[quote=Spartans]
OK you butt biters…
Read this whole post , couldn’t get that out of mind . 
I would very much like to have a quality abuse-proof (incl. muggle-proof) emergency light.
But the format proposed…is just not it:
- not tough enough
- I wouldn’t want something small but 4*AA seems too large
My vision would be:
- single 21700
- possible to replace the cell but in a way that’s hard for muggles
- glue, but weak enough to be breakable for anyone determined to break it?
- some tool needed?
- built-in charger
- sealed like Zanflare F1 but like some phones with a waterproof socket; so the seal protects only from dirt accumulation and corrosion but is not necessary to maintain waterproofing
- termination voltage that doesn’t degrade the cell too quickly. 4.0V? 4.1V?
- fully potted
- seriously tough body material, not the cheapest alu you can source
- painted in reflective paint like road signs, so lighting stuff up even with a match makes it easy to find
- can’t stress it enough - well tested design, good testing during production
The Zanflare F1 is not far from what you want Agro. If only it was put together with more care than they did, it could be a very tough flashlight easy for muggles to operate. As it is now it is not attractive: too bulky to really like it as a flashoholic and still not bomb-proof.
djozz: I agree, it’s quite close. Except that I’d like the serious reliability that it just doesn’t have.
And I actually like the F1. A lot, even though I don’t use it much. Bulky, yes. But for $10 it’s extremely high quality, well done and feature rich. And well packaged.
I’ve had 250k custom machines made in China. Very well aware of how tough it could be….but this is far, far from it.
This “EM1” is a variation of what they do every day. Integrating USB recharging into the light? They already do it for li-ion. Adding a red led on the tail cap “may” present a problem. Or not.
This is a better mousetrap that can have a mass market direction, which may not even appeal to smaller companies. They already distribute through Amazon so distribution already exists. Big box stores is something else.
Let’s see if they buy into it….
Quick take….
Li-ion may meet resistance in big box stores.
Li-ion can be problematic in higher temperture zones. Particularly inside cars.
Body material toughness is easy. More concerned about electrical robustness.
Got back a response from Sofirn……they are looking at it and will get back tomorrow.
I hope they don’t misunderstand some of the responses in this thread. Thirty enthusiasts will have 30 variations of what they want.
Let’s wait and see….
Do not under-estimate what can go wrong, especially with these small companies that have no hands-on expertise with their own products (unbelievable but that is really going on). A small design mistake can ruin a complete flashlight, and they will not figure them out themselves, it is up to you/BLF to find and correct them as the project progresses.
I sound rather pessimistic, but it is meant as advice and if it is done right we have a very nice new BLF-light that has unique features.
Marcus could blow it up…
Noted……and will be diligent.
I have a few business tricks up my sleeve but i can’t help them if they screw up the electrical circuit.
That’s where BLF testing and brain trust can help out.
Quality control is out of our reach, but i think that Sofirn is a serious company and that is not an issue.
Let’s face it, we are entusiasts and doing this for fun. I or we can help, but ultimatly up to them.
I’ll post what/when they respond.
Quite different: quality control is out of our reach, and still we are quality control, that is the fun of BLF projects. Quality control is a major issue.
Sofirn is a serious company but they lack part of the expertise to make the specific flashlights that we want from them.
Perhaps I should learn mandarin after I finish university, so I can go to Shenzen and supervise the flashlight manufacturers 
Lol…not a bad idea. Actually, quality control and purchasing is critical.
I don’t know about Soferins capabilities but what i know from Chinese companies i delt with, they range from strictly marketers with everything done outside to assemblers. It’s rare to find vertically integrated companies.
For example, a flaslight company would have to be really big to buy their own 3 axis CNC lathe AND mill. Quarter million and needs to run 24/7 to be cost effective. Plus the skill and engineering behind it. Meanwhile, there is probably a pile of companies who specialize in machining. And who will make it almost at the cost of internal production.
Soooo…
The most critical component of these kind of companies is purchasing and quality control inspection.
One can make a pretty good career out of speaking mandarin and acting as a purchasing and quality control go between for major companies. For now.
Although, you might need to also learn vietnamese or whatever language of the next lowest cost country….
As a muggle just two months ago, I can tell you the more features it has, the less likely someone will want it. This isn't a "As seen on TV" product where you profess it being a flashlight, a can opener, and a coffee grinder.
Pretty much this. It's -4 degrees as I write this.
Up until recently, my emergency light was a Surefire 6PX Pro (2011 version). It had two modes - 15 and 320 lumens, and runs on a pair of CR123A batteries.
- CR123A - plentiful, cheap, and can last 10 years. People DO know these batteries. They are for sale at CVS & Walgreens.
- 15/320 lumens - Having the high mode be "only" 320 lumens is enough for any emergency task and it prevents somebody from stupidly running it on 1000lm turbo mode and wondering why the flashlight only lasts 45 minutes. On high mode, the 6PX goes 2.5 hours. That's pretty good.
Now most people aren't going to spend the money I spent on this thing, but the functionality is brain dead simple and will last forever in my glove compartment. About the only other thing I wished it had was a magnet. Some of the suggestions here are good, but we may want to tame down our expectations a bit. Scope creep is not good for your target audience here, unless your target audience is other BLF members.
If you make this rechargeable, include the battery, make sure they are some kind of LSD Li-ion (18650?), and a fool-proof USB charging mechanism with clear indicator lights. Think Sofirn SP30A with a couple embellishments.
I’d like to add that while CR123A may be popular in the USA, that’s not the case with Europe. Here they practically don’t exist. And when you manage to find one it costs 10-20 times as much as AA.
To mill and turn aluminum does not require crazy machinery. People dog HAAS CNCs but they’re the work dog of CNC machining and within the reach of even a small job shop. I know a couple guys who have one in their garage! But a turning center with live tooling and bar feed can pretty much do all the machining needed for a flashlight - automated.
If you have the skills to design it in CAD you probably can find a local machine shop to make you a prototype and you can test it for feasibility and usefulness beforehand. Or even get a cheap 3D printer to make prototypes first. Just saying that if you have an idea that you believe has merit, it probably will take a lot more effort than you think to get the ball rolling.
The same happens in my country.
.
How about a railway lamp design, with white light forward, red or amber rear. Could be used to illuminate an area and also warn oncoming traffic of danger. With a wide voltage range driver and a little thought, perhaps a design than can take 1 or 2 26650, or 4 C cells (or AA with C cell adapters), or 12v/24v? I have a few devices that come with AA and proprietary battery caddies so I can chose what I want to use.
Keep the lumens/temperature reasonable and it could be (dare I say it) made from plastic.
I do like the idea of the battery carrier. Let responsible and knowledgeable folks use Li-Ion, and let the those unfamiliar with such tech to use lithium or alkaline…
Looking around at what else is available and I found these with a 2x18650 or 4xAA option, and more importantly it can charge your phone.