*BLF LT1 Lantern Project) (updated Nov,17,2020)

[NotSoBrightGuy]

Need help please. I can't figure out how to post a picture (have read the turorial and tried from Imgur, Flickr and Google Drive). Can anyone post my design of the BLF L1 lantern logo found here:
https://imgur.com/a/YSC4Uzr

Thanks

[Grappler]

I still think we can do better on the logo font.

Just my 2 cents from the peanut gallery, as I’m not a designer and don’t have the ideal font to suggest.

However it ends up, I’ll be fine with it.

[BlueSwordM]

@Notsobrightguy, use https://postimages.org/

Here is the pic:

[Coscar]

@ NotSoBrightGuy

@DBSAR

Here you go.
I like this design, and feel this should be the final Lantern name & logo.

!https://i.imgur.com/Z6YUbKE.jpg !

I may be wrong but I think this is ‘basically’ what DBSAR decided on…… I imagine he will probably do some tweaking before it is sent to the manufacturer. (i.e.- font, ray spacing, etc) I do like your font better tho……

[alternety]

I really think the characters should be thinner and/or a different font. Otherwise, I like it.

[DBSAR]

@osb40000

I would absolutely use the power bank feature, as would anyone I knew that’s using it outdoors. We use our phones for GPS navigation, music, cameras, etc and always have a power brick with us. This lantern will have plenty of capacity to serve as a battery brick so I certainly vote for it.

That said, it’s not needed if it’s a deal breaker and I am much more concerned with the lantern’s durability/reliability and function than it’s use for power.

With four good 3500 mah 18650’s it will have a massive 14 amp hours of capacity, (14000 mah) to be able to charge a phone and run the lantern.

[DBSAR]

@Coscar

@ NotSoBrightGuy

@DBSAR

Here you go.
I like this design, and feel this should be the final Lantern name & logo.

!https://i.imgur.com/Z6YUbKE.jpg !

I may be wrong but I think this is ‘basically’ what DBSAR decided on…… I imagine he will probably do some tweaking before it is sent to the manufacturer. (i.e.- font, ray spacing, etc) I do like your font better tho……

As for the logo, a design will be set in stone soon for the manufacturer, as i already sent Barry a high res drawing of the logo i posted earlier. We can play with designs, drawings, and ideas for a logo for centuries, but have to set a time limit and a pin down a design. Not everyone will like the same one, but we can’t spend to much time & effort in a logo that “everyone” likes perfectly. The more important things are getting the actual lantern rolling with the manufacturer. I have provided Barry with all the design drawings & specs for the BLF lantern, and awaiting to hear back from Barry & them as he said their engineers are working on the design to produce a prototype sample.

[lionheart_2281]

Be crazy for this not to have type c powerbank function, takes 4 18650s and will be used for camping, this should be a prerequisite

[Zulumoose]

@Tom Tom

My take on it:

Yes, it should have a built in charger, USB micro or C input, preferably with MPPT type conditioning so that it can be connected to anything from a small solar panel to a high power 2 or 3A connection.

After that, I see it as optional. Those who want to then use it as a power bank could take out some or all cells and put them into a lightweight inexpensive powerbank housing to charge up their mobile or tablet etc, or put into a more suitable lightweight torch for backpacking.

The problem with getting into the habit of this is that it may, depending who is with you, lead to someone thinking it is a bright idea to take a cell or two they have now fully depleted in a separate powerbank, and put them back in the lantern, in parallel with 2 or 3 fully charged cells, leading to potential disaster.
That is far less likely to happen if availability of a powerbank function gives them less reason to take out a cell.

On the other hand, this cell imbalance potential makes it advisable for someone who is planning a long trip to take a 4 bay powerbank with independent charging bays as well, both to balance cells before inserting a set in the lantern, and to hold a backup set of cells.

[Coscar]

@DBSAR

Not everyone will like the same one, but we can’t spend to much time & effort in a logo that “everyone” likes perfectly. The more important things are getting the actual lantern rolling with the manufacturer.

+1 ……… totally agree ……… the logo/name is the least important part of this project.

[JoeRodge]

Add me to the list please. For one.

[smokuxx1987]

Add me to the list for 3.

[sbslider]

@JoeRodge

Add me to the list please. For one.

JoeRodge added at number 928 on the interest list.

@smokuxx1987

Add me to the list for 3.

smokuxx1987 added at numbers 929 - 931 on the interest list.

[Tom_Tom]

@Zulumoose

The problem with getting into the habit of this is that it may, depending who is with you, lead to someone thinking it is a bright idea to take a cell or two they have now fully depleted in a separate powerbank, and put them back in the lantern, in parallel with 2 or 3 fully charged cells, leading to potential disaster.

I’ve heard this tale of woe and disaster enough times now to actually try it. It just doesn’t happen. New Samsung 30Qs, one at 2.7V, the other at 4.2. Paralleled directly, almost zero resistance.

Nothing bad happened, temperatures remained safe, energy was transferred, perhaps not very efficiently

Try it yourself, maybe put it on youtube. We don’t seem to get so many (suspect) videos of exploding Liions these days.

You can put four cells of varying chemistry and state of charge into e.g. a Q8, and after a few hours they will have balanced voltage perfectly (couldn’t do otherwise). These things really aren’t such precious fickle technology as some think.

[DavidEF]

@Tom Tom

@Zulumoose

The problem with getting into the habit of this is that it may, depending who is with you, lead to someone thinking it is a bright idea to take a cell or two they have now fully depleted in a separate powerbank, and put them back in the lantern, in parallel with 2 or 3 fully charged cells, leading to potential disaster.

I’ve heard this tale of woe and disaster enough times now to actually try it. It just doesn’t happen. New Samsung 30Qs, one at 2.7V, the other at 4.2. Paralleled directly, almost zero resistance.

Nothing bad happened, temperatures remained safe, energy was transferred, perhaps not very efficiently

Try it yourself, maybe put it on youtube. We don’t seem to get so many (suspect) videos of exploding Liions these days.

You can put four cells of varying chemistry and state of charge into e.g. a Q8, and after a few hours they will have balanced voltage perfectly (couldn’t do otherwise). These things really aren’t such precious fickle technology as some think.

I have to say I agree with Tom Tom here. :innocent:

I’d almost bet money (if I had any) that you couldn’t make a modern Lithium cell from one of the top quality brands explode or leak if you tried, short of physically abusing or pumping a lot more energy into them from some heavily powered source. A friend of mine put a cell in backwards in a modded SRK-style light we were using. The light was like that for a couple minutes before I even realized it. I had a real scare, but nothing exciting actually happened. So, I took the cells out of the light and put them back in my four-slot charger, since they had all run down trying to reverse charge each other! Okay, they were a little bit warm, but no more than they usually are from running continuously on high mode.

EDIT: Oh yeah, these weren’t new cells either. They’re all pulls from defunct laptop batteries.

[Zulumoose]

@Tom Tom

I’ve heard this tale of woe and disaster enough times now to actually try it. It just doesn’t happen. New Samsung 30Qs, one at 2.7V, the other at 4.2. Paralleled directly, almost zero resistance.

Nothing bad happened, temperatures remained safe, energy was transferred, perhaps not very efficiently

I’m surprised that 30qs didn’t get hot doing this, but what about if there was spring wire between them instead of zero resistance? I would expect 1.5v at those currents to do some damage, I remember how hot wire would instantly get when I accidentally shorted low capacity NiCads a few decades ago.

[vasa_visost]

Please add me to the list for 1 pcs.
Thanks.

[DBSAR]

Now that i have made it home after my month-long trip, The tests of the prototype went well. I lost count of the people who asked ” where they could buy one” and i said they are not commercially available yet, but told them about the project and took a list of names of them for when it comes available, directing them to here on BLF.

[RobertB]

@alternety

I really think the characters should be thinner and/or a different font. Otherwise, I like it.

Totally agree. Otherwise it will look like a blob of white on the lantern.

[Lazy-J]

Been following this for a while and it looks great! I’d like to get on the list for 2.

I was also wondering about future availability of the lanterns. Is this going to be a one time option to purchase these or will there be stock available if we wanted to buy additional lights a year down the road? I’m asking because I’d like to test these out when available then look at replacing 5-6 Coleman propane lanterns for our Cub Scouts camping gear.

Thanks for the work you all have been putting into this!