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

[Nev]

I think it should charge to 4.2 volts , there’s enough chargers out there that undercharge ,if people don’t like proper charged cells ,they can always disconnect the charger earlier. I’ve got half a dozen chargers that undercharge , 4.15-4.17 etc that I don’t use because of that , a charged battery is 4.2volts ,they settle down to 4.17-4,18 pretty soon anyway.

[teacher]

Great LT1 video DBSAR.

Amber switch cover or LED’s sound great.

The rest of the current Prototype looks fantastic to me!!

I really like the ‘larger top cap’.

You’ve done great job on this. Thank you.

[Relampago]

I’m ready to go camping, release the kraken.

[CLB]

@DBSAR

Ok, was thinking of posting a vote poll. (one for the switch LED color, and the other for the lantern lens/head, ( leave it at the current size or shorten it)

I understand the groans at further delay, but I hope, after all this work by the team, you hang tough at the end to make the details right. Easy for me to say, and I congratulate everyone for bringing this project so close to the finish line, against what seemed like long odds at many points along the way. It was following this project that first drew my attention from the other forum (where I have been a member since 2005), and recently prompted me to join BLF. Should have done it much sooner.

Sign me up for one lantern, if it’s the large head, or two if it’s the smaller head, or three if it’s the smaller head with the lower opacity diffuser .

Just kidding. Sign me up for one light, however it is configured.

[dekozn]

As much as I would like to have the lantern in my hands, I wouldn’t rush things now to get it over with and regretting things later. I for one would like to see a re-design for a more compact lantern. The more compact the better, like everything I take for camping. Weight and size is one of the important things for camping gear and this lantern is geared towards camping no?

[dekozn]

@Nev

I think it should charge to 4.2 volts , there’s enough chargers out there that undercharge ,if people don’t like proper charged cells ,they can always disconnect the charger earlier. I’ve got half a dozen chargers that undercharge , 4.15-4.17 etc that I don’t use because of that , a charged battery is 4.2volts ,they settle down to 4.17-4,18 pretty soon anyway.

I understand your point completly, but this isn’t a charger, it’s a lantern with charging capabilities. I think the end charge voltage is dependent on the chip used, so I gues it’ll be a lottery as to which voltage your specific lantern charges. I don’t think the team can do anything about it. If you or I want 4.2V exactly I’d charge my cells ith a decent quality charger and use the usb charging for when I’m out camping.

[goshdogit]

Please put me down for three more units.

That makes a total of four for me. Thanks!

[j00ski]

Put me down for two, please.

[Phlogiston]

@DBSAR

I have noticed that some like the larger head, and its not a critical concern to me so i can have them leave it as that size of everyone agrees.

I’m fine with either head, size wise, but I do have a couple of questions:

• whether the white translucent plastic of the new sample head - as compared to the frosted clear plastic of the old prototype head - might affect the CRI of the light passing through it? The new sample head’s diffuser looks white to the eye, but it would be a bit of a bummer if white filler in the plastic happened to disproportionately absorb some crucial wavelength…

• whether the larger new sample head might have a slightly wider-angle spread of light upward and downward compared to the smaller old prototype one? The reason that occurs to me is that the new sample head’s diffuser seems to sit closer to the edge of the metal above and below it, so there’s less of a lip that might intercept some light.

[DBSAR]

@Phlogiston

@DBSAR

I have noticed that some like the larger head, and its not a critical concern to me so i can have them leave it as that size of everyone agrees.

I’m fine with either head, size wise, but I do have a couple of questions:

• whether the white translucent plastic of the new sample head - as compared to the frosted clear plastic of the old prototype head - might affect the CRI of the light passing through it? The new sample head’s diffuser looks white to the eye, but it would be a bit of a bummer if white filler in the plastic happened to disproportionately absorb some crucial wavelength…

• whether the larger new sample head might have a slightly wider-angle spread of light upward and downward compared to the smaller old prototype one? The reason that occurs to me is that the new sample head’s diffuser seems to sit closer to the edge of the metal above and below it, so there’s less of a lip that might intercept some light.

I will be asking then to reduce the opacity of the frosting of the globe/lens. As less frosting will not affect the CRI as much, and will also allow more lumens through, (a double bonus) I will list the changes soon to the production one over the test unit.

indeed the test unit lens is closer to the edges of the head and the mid section, which i like as it reduces any edge shadows and increases the illuminance angle directions.

[teacher]

@DBSAR

indeed the test unit lens is closer to the edges of the head and the mid section, which i like as it reduces any edge shadows and increases the illuminance angle directions.

This sounds like a win - win too. :+1:

[funkychateau]

Forgive me if this is a redundant question, but is there a user-interface diagram somewhere back in these 150 pages of posts?

[DBSAR]

@funkychateau

Forgive me if this is a redundant question, but is there a user-interface diagram somewhere back in these 150 pages of posts?

There is a specification list posted in the OP, but for the operation of the firmware of the lantern’s modes, our team member Toykeeper is developing a LT1 lantern version of the Andruil software, (and should be a full schematic of the operation soon of the finalized production of the lantern user-interface.

[Phlogiston]

@DBSAR

I will be asking then to reduce the opacity of the frosting of the globe/lens. As less frosting will not affect the CRI as much, and will also allow more lumens through, (a double bonus) I will list the changes soon to the production one over the test unit.

indeed the test unit lens is closer to the edges of the head and the mid section, which i like as it reduces any edge shadows and increases the illuminance angle directions.

Thanks for the info :+1:

[sbslider]

@funkychateau

Forgive me if this is a redundant question, but is there a user-interface diagram somewhere back in these 150 pages of posts?

The user interface will be similar to the first item in the linked post. What that does not show is the tint mixing commands. Also, that light is based on a single 7135 regulator plus a FET driver. The driver for the lantern is several 7135s, so the output is always regulated to the set level.

[sbslider]

Great job on the video DBSAR. It was nice to see and here you describe the features.
The lantern is looking very good, really looking forward to gifting a couple to my sons.

[SIGShooter]

These are the additions since last Sunday. Count is 1509 as of tonight.

Don’t forget to check that your BLF user name is valid on either one of the Excel spreadsheets linked in post #1. If your name is not correct then you need to send me a PM with the correct spelling otherwise you won’t be getting a PM when the buy goes live.

This check only needs to be done once.

Only send a PM if your name is INCORRECT

1522 weklund
1523 weklund
1524 Kingjohn
1525 kase
1526 superbob47
1527 Th558
1528 hueycopter
1529 bikedave99
1530 whitecitadel
1531 nydude
1532 Wyre
1533 Wyre
1534 Enelooper
1535 ActiveAl
1536 ActiveAl
1537 Flummi
1538 sarxsvt
1539 Pulsar
1540 ishak
1541 goshdogit
1542 goshdogit
1543 goshdogit
1544 j00ski
1545 j00ski

[Lexel]

@Tally-ho

Concerning the driver, is there something that will work as an electrical “buffer” to avoid the lantern to turn off with “strong” bumps on the bottom ?
It might not happen with longer protected batteries but might be a problem with shorter batteries that less compress the springs.

you may add a 0.1F supercap to the driver which is more than enough to sustan the bumps and also funftion with no battery
anyway a alntern is not meant to bump around much
Fireflies tested a 100uF cap added to C2 and it does not work good reducing bumps shutting the light off

Anduril can be flashed that it comes after a bump on last memorized leven, which will work well, the question is if we want this on the stock light or not

[Agro]

@dekozn

As much as I would like to have the lantern in my hands, I wouldn’t rush things now to get it over with and regretting things later. I for one would like to see a re-design for a more compact lantern. The more compact the better, like everything I take for camping. Weight and size is one of the important things for camping gear and this lantern is geared towards camping no?

It depends. Myself I camp in 3 styles.
I often arrive by car and spend time in a tent - then size and volume are or secondary concern.
Or I travel with backpack, sometimes by foot. Then size and weight are critical, LT1 is surely too large.
There’s also one yearly event where I travel by car but leave it several km from the tent. Then size and weight matter but are not critical.

Overall…I like compactness. But I don’t really care much as LT1 is already quite big and heavy.

[funkychateau]

@DBSAR

@funkychateau

Forgive me if this is a redundant question, but is there a user-interface diagram somewhere back in these 150 pages of posts?

There is a specification list posted in the OP, but for the operation of the firmware of the lantern’s modes, our team member Toykeeper is developing a LT1 lantern version of the Andruil software, (and should be a full schematic of the operation soon of the finalized production of the lantern user-interface.

I assume that the final version will not have lantern-useless modes like “momentary” and “bicycle strobe”, but do we know yet whether it will contain the candle, sleep timer, lightning storm, etc?