[Available again! - BLF special edition light] new Sofirn AAA twisty high CRI 5mm LED

Lonelydad · 2021-03-27T05:07:34.000Z

AAA-powered (Lithium-ion not supported. Unsure if it’s been tested)

I dropped an NiMH AAA cell into one of my C01s lights, thinking to see how well it worked, with the idea of saving a little on cells. It lights up, but only on low. I’m guessing the 1.2v is just too low to power the high mode. It will work great if all you are interested in is using the low for nighttime navigation around the house.

SammysHP · 2021-03-27T05:18:10.000Z

The C01S works fine with NiMH. No problems with high.

Fescron · 2021-03-27T09:45:33.000Z

SammysHP:

The C01S works fine with NiMH. No problems with high.

Yes I use mine with only NiMH rechargables. I use the C01S daily and if the high mode starts to dim very fast after I put the light in high I just put in a new NiMH battery and recharge the old one. The light maybe doesn’t get as bright or works as long compared to non-rechargeable batteries but that’s fine by me. I always got some spares in my backpack anyway.

SammysHP · 2021-03-27T15:40:19.000Z

NiMH batteries have better performance than alkaline.

gravelmonkey · 2021-03-28T19:34:19.000Z

gchart:

jon_slider:

gchart’s failure sounds like a broken component, not just a solder joint… not sure

Yeah, the ferrite broke in half. I’ll likely pick up a new inductor on my next Mouser order. Too bad, I just placed an order like 2 days ago.

Do you know if this broke with the light off or on?

The djozz torture video has the light switched on, if I remember - with the light switched off, the cell can then move inside the tube and act like a hammer, perhaps what happened with your light?

djozz · 2021-03-28T21:36:02.000Z

Pretty amazing that that happened with such a small and shallow inductor. But children have special talents for these things

Lonelydad · 2021-03-30T21:36:46.000Z

Fescron:

SammysHP:

The C01S works fine with NiMH. No problems with high.

Yes I use mine with only NiMH rechargables. I use the C01S daily and if the high mode starts to dim very fast after I put the light in high I just put in a new NiMH battery and recharge the old one. The light maybe doesn’t get as bright or works as long compared to non-rechargeable batteries but that’s fine by me. I always got some spares in my backpack anyway.

OK, I did my test with a cell straight from the package, so the voltage may have been down a little. I’ll throw the cells in the charger for a while, then test again.

Lonelydad · 2021-04-01T17:40:15.000Z

Lonelydad:

* AAA-powered (Lithium-ion not supported. Unsure if it’s been tested)

I dropped an NiMH AAA cell into one of my C01s lights, thinking to see how well it worked, with the idea of saving a little on cells. It lights up, but only on low. I’m guessing the 1.2v is just too low to power the high mode. It will work great if all you are interested in is using the low for nighttime navigation around the house.

I am embarrassed to admit this, but it wasn’t a C01S, it was just a C01. No wonder it would only have one output level! Dropped a NiMH into a real C01S and it works fine.

Unheard · 2021-04-01T18:08:37.000Z

Lonelydad:

I am embarrassed to admit this, but it wasn’t a C01S, it was just a C01. No wonder it would only have one output level! Dropped a NiMH into a real C01S and it works fine.

No need to be embarrassed. Thanks for clarification :+1:

djozz · 2021-04-01T18:17:20.000Z

Any more folks had their C01 fail sofar? For any reason?

dk21291 · 2021-06-26T23:02:11.000Z

Wanted to post a C01 mod I did recently. A few weeks ago I came into possession of some 5mm lights from Peak LED Solutions. They have these neat little auto cycling RGB 5mm emitters. Did some googling and found new color changing 5mm emitters and made modern versions with the C01. Here’s a video, there’s two versions, the left is a standard 5mm package, while the right is a shorter, straw-hat style package. They’re pointless really, but fairly mesmerizing to look at.

Rainbow C01

TIFisher · 2021-06-26T23:34:23.000Z

That is friggin’ kewl!!!

jon_slider · 2021-06-27T03:47:58.000Z

dk21291:

Rainbow C01

Wow!
that would make a fun camp marker…

goshdogit · 2021-06-27T04:15:07.000Z

Nice mod, dk21291!

I found several listings for RGB cycling 5mm LEDs on Amazon.

Here’s one to get started.

The listing specifies 3 to 3.2 Vf. This page says the Yuji 5mm LEDs from the first run C01 are 2.7 to 3.1 Vf. A quick search indicates the Sophia 5mm LEDs from later models are 3 Vf.

Seems like these RGB emitters would do fine in both versions.

dk21291 · 2021-07-01T12:52:01.000Z

goshdogit:

Nice mod, dk21291! :+1:

I found several listings for RGB cycling 5mm LEDs on Amazon.

Here’s one to get started.

The listing specifies 3 to 3.2 Vf. This page says the Yuji 5mm LEDs from the first run C01 are 2.7 to 3.1 Vf. A quick search indicates the Sophia 5mm LEDs from later models are 3 Vf.

Seems like these RGB emitters would do fine in both versions.

Thanks! Those are the ones I used, actually

lumenzilla · 2021-07-11T17:58:45.000Z

That’s a kewl mod, dk21291!

I remember I have a few of those changing color 5mm LED. I’ll give it a try.

iamlucky13 · 2021-07-12T06:02:14.000Z

The RGB mod is charming. I’ve been thinking of doing the same, but have been putting off ordering any more lights for a while, due to have a couple mods in progress waiting for me to have time to complete them.

Would you care to share the source for the specific LED’s used?

I’m also still toying around with the idea of making a set of monochrome C01’s…LED supply has something like 9 different wavelengths to choose from, but I figure I don’t need that many.

Perhaps I’d better pull the trigger before the unpotted colors sell out.

dk21291 · 2021-07-25T04:35:27.000Z

iamlucky13:

The RGB mod is charming. I’ve been thinking of doing the same, but have been putting off ordering any more lights for a while, due to have a couple mods in progress waiting for me to have time to complete them.

Would you care to share the source for the specific LED’s used?

I’m also still toying around with the idea of making a set of monochrome C01’s…LED supply has something like 9 different wavelengths to choose from, but I figure I don’t need that many.

Perhaps I’d better pull the trigger before the unpotted colors sell out.

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I got the LEDs from Amazon, here’s the link:

Amazon.com (not an affiliate link, I can remove if not allowed)

I don’t see myself using anywhere near 100 though, so if anyone wants to do this mod let me know and I can probably send a couple for the cost of shipping

flightless22 · 2024-07-10T16:16:26.988Z

This seller “Clee Led Store” on aliexpress has 5mm >95 CRI and brand is Epistar

Straw-hat 5mm: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803689145122.html

Regular 5mm: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803688876860.html

I messaged the seller to ask if they can sell in smaller quantities.

Has anyone tested these already?

flightless22 · 2024-07-10T16:23:14.802Z

Mine are still going strong I use only NI-HM batteries