Astrolux FT03

ttylamg · 2020-01-05T22:27:19.000Z

after several stars (3 replacements), I finally got it working. However, after running it on turbo, it died instantly! And again, it seems that the led died, not the flashlight/driver part, as the button still works and can go into different modes, I even left the star there and used 2 wires to pull current from the star to another led, and that led runs just fine.

do I just have bad luck with SST-40 leds or what?

arw4 · 2020-02-05T12:02:23.000Z

ttylamg:

after several stars (3 replacements), I finally got it working. However, after running it on turbo, it died instantly! And again, it seems that the led died, not the flashlight/driver part, as the button still works and can go into different modes, I even left the star there and used 2 wires to pull current from the star to another led, and that led runs just fine.

do I just have bad luck with SST-40 leds or what?

That’s a real disappointment after spending the time you have on it. It seems to me that the initial issue of voltage overload may have not only had a detrimental affect on the LED, but may also have adversely affected the FET driver - as you say, the regulated modes are seemingly driving the LED normally. Out of curiosity, what happened to the previous star replacements you made on the flashlight?

ttylamg · 2020-02-06T00:54:08.000Z

arw4:

That’s a real disappointment after spending the time you have on it. It seems to me that the initial issue of voltage overload may have not only had a detrimental affect on the LED, but may also have adversely affected the FET driver - as you say, the regulated modes are seemingly driving the LED normally. Out of curiosity, what happened to the previous star replacements you made on the flashlight?

The big el cheapo led I got from the dollar store, can be driven on full and lower modes (didn’t play with it fully, but am sure it can be ramped full and ramped down just fine) So I am still some what skeptical about the driver being bad, but I am no flashlight expert.

The stars are just sitting in my drawer along with the ft03 parts.

buck91 · 2020-02-08T15:16:59.000Z

Do we know what the vf of these 50.2 FT03 lights is? I received mine (in a gorgeous green ano) a short time ago and so far I’m very happy. Thinking about swapping to a high(er) CRI option than what came with it. 3v, 6v or 12v LED?

JasonWW · 2020-02-08T15:31:36.000Z

buck91:

Do we know what the vf of these 50.2 FT03 lights is? I received mine (in a gorgeous green ano) a short time ago and so far I’m very happy. Thinking about swapping to a high(er) CRI option than what came with it. 3v, 6v or 12v LED?

Forward voltage or just voltage? It’s a 3v led. All FT03/S are 3 volt.

buck91 · 2020-02-09T00:32:13.000Z

Great. Just didn’t know which version of the XHP50.2 they used. I’ll have to start watching for a good tint/CRI 50.2 to replace it with.

Fwhomeboy · 2020-03-13T13:02:59.000Z

Ok, now I have the FT03 and the Fireflies E07, I think I have the best of both, flood and Throw. Is there a single cell Thrower that’s smaller than the FT03 but just as good? Thanks.

arw4 · 2020-03-13T13:20:22.000Z

Have a look at this article for useful guidance.

1lumen.com – 6 Feb 18

Long range flashlights: The best throw flashlights we reviewed (for 2023 )

Best throwers in 2023? The list includes the Best Throwers in each category. Some may not be the newest but still the best in their category! Ordered by battery type and budget.

Fwhomeboy · 2020-03-13T17:16:11.000Z

arw4:

Have a look at this article for useful guidance.

Long range flashlights: The best throw flashlights we reviewed (for 2024 )

Ok, thanks

ttylamg · 2020-04-27T17:52:58.000Z

what are the compatible star and led available for this light? thinking about turning this into a colored light that looks like a laser.

robertkoa · 2020-04-27T20:47:42.000Z

I was wondering about the new
small Osram diode and a cheap way to get 1 kilometer of throw AND having a decent glass zoom lens so it could be a decent flood at lower candela for power failures etc. rather than just a fun thrower.

So IF I do not mod myself - is there anyinterest in a Group Buy - kept simple and maybe a $50 to $60 price ceiling ?

Or any other ideas to really take full advantage of the Osram LED ?

Anyone doing Mods that might be close to this range or maybe total $75 including a host ?

OR - I could just get the Dedomed Nightwatch which has the moon mode which is 800 meter throw etc.

For $40 a very cool light.

Is the Osram very green colored at lower power or not that bad ?

Dave_C1 · 2020-05-04T10:02:36.000Z

Great flashlight for the money, no doubt.
But tbh I can hardly resolve a person at 500m let alone 800+.

mortuus · 2020-05-04T11:16:56.000Z

Dave C:

Great flashlight for the money, no doubt.
But tbh I can hardly resolve a person at 500m let alone 800+.

yeah thats hard really at those distances.

Macka17 · 2020-05-06T00:22:06.000Z

Maybe you want to buy something like this, i am tempted to buy one

HEATING PLATE ——————————————— For reflowing.

I weld.
too old and heavy handed for fine soldering.
I tried.

Coupla mates. electronic tech’s. play a lot.
Both of them use wife’s old electric frypans for reflowing?.

Seem to work well for them.

TrueRMS · 2020-05-11T00:15:10.000Z

Where can I find an original Hex file for the FT03? I have anduril flashed on it but would like to go back to narsil because of some FW issues I’m experiencing.

hodor · 2020-05-11T00:45:06.000Z

Curious what issues you’re having? I flashed Anduril on mine as well off the back of your comments with Tom E and TK and haven’t noticed any problems.

TA has a link to the version he sent Astrolux, should be easy to search for. IIRC it’s the S42 firmware.

TrueRMS · 2020-05-11T01:02:02.000Z

I’m using the light as a single mode (100% only) hunting spot light and try as I may, being super cautious to count exactly 255 clicks when setting ramp_floor to maximum and # of steps to 1 I can not get it to behave as single mode 100% max only light! It’ll come on in a pretty high mode and wont step up or down via holding the button (as if it were in single mode only) but its not at max and to get it to step up to max it requires a double click. It exhibits the same behavior if I try setting the ramp floor to max in ramping mode as well; still not quite full turbo and requires a double click to enter turbo. I could deal with it if It’d memorize turbo and come back into it with a single click from off but it always powers up to the high mode and ALWAYS required that double click to turbo.

For reference my GT_Mini with anduril behaves perfectly in either stepped or ramping modes when taking the same steps to set ramp_floor to max as I try on the FT03. I like to leave the ramping mode set normal, in case I need to use it as my only light but then set the stepped mode set to act as max only so I can jump back and forth as needed with a triple click.

When I flashed the FT03 to anduril I didnt expect to need to go back and I figured if I did I could pull the original code from the product page so I didnt save the chip read. Unfortuniately that’s not the case as astrolux / banggood doesnt seem to be in compliance with the license.

SammysHP · 2020-05-11T04:09:00.000Z

There are 150 levels in Anduril, not 255.

I have a backup of a FT03 which I can upload tomorrow.

TrueRMS · 2020-05-11T06:28:57.000Z

SammysHP:

There are 150 levels in Anduril, not 255.

Excellent observation! I’m an idiot, hehe. Set ramp_floor to 150 clicks and boom; it functions perfect!

Canard · 2020-06-04T14:21:31.000Z

Hello,

I’ve got an annoying issue with my FT03, when I put a cell in it at first the light can’t be turned on, even the button doesn’t light up. If I plug it on USB then it wakes up, and I can use it up to max power. However a few hours later it doesn’t come up anymore to max power, it stays at a rather low intensity, even if I try to unscrew/rescrew the body. What could I try to save it ? The threads don’t seem to be dirty, the behavior is the same with 3 different cells, maybe the driver is stuck in a strange mode, but how to reset it ? Or is it hopeless ?