BLF-348 - why can’t someone make that have 4 levels?
now THAT would be the perfect light
I just got a Lumintop Tool and it is great, just a little un-sleek looking.
So you
// add 3 levels to the BLF-348,
// make it tailstand,
// cost $9.99,
// make the levels MOON-L-M-H (or at least 3 levels … L-M-H)
//, make the button spring less stiff,
…voila… SUPERLIGHT! (i’d buy one or 2 anyway 
)
{the Tool is very good, just thinking what would make it perfect… for me … 
}
:+1: at least for the three levels. Tail stand doesn’t matter much for me on this light. Button stiffness is okay for me
I totally agree. That’s the only thing that keeps the BLF-348 from being one of my top favorites. It’s still a very nice little light for the money but it would be SOOOOO much better if it had three modes. Personally if given a choice I’d want moon-medium-high with no mode memory. Even a standard low-med-high would make me happy and at around $10 each I’d buy tons of them. More people need to scream for this. :+1:
Not the same light, but similar and 3 mode.
Emitter???
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1/10014229/6632400-1-led-3-mode-100lm-mini-led-flashlight
Love my 348 - never thought it’d need any modes. In fact, the simplicity is why I like the light so much.
Mine can tailstand without the clip mounted.
Make it M-L-H and I jump on it
There are cheap drivers with 3 modes, but usually with visible PWM, strobe as the 3rd mode and next mode memory. 
Personally i quite like the simplicity of the 348.
When you want light you just turn it on, and when you don’t you turn it off.
The same light from is option is $7.35 and comes with a battery and charger. Hmmm? Atleast that is what it says.
no sale - that one has a strobe mode, no medium.
also no battery or charger…
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1/10014229/6632400-1-led-3-mode-100lm-mini-led-flashlight
Lumintop has that part right at least, 3 good modes, with no PWM, no strobe and no memory….
wle
One of the best things about the 348 (and there are many) is the switch. It disappears into a jean pocket with no worries about accidental activation. A big plus IMO. Just a great light over all. A low mode would be cool, I’d buy more just for that reason. But it’s great the way it is.
I actually prefer the BLF-348 in its current single-mode form. Press for light, no complications. I carry one at all times for that reason - it’s riding on my pyjama waistband right now. I don’t miss the 3-mode Fenix LD-02 I used to use at all.
The BLF-348 also works wonderfully as a gift for non-flashaholics who just want to switch on and get a decent amount of light.
I like it so much I would buy several units of an AA version, should it ever be made. Same LED, same brightness, same single mode, same physical design, just scaled up to the bigger cell.
In my experience, if I need multiple modes, I usually need a bigger light anyway. That’s where my 18650 EDC comes in (currently an Astrolux S41S, presently sitting within arm’s length on my desk).
i consider the ‘extra modes’ to be the lower ones, not the higher ones…
like going in a dark room and not waking up sleepers…
not ruining night vision when it;s already dark
i’ve got an EDC that does this too, astrolux S1, but i’d rather switch to something smaller when smaller will do
wle
my favorite 4 mode lights are the AAA L08 and the AA L11c, both with Nichia
L08 nice but twisty switch
L11 nice but 3x what i want to pay!
wle
You make it and I’ll buy 2 from you for 10$
Ric made the original S1 for like 17$ and it sold a bunch …lets not get too greedy here
Likely a tiny10 DD would do the job. Plenty of us already load a 10440 and the driver change would give those modes. It’s already near DD in that the stock boost driver only limits cell current with a sub ohm resistor.
Just one 20lm-ish low mode, and I’d be all over the 348. As it is, I have no love for pocket rockets - if I need the punch the 348 packs, I’ll just whip out a torch with a battery that makes the mode last, like an AA or 18650.
Not like I use more than 100 lumens daily anyway, or such a small light for tasks other than close-ranged ones for that matter.
Well, on a NiMH AAA the 348 is something like 50 Lumens, isn’t it?
A small boost driver with modes is definitely doable but with what we have now requires stacked boards and would only be available as an Oshpark project. I’ve mentioned before that one way to bring a new driver into production is with a gb. The problem with this particular light is that there isn’t space in the pill for a second board so modes are only an option using a linear driver since it can be done with a single board. The use of a clock chip instead of an mcu is an option but to my knowledge no one has explored that , possibly due to the lack of customization.