.2 light.

richbuff wrote:

I just got my BLF GT94 Texas_Ace Group Buy delivered to me by DHL. The enclosed instruction set document looks like it is nicely detailed in refreshingly clear English. Texas Avenger driver, Narsil user interface. The battery carrier looks like something that is not for the electro-mechanically challenged person. I was able to get the cells and the carrier functioning properly the first time; no fumbling or repeated attempts were necessary. Insert the cells correct polarity, tighten the thingy-dingy screw cap, insert carrier, double click, instant turbo, no fuss, no muss.

The head has a heavy-quality feel, lots of heat sinking. The cooling fins look like they really were designed to be cooling fins, not just a visual afterthought; so there should be plenty of heat sinking and heat dissipation.

I have to wait nine hours for the dawn of the new flashlight day. Then, I will see for myself how much more it throws compared to the X65 and the R90TS. I am visualizing narrower beam than the R90TS and a little bit more wider beam than the X65. Mine came with orange peel reflector, but word on the street is that Neal will be mailing smooth reflectors some time in the future. This will be an opportunity to see for myself the difference in observable throw for smooth versus op reflectors.

I don’t post beam shots, because my beam shots are not high enough quality to be of any value to the discerning flashoholic. I don’t post pics on this forum, because I am not capable of working around not being able to attach pics on the forum.

 

This is a Must Have light. I ordered the HK90 first, but the HK90 has not arrived yet, so for me, this is the first multiple emitter 90.2 light.

Testing results
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/74055?page=8#comment-1706404

Hardusvd70 wrote:

Testing results http://budgetlightforum.com/node/74055?page=8#comment-1706404

Nice results, missed those the first time

 Size comparison pics of MF05, GT94,  R90TS and X65: candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?471425-Lumintop-GT94-4*SBT90-2-1-65Mcd-Search-Light-with-attached-pics-)&p=5420246#post5420246

I have been told that it is ok over here to post live links to the other place, but being that I am feeling a tad conservative, I will post a link that does not directly connect the two realms to each other. Who knows, just one tiny spark could cause both universes to go thermo-nuclear atomic fireball.

No prob at all here, link all you want! 

Just received the strap wrench for removing my GT94 bezel. Did a quick test and the bezel was loosened easily. Waiting for the smooth reflector.

Tom E wrote:

It’s not a buck – LED’s are wired in 4S, ref here: http://budgetlightforum.com/comment/1687373#comment-1687373

I’m sure it’s 2 channels, with the high power channel being a FET. Voltage divider resistors used to monitor battery voltage.

With 4S LED’s, amps should be in the ~20 range, instead of ~80 range if they were in parallel.

 

Texas_Ace wrote:

Hardusvd70 wrote:

Testing results http://budgetlightforum.com/node/74055?page=8#comment-1706404

Nice results, missed those the first time

Hardusvd70 wrote:

Texas_Ace wrote:

Hardusvd70 wrote:

Testing results http://budgetlightforum.com/node/74055?page=8#comment-1706404

Nice results, missed those the first time

Definitely few persantage lost from SMO to OP reflector.

You have both reflectors? I didn’t see that comparison, which numbers were those?

Texas_Ace wrote:

Hardusvd70 wrote:

Texas_Ace wrote:

Hardusvd70 wrote:

Testing results http://budgetlightforum.com/node/74055?page=8#comment-1706404

Nice results, missed those the first time

Definitely few persantage lost from SMO to OP reflector.

You have both reflectors? I didn’t see that comparison, which numbers were those?

Hardusvd70 wrote:

Texas_Ace wrote:

Hardusvd70 wrote:

Texas_Ace wrote:

Hardusvd70 wrote:

Testing results http://budgetlightforum.com/node/74055?page=8#comment-1706404

Nice results, missed those the first time

Definitely few persantage lost from SMO to OP reflector.

You have both reflectors? I didn’t see that comparison, which numbers were those?

No I don’t have. VOB measured around 1.55Mcd and Michael Searchlights on Youtube also measured around 1.55 Mcd.

Ah I got ya, I generally consider anything within ~10% from different people equivalent due to variances in a bunch of factors but yes, assuming all else is equal that is about a 10% difference. Just about what I expected.

I am guessing you would be hard pressed to see that with the naked eye (it takes 4x the light to appear 2x as bright to the human eye) and no side-by-side comparison so it will really come down to what beam style people prefer more I am guessing.

Texas_Ace wrote:

Hardusvd70 wrote:

Texas_Ace wrote:

Hardusvd70 wrote:

Texas_Ace wrote:

Hardusvd70 wrote:

Testing results http://budgetlightforum.com/node/74055?page=8#comment-1706404

Nice results, missed those the first time

Definitely few persantage lost from SMO to OP reflector.

You have both reflectors? I didn’t see that comparison, which numbers were those?

No I don’t have. VOB measured around 1.55Mcd and Michael Searchlights on Youtube also measured around 1.55 Mcd.

Ah I got ya, I generally consider anything within ~10% from different people equivalent due to variances in a bunch of factors but yes, assuming all else is equal that is about a 10% difference. Just about what I expected.

I am guessing you would be hard pressed to see that with the naked eye (it takes 4x the light to appear 2x as bright to the human eye) and no side-by-side comparison so it will really come down to what beam style people prefer more I am guessing.

I celebrated the dawn of the new flashlight day by taking a little trip with the X65, R90TS and GT94op. The X65 and R90TS both show the same amount of light on target at 650 meters, and the same maximum usable throw distance of about 800 meters. The GT94op bests the X65 and the R90TS by putting more light on target 650 meters, and by extending maximum usable throw distance to about 1,000 meters. The additional throw that the GT94op has over the other two lights is enough to make me very happy that I added this light to my power thrower collection.  

Can someone with both a GT4 and GT94 please post some beamshots for short, medium and long range? Thanks

Kinda surprising to me that such an engineering feat as this light is receiving almost no love over on CPF. There are atleast 3 threads over there and no comments at all.

ImagioX1 wrote:

Kinda surprising to me that such an engineering feat as this light is receiving almost no love over on CPF. There are atleast 3 threads over there and no comments at all.

Anything from BLF is considered second rate on CPF for the most part in my experience.

I tried posting there early on but got threaten with a ban since I was from BLF and have not gone back since.

There are a lot of good guys over there but the management seems to really have it out for BLF for some reason. Thankfully a lot of those good guys also post over here.

Those Surefires are what seem second rate to me . Honestly though this light is probably the highest quality light I have ever had. Seems right on par with the Maxabeam I used to have but much more useful. Seriously impressive engineering.

ImagioX1 wrote:

Those Surefires are what seem second rate to me . Honestly though this light is probably the highest quality light I have ever had. Seems right on par with the Maxabeam I used to have but much more useful. Seriously impressive engineering.

Thank you, I try to make each light I work on the best it can reasonably be. It is nice to know it is appreciated.

What changes need to be made to the GT70 driver to up the current for 4 SBT.90s in series?

grin wrote:

What changes need to be made to the GT70 driver to up the current for 4 SBT.90s in series?

Technically the GT70 driver would work as is but swapping the FET would be a good idea.

There are some other PCB changes to the GT4/GT94 drivers to beef them up and reduce voltage spikes and improve longevity but they are not possible to implement on the GT70 driver. The GT4 driver also has the programming key to make re-flashing easier.