FW3A T85 to T1616 Upgrade

INeedMoreLumens · April 22, 2024, 3:57pm

I’ve done several FW3A driver upgrades and decided to make a post with instructions for anyone that wants to upgrade their FW3A driver with a T1616 MCU.

T1616 benefits:

Lower lows due to dynamic PWM
RGB(3 channel) Aux
Full Anduril2
T1616 doesn’t require thermal calibration because it’s calibrated at the factory.

Link to @Adair21 FW3A T85 to T1616 Adapter PCB:
https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/kG1HW0OV

Link to T1616 MCU @ Digikey:
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/microchip-technology/ATTINY1616-MNR/7354618

The T1616 MCU requires different firmware.
Link to @Adair21 Github:

Stock Driver:

Bridge all 4 pins with solder, so we can lift the whole side all at once.

Heat one side and lift, then do the same to the other side to remove T85:

Remove unneeded Capacitor and Resistor:

Use Solder Braid to clean up Solder:

Clean with Isopropyl Alcohol:

Mock fit adapter PCB, and trim to fit:

Add flux(maybe a little less than I did):

Apply a small amount of Solder to the tip of your iron:

Apply Solder to 1 connection and verify the adapter PCB is still lined up correctly:

Apply Solder to the remaining connections:

Clean everything with Isopropyl Alcohol:

INeedMoreLumens · April 22, 2024, 4:09pm

Also if anyone is interested in doing this mod to a FWAA you can find my FWAA T85 to T1616 Adapter PCB here:
https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/yj1Lj3DV

**Note:**Your FWAA driver version must be v1.1! Driver v2.2 has a QFN T85 and it’s not compatible with this adapter.

dognodding · April 22, 2024, 4:25pm

This is great, thank you for the step-by-step.

As soon as my adapters arrive from OSHPark, I’ll be trying this!

YBF650 · April 22, 2024, 7:11pm

Which is sadly discontinued, I’ve been trying to find one (to fix my FWAA) to no avail.

I’ve had two of the v2.2 drivers die while I was trying to flash them, the MCU got bricked in the first one (random hardware singature), it got wiped and wouldn’t accept a flash in the second one.

If someone has one and can reverse-engineer it, I might be able to put a few together.

INeedMoreLumens · April 22, 2024, 7:25pm

I have a spare v2.2 if you’re interested PM me.

YBF650 · April 22, 2024, 10:10pm

The problem is they keep dying when I try to flash them, so it wouldn’t be of much use to me

INeedMoreLumens · April 22, 2024, 10:32pm

I plan to flash mine.
I’ll let you know how I make out.

James_C · April 23, 2024, 2:40am

Great write-up and pics, thanks!

Would this work with an FW1A as well?

INeedMoreLumens · April 23, 2024, 2:42am

Great Question!
Yes, the FW1A uses the same FET+7+1 driver!

James_C · April 23, 2024, 3:04am

Awesome! An added benefit with Anduril 2 is the firmware protection against the switch/signal getting stuck and ramping all the way up, which can happen with these light (gave me a scare when it happened to me once).

NewGuy420 · April 23, 2024, 5:10am

I wonder if this would work on Emisar /Noctigon lights as well

Quadrupel · April 23, 2024, 7:24am

Dont forget to check and if needed re-calibrate thermal protection. Because now T1616 is even more isolated from host. At ideal situation for an accurate measuring T1616 should be soldered straight on host. Now you are measuring temperature of that PCB

andrx · April 23, 2024, 11:37am

I’d like to do it…but once done, where can I find the new firmware?

INeedMoreLumens · April 23, 2024, 11:57am

Hank uses T1634 on most of his lights so this won’t work.

NewGuy420 · April 23, 2024, 8:07pm

Would you know where to get these i dont even know what they are called

INeedMoreLumens · April 23, 2024, 8:18pm

That won’t work on the T1616.
You need a 3pin pogo.

Gchart sells them in the Buy/Sell section

YBF650 · April 24, 2024, 2:03am

Ended up reverse-engineering it, and made my own T85 and T1616 drivers (with the help of some community members, as it was my first ECAD project).

Sent them off to JLCPCB to have them made, hopefully they work.

YBF650 · April 24, 2024, 2:05am

Depending on the wiring, it’s possible it might work with the TS10 firmware, as both are 7135+FET.

Otherwise it might just need slight modifications (swapping pins around in the HWDEF)

INeedMoreLumens · April 24, 2024, 2:30am

Well, that was fast!

YBF650 · April 24, 2024, 2:48am

The combination of novelty, boredom, and free time can mean a surprisingly fast turnaround rate for new projects.