Correct! This is the point of my post.
Just use the USB-A to USB-C cable that comes with the unit (which is practically the same to all aftermarket type-C, but not to some fast-charge protocol used by some phone companies), and thatâs it.
I think people should keep in mind that the LT was designed and carried through to an actual product by volunteers who did it in their spare time, some even incurring out-of-pocket expenses on top of it. Missing some features that donât affect the functionality of the LT strikes me as being par for the course. Even major companies miss things when designing new products, and they have a profit motive to get things right.
On top of things we were working with a company based in China so itâs not as if people could easily drop by or have face-to-face meetings. Iâve worked on many projects with off-shore companies and the LT project went better than almost all of them. And I was getting paid for those projects 
Does the LT work as intended? I havenât seen anyone say it doesnât. Can it be charged with the vast majority of chargers? Iâd say definitely yes. Will it work with all future chargers? Who knows, no doubt there will be changes made to the charging circuit as well as other things that people may want (powerbank, etc). Will this be implemented in the current production run? Only if people want to wait even longer.
Maybe there should be a threat opened up to capture and even prioritize enhancements. And donât forget that ultimately itâs Sofirn who has the final say on any design changes.
Itâs eco-friendly! Instead of throwing away all of your âoldâ chargers save them and use them for years to come with the LT1.
This will keep tons of tech-waste out of the landfills. LT1 FTW!
Any place inside the lantern where a micro>C adapter could be stashed in case us old folks donât have access to a C plug?
Sure. Nobody is claiming that the LT1 is useless or that people wonât find a way to charge it. The issue is that without the two resistors the device isnât future-proof and youâll need to carry/remember to bring a legacy cable instead of just using a regular USB-C to USB-C cable that every other mobile device will be using in the near future. I used to carry a Mini-USB cable but fortunately I donât need to anymore.
In any case, someone should probably tell Sofirn to update their marketing (e.g. Amazon listing) as âUSB-C charging portâ is misleading and will result in negative reviews when buyers discover that it doesnât work with a USB-C charger. This is a minor issue with an otherwise great product and it just needs to be communicated properly to buyers so thereâs no misunderstanding. All thatâs needed is two sentences: âThis product requires a USB-A to USB-C cable for charging (included). It cannot be charged with a USB-C to USB-C cable.â
I donât think spec-compliant USB-C charging was ever on the feature list. The USB-C connector was chosen because it is simply a physically superior connector compared to micro-B. If they had went with the micro-B connector, youâd still have to carry around another cable. Even without spec-compliant USB-C charging, Iâm happy with the design as-is (though USB-PD would have been nice)
Question: has there ever been confirmation from Sofirn that multiple codes will be sent to folks who wanted more than one? As far as I know, theyâve been limiting to one per customer for the first batch. I assume this will change for the second batch?
Iâve asked but havenât gotten an reply. Weâll post this once we get one.
USB - C is so 2019. Inductive charging is where itâs at. 
Not gonna lie, based on just my personal electronics projects, adding spec compliant USB Power delivery cost less than $1.70 for the fancy version, spread out over thousands of units, the bulk price could get down to $1.25
USB PD isnât even needed in this case. If the LT1 charging circuit is only using 1.5A, then regular USB-C power (5V, 3A max) is all thatâs needed. It just needs to be enabled by including the two 5.1 kΩ resistors.
Thatâs what I am saying though, they could go super fancy and way overboard for less than a buck fifty, so it wasnât done for cost considerations
I was on the list early for two and got two codes in a pm. Iâve ordered one and am waiting for colors to order my second (and the third I signed up for recently). I also want others to be able to get a light early.
Iâm hoping the code I have now will still be good by the time colors are announced. Iâm also hoping that I donât get burned by making this known and some big fat poopyhead using my ID to jump the line.
*sorry for the strong language 
I get a bit confused by the discussion. And I have no doubt about the people that provided everything that went into the lantern as highly skilled and used up a lot of their time. My intent is to have LT1 for a long time with little specific use. But when/if that is necessary, I would like the best chance to get charging. For example, neighbor or shelter has a generator and a charger. But no compatibility. My intent is that this is an EMERGENCY lamp. Days of use.
If adding one small resistor will make the power input compliant with a useful USB-C device for charging; why not? If it takes lots of expensive stuff; maybe not. But one resistor - yes.
If I actually understand it is only a single resistor, the cost approaches zero. It could be a problem making a production change. It would likely need a new PCB design. That would not fly.
I would like to re-introduce the request for some documentation/directions on adding the resistor at home. Batch 2 being altered for this would be even better. But I would gladly dig up my generally unused soldering equipment to try and add a resistor if it is at all possible. I think I have a tip small enough somewhere to push around a surface mount resistor. There must be some space on the PCB somewhere. Even if we have to epoxy a chip to the protected surface and run wires. If there is a chip that has these two resistors in a package, you might be able to replace the existing resistor in a smaller area.
LT1 USB-C Summary
On the LT1 not being compatible with USB-C chargers:
Batch 1 of the LT1 (the first 500 units) will not work with a USB-C charger, but they will work with a USB-A charger. If the charging cable that comes with the LT1 fits your charger, youâll be fine. You should also be able to use any other cable that has the same connectors as the supplied cable.
Alternatively, if you only have USB-C chargers, you can get an adaptor with a USB-C plug and a USB-A socket that will let you plug the supplied charging cable into your USB-C charger. The adaptor should only cost a few dollars.
Batch 2 of the LT1 (the next 1500 units) is already in production, so it will be the same as Batch 1. Thereâs no way to get a USB-C charging modification into those units now.
Four of my 5 units will be Batch 2, and Iâll be quite happy to buy them. All of my chargers are USB-A, and I can use an adaptor if I ever get a USB-C charger.
Batch 3 might have extra components on the driver to allow direct USB-C charging without an adaptor. That depends on the lead times required by the company who make Sofirnâs driver boards. Keep an eye on this thread for updates.
Modding for USB-C Compatibility
Some people are asking about modifying a Batch 1 or Batch 2 LT1 to allow direct USB-C charging without an adaptor.
My advice: donât go there.
Youâd need to add a 5.1kΩ resistor between the CC1 pin on the USB-C connector and ground. Youâd need to do the same again between the CC2 pin and ground.
The problem is, the Batch 1 / Batch 2 driver doesnât have any pads for that, so youâd need to solder directly to the USB-C connector pins. USB-C pins are tiny. The pin pitch is on the order of 0.5mm (about 1/50â).
Just donât. Itâs far too easy to accidentally bridge pins or destroy a contact with the heat of the soldering iron (you have to be extremely fast at soldering with these tiny SMD contacts).
Design Process
The LT1 was originally intended to have a Micro-USB socket, which would have worked fine in all cases. The switch to a USB-C socket was intended to increase durability; full USB-C Power Delivery support was never in the spec because of the cost and complexity.
NB: USB-C sockets are rated for twice as many connect-disconnect cycles as Micro-USB ones, so there is a substantial benefit there.
The LT1 does not need full USB-C Power Delivery support, because its absolute maximum power draw is 7.5W (5V at 1.5A, for example) and thatâs covered by Basic USB.
Unfortunately, no-one here knew at the time that USB-C chargers need to see extra components (pull-down resistors) before theyâll enable Basic USB charging. These are the perils of budget projects carried out by unpaid volunteer teams spread over several time zones.
Future Development
Plans are afoot to add the necessary pull-down resistors to the LT1, so that future batches will allow direct charging from USB-C. This will require testing with real hardware, so thereâs a significant lead time involved. If weâre really lucky, the modfication will make it into Batch 3.
Again, the LT1 does not need full USB-C Power Delivery support, because its absolute maximum power draw is 7.5W (5V at 1.5A, for example) and thatâs covered by Basic USB.
Basic USB over USB-C has support for two charging profiles that will work with the LT1: 5V at 1.5A and 5V at 3A.
The vast majority of USB-C chargers provide 5V at 3A, but the modification being considered for the LT1 should enable both options.
Footnote
There are actually cheap USB-C chargers which always offer 5V at 3A by default, regardless of the USB-C spec, pull-down resistors or not. These are notably present in Asia, and thereâs no way to tell without test equipment and special connectors.
I wouldnât be surprised if that was what caught Sofirn out when they did their own testing. Brand-name USB-C chargers for devices like MacBooks are horribly expensive by Chinese standards.
A question about the footnote. Cheap not exactly to spec USB-C > USB-C cables might actually charge the LT1? Sorry if this was already confirmed earlier in the thread.
well put Phlogiston
Great summary Phlogiston!
Not cables, but cheap USB-C chargers. And itâs not cheap per se thatâs the qualifier, but rather a manufacturer that didnât bother following the spec 100% (which doesnât necessarily correlate with cheap). Basically what youâre looking for is a USB-C charger that by default outputs 5V (instead of 0V as per the spec) on the USB-C port.
Iâm waiting for a Baseus 2C1A USB-C charger that should be arriving in the mail soon. Once I get it (and my LT1, waiting for a code) Iâll post an update here about whether it is such a charger.
Are we sure there are no pads for the 2 resistors?
The USB-C port is on a seperat pcb or? Canât we rework/change that?
No, the cable is (mostly) irrelevant. The question is how strictly does the charger conform to the USB-C spec. Officially, USB-C should not supply anything unless/until it negotiates with the sink device and determines what it needs. Cheap USB-C chargers may not do this and simply source 5v at some basic current, maybe .75, maybe 2.5 amps.
The easy way around this is to use a charger with an A type output. This type of charger will always supply a base level charge rate. A USB A-C cord, such as supplied by Sofirn will have no problem charging.
The point being brought up that a few years from now when USB-A type outputs are few and far between, or when all your charge cords are C-C is valid, but I think it was a good idea to go for the more robust type C connector.
They might work, but thereâs absolutely no way of knowing without buying one first, so youâd really be rolling the dice. The people who make the really cheap stuff never specify ins and outs like that.
Youâre much more likely to get a working solution if you buy a USB-C to USB-A adaptor. Then you can plug the USB-A end of the cable that comes with the LT1 into the adaptor and plug the adaptor into your USB-C charger.