GYRFALCON S8000, S4000 Pro Battery Charger & Analyzer

Commercial Sellers' Spot
403

I would go with option 1 (big batteries need big current) and the design with one slot 4 A discharge or 4*slots 2 A discharge.

404

Hi! Iā€™m really looking forward to your new device.

I would like to have a minimum of glossy surfaces on which fingerprints can remain. I also hope that power will be via a Type-C connector.

I also want to know the approximate deadlines or your plans for the release date.

Thank you.

405

Crowdfunding Plan: Gyrfalcon S8000 Pro Charger & Analyzer

I. Project Background

Building on the mature technology of the S8000, the Gyrfalcon team is planning to launch an upgraded versionā€”the S8000 Pro. The new product has been comprehensively optimized in charging capabilities, discharging performance, temperature monitoring, and smart connectivity, aiming to provide users with a more efficient and safer charging solution. The addition of temperature measurement modules, Bluetooth, and WiFi modules lays the foundation for future functional upgrades.

II. Market Goals

  1. Phase One: Raise 200 orders through BLF and recruit 10 reviewers as the foundation for project initiation. This phase will last for one month from the date of the planā€™s release.
  2. Phase Two: Launch crowdfunding on platforms to expand the user base.

III. Project Objectives

  1. Technical Upgrades
    • High-Power Charging: Increase charging current from 2A to 4-5A *4, significantly reducing charging time and meeting the needs of high-power battery fast charging.
    • Enhanced Discharging: Increase discharging current from 1A to 2-3A *4 (requires a specially designed heatsink), optimizing current output and heat management to ensure stability and safety under high loads.
    • Extended Features: Add temperature measurement modules (MLX90614 *4), Bluetooth, and WiFi modules (ESP32-S3).

IV. Use of Funds

  1. R&D and Testing: Optimize circuit design, heatsink modules, and smart feature development.
  2. Production and Manufacturing: Procure high-quality components and complete prototype and mass production.
  3. Market Promotion: Promote the product through BLF and crowdfunding platforms to attract more user support.

V. Project Timeline

  1. Phase One: Raise 200 orders through BLF and recruit 10 reviewers. Upon reaching this goal, the project will immediately commence, with bi-weekly progress updates provided to supporters.
  2. Phase Two: Launch crowdfunding on platforms to expand the user base.
  3. Phase Three: Provide fully functional prototypes to reviewers within 2-2.5 months after project initiation.
  4. Phase Four: Complete mass production and deliver products to users within 3.5-4 months after project initiation.

VI. Risk Management

  1. Technical Risks

    • Ensure product performance and stability through rigorous testing processes.
    • Engage 10 professional reviewers to thoroughly evaluate prototypes and provide optimization feedback.

  2. Production Risks

    • Select reliable suppliers to ensure component quality.
    • Develop a detailed production plan to ensure timely delivery.

  3. Market Risks

    • Mitigate market risks through dual fundraising on BLF and crowdfunding platforms.
    • Offer flexible refund policies to protect user rights.

VII. Incentives

  1. BLF Exclusive Benefits

    • 50 coupons for 15% off + 4 Samsung 35E protected batteries.
    • 50 coupons for 10% off + 4 Samsung 35E protected batteries.
    • 100 coupons for 5% off + 2 Samsung 35E protected batteries.
    • All remaining orders will receive 2 free Samsung 35E protected batteries.
    • Coupons and payment channels will officially launch this Wednesday (February 12).

  2. Orders Exceeding 500

    • Provide free 20V or 15V USB-C decoy charging cables and two extended charging accessories (requires new molds, compatible with S8000 Pro for longer and larger batteries).

  3. Orders Exceeding 1000

    • Launch a dedicated APP development plan. Before the dedicated APP is available, users can use TC (TestController) to access S8000 Pro data and control the device via Bluetooth.

  4. Project Not Initiated or Not Proceeding as Planned

    • BLF users can choose either a full refund or a 15% discount to purchase up to two S8000 units.

VIII. Conclusion

The Gyrfalcon S8000 Pro is an innovative product that integrates high-power charging, enhanced discharging capabilities, and extended features, aiming to provide users with a more efficient and safer charging solution. We look forward to crowdfunding this project and witnessing its birth and growth together with our users. Your support will help us achieve this goal and bring more high-quality products to the market.

Join us and together, letā€™s open a new chapter in charging technology!

1 Thank
406

This sounds good, but can you answered a few questions, please.

Do you think selling 200 chargers on BLF is practical. That sound like a high number to me. It may not be practical based on the participation in the current threads about the S8000. Just curious.
The above may depend on the projected price. Do you have a rough estimate of the target for the final cost?

Does this mean that the new charger will require only the use of a USB power supply?

Are these accessories something that will connect to the new charger and allow larger cells? If so, what size cells will be accommodated without any accessories?

I am interested in helping out with the development and testing as I can.

I wish you good luck in this. It sounds like the final product could be a great charger.

407

Your assessment might be correct. If the crowdfunding goal is not met, all paid users will receive a full refund. Meanwhile, the project will be put on hold and may be restarted at a more suitable time in the second half of this year. We will focus more on promoting the S8000 and S4000 Pro, as well as upgrading the existing All88 and All44.

Due to the significant cost increases associated with the charging module, infrared temperature measurement module (MLX90614), custom heatsink, and shipping, the estimated crowdfunding price will be 168 euros. However, BLF users will have access to discount coupons.

USB-C power supply is indeed feasible, but for full-power operation, a desktop power supply will provide better stability.

To ensure project progress and cost control, we are keeping the same enclosure as the S8000. Additional accessories will be available later to support larger batteries over 90mm in length.

We warmly welcome you as a reviewer for the S8000 Pro! As one of the earliest users of the S8000, your feedback is invaluable to us. From firmware V.29 to V.42, there have been quite a few updates and improvements, and weā€™re sure youā€™ve got some great thoughts on all the changes! Weā€™d love to hear any thoughts or suggestions you have about the S8000!

Additionally, I would like to thank @dmenezes, who has conducted a comprehensive and detailed review of the S8000 and plans to publish his review soon. He has also helped us with Bluetooth and the Linux firmware upgrade tool (ongoing). We greatly appreciate his contributions. Moreover, several S4000 Pro review reports will be released in the near futureā€”stay tuned!

2 Thanks
408

I would also like to test the S8000 Pro and give feedback, but more from the userā€™s perspective (UI on display, different use-cases, design, handling, ergonomics etc)

@enova18650.com What would be really cool and would give better UI instead of pushing buttons would be a decoder wheel, which can be clicked. Something similar to what can be found sometimes on 3D printers for example.

409

Iā€™m a bit stuck between ā€œno wayā€ and ā€œI told you soā€. The discount on a first run should be very considerable to achieve a sale of 200 pc. Personally I think 30 Ć  50 pieces is max.

3 Thanks
410

Thanks for the reply!

Will you be able to do anything to address the negative contact/slider configuration? Making the negative tab longer/taller? This may even be accomplished by including some kind of extension that could be added by the user. The current configuration is certainly a significant drawback when considering ease of use. Especially with 21700 cells and even 26650 cells) where clearance between the bottom of the bay combined with cell diameter make it almost impossible to release tension on the cell when removing it.

411

Yes, we will be using a completely new design for the negative contact/slider connection.

Yes.

2 Thanks
412

Great plans, @enova18650.com! Hereā€™s my comments:

This is a big win IMO, and for me, reason enough to upgrade. I really donā€™t feel safe operating Li-Ions without temperature monitor, as more than once my MC3000 interrupted charging/discharging a battery when it suddenly jumped in temperature, eg once one went from 40C to 55C in less than a minute. I donā€™t even want to imagine what would have happened had it continued to pump current into the battery in one of these casesā€¦ :scream:

I think you might have difficulty finding 200 buyers just on BLF and in just a month. I suggest you extend that period to 2-3 months if possible, as well as calling for people in other fronts (ie, CPF, Reddit r/flashlight and other subreddits, social media groups, etc).

That would be fantastic.

Please see my suggestion for other platforms above.

This is very generous of you, many thanks.

  • Coupons and payment channels will officially launch this Wednesday (February 12).

Have this happened already and I missed it? Please let me know.

Not sure what that mean. Can you please clarify?

1 Thank
413

First time I hear about the MLX90614, just looked it up and it seems fantastic. Would be specially useful for the batteries that end up not making good thermal contact with a metal thermal bracket, like my AAAs canā€™t make in the MC3000 (but this is aggravated in that charger due to their unfortunate contact design using nubs that basically force me to put the battery ā€˜suspendedā€™ instead of directly touching the slot to make good electrical contact).

OTH, the current Gyrfalcons donā€™t suffer from this and I can make good electrical contact and good bottom contact at the same time, so a simple thermistor (which should not cost more than a few cents) would be enough; this is what the MC3000 and my previous NiMH dedicated charger (the Lacrosse BC700) use.

1 Thank
414

Thank you @enova18650.com for the kind words and the opportunity to contribute!

Keeping everyone posted:

  • The review is still ongoing ā€“ the main reason being itā€™s hard to write a good one after the excellent reviews by both @SammysHP and @TimMc, so Iā€™m giving it time and meanwhile getting more and more use of my S8000 so I can write as good a review as possible.

  • The Bluetooth interface for wireless communications with the Gyrfalcon charger is ready and being used in a daily basis in a prototype capacity in my environment. I plan on making a detailed post before long.

  • The Linux port of the firmware upgrade tool is ready and being tested, it already passed the WFM (Works For Me) stage, and I plan on making it available and calling on our fellow enthusiasts to help test it out more fully. Will open a dedicated topic for that momentarily.

1 Thank
415

Done: Enova Gyrfalcon S4000Pro/S8000 firmware upgrade: Linux users need suffer no more! :-)

416

Still waiting for a release in Europe

Actually IĀ“m disappointed that we have to wait so long