That wouldn’t be wise when someone could stick in one low current cell and charge it at 4A.
You guys sure are defensive. No one suggested discarding anything. The question was about future builds. Further, the whole argument about it having the potential to add a gremlin is silly. It already has a gremlin because it was rushed into production without proper testing! We’re asking for a specific & targeted fix for that gremlin. No one is asking to rush it into production again.
Additionally, it’s not “an unexpected compatibility glitch”. Someone specifically pointed out in this very thread the issue the Raspberry Pi 4 had with their USB-C implementation while the first samples were in the hands of the LT1 team and asked if the LT1 would have the same problem. Further, as you’ve aptly pointed out this version of the LT1 is not the only USB-C flashlight with this problem. That kind of means it’s not unexpected since there was plenty of precedent for this being an issue with USB-C flashlights.
As far as additional cost, that unused potentiometer could easily be removed saving batteries and more than cost of the 2 resistors that need to be added.
Finally, I personally don’t care if I can get an LT1 with a fixed USB-C implementation as part of this group buy. I only care that I can get one with a fixed USB-C implementation down the road.
How many lumens would that be?
Happy Monday morning! Received my code overnight. I'm #2066 on the list.
EDIT: code worked OK on Amazon.com Estimated delivery late Dec. ~ early Jan.
slmjim
Same thing here, I am #1820!
If I understood it right I have 30 days to use the code, right?
Thanks again!!
You appear to be requesting they stop making lights without the fix. What if they’ve already made the boards for a bunch of lights and are just waiting on the emitters? Then what you’re asking amounts to throwing away those boards.
And yes, unless they’re going to send out dozens of rev 2 test units to be thoroughly tested (not likely to happen), there’s always a risk that a change will break something else. What if the resistor gets wired incorrectly and we end up with power drain when the lantern is off? It would be a far bigger issue for many people than the current charging port problem.
Are you suggesting they should stop production for 6 months while this gets fixed and tested properly? What about the people who want their lantern “now now now”? What about Sofirn’s invested time into the project? It’s reasonable for them to want to sell a product at some point, sooner rather than later. Otherwise the price will need to go up and it has nothing to do with the cost of the resistors.
Sure, it should be fixed and it probably will be. But it’s nowhere near as simple as you seem to think it is. If I’ve learned one thing from watching several BLF projects, it’s that there are always a lot of ways things can go wrong. I am sure glad we’re getting a great lantern now. I’ll take that over “maybe a better lantern tomorrow”. Everyone is free to make their own decision and choose to wait instead.
With all of the noise and furor over this I am glad to see someone state my own opinion on the matter. I’m not upset, but the USB charging issue is definitely a problem and needs to be fixed. USB C is not just a connector, it is a set of protocols. They need to be implemented correctly to avoid compatibility problems, which we are seeing. Saying that the presence of the hardware connector is sufficient, even though it doesn’t work like other devices with that connector, seems defensive rather than practical.
The LT1 is a great design. The first batch is shipping with a known problem, which sometimes happens. There is a workaround for the problem in place. Those who are willing to use the workaround, or to perform their own fixes, should buy it, but the problem should also be corrected when possible.
I have ordered mine.
Just keep grasping at straws… At least it’s entertaining to watch. Well, sort of… You seem to have neglected to read what I actually wrote and then wrote a reply to what you think I wrote even though I wrote the exact opposite.
But sure, they shouldn’t make a small change to fix a known issue because it might introduce more issues and will make the LT1 more expensive because it will take 6 months of testing to make sure Sofirn can put 2 resistors of the right values on the right pads on an updated PCB. Why there’s a 0.00001% change this could screw something up so lets not do it even though it’s 100% guaranteed to fix a known issue!
If you think Sofirn and the LT1 all volunteer design team is that incompetent, you probably shouldn’t buy an LT1 because there’s no telling how many mistakes they might makes putting all those complicated parts on the PCB. :person_facepalming:
@ Stereodude: perhaps a good learning trajectory for you is to join the next BLF-light team and see how a flashlight in cooperation with a small chinese mid-quality flashlight manufacturer comes to existence. You will find that we are indeed incompetent in some aspects of the process and over there in China they are incompetent in other aspects. The process is never easy, the result is never 100%, “guaranteed to work” is never guaranteed, and at best a BLF light is a nice work in progress, once it is there, there is always something left or new to desire. What we do achieve is something new/interesting/functional at an attractive price.
Using the numbers posted a few back:
600 Lumens X 1.4 = 800 Lumens (approximately)
Am I supposed to use the code on the checkout page on Amazon? When I enter it there it says “The promotional code you entered is not valid.”
If there’s an “X” in the code make sure it’s entered in the promotion box in upper case.
I tried all uppercase, all lowercase, with and without dashes and now with just the X capitalized and it didn’t work.
Sounds like it’s time to contact Sofirn, in the last few (several?) pages a Sofirn rep made an introduction with an offer to help folks with ordering problems. Try this to send a message to them
http://budgetlightforum.com/user/23289
I just did a copy/paste & it worked.
slmjim
Out of curiosity: are there two places on either side of the board that would allow the machines that place surface mount parts to add the two resistors. I have no idea how disruptive this might be to the programming of the part placer and the feed of parts. I am guessing there is a tape with a set of parts that get attached in order by the placing machine. That would probably require a change in the feed tape. A placing machine may be able to use sequential part feeds.
Just an idea to look at. I no longer believe I have a steady enough hand to solder the 2 resistors.
I can wait for a batch that is fixed. Assuming, of course, that there is eventually a fix installed. I may wind up having to pay the retail price. I have two criteria: 3 lamps from identical batches (exactly the same firmware and everything), real USB-C. Colors for the LT1 would be interesting. I have waited for this for about 4 years. A little more is not going to kill me.
This USB-C argument is really annoying, just buy the damn thing or don’t. So the crowdsourced design and overseas manufacturer missed something, something that is easy to work around and doesn’t impact the functionality of the light. So what? As much as I’d love to go USB-C for everything, the fact is I still have lots of stuff around my house that takes all kinds of random power connectors. If you absolutely must go USB-C for everything in your life, then this light isn’t for you. Maybe someday they will change the design but for now it is what it is.
I’m sorry, but it’s gotten tiresome to come back to page after page of this pointless argument.
The only issue for me with this lantern is the minor cost of the silicon to seal up the charging port that I am never going to use.
I had a similar issue when trying to purchase through my local Amazon store. In the end I tried Amazon US, and the code worked there (and they still deliver to my country).
Could that be your issue? I guess you will need to contact sofirn if you are unable to use the US Amazon though.
Done, I posted the result in fneuf’s high CRI bulb thread: Ultimate LED Bulbs - Ultra High CRI - The Honorable Quest - #222 by djozz