I should post some pics and beamshots of the nasty LED cap lamps they are using! Perhaps I can at some point. I just have to find a time when they are not needed for certain.
-Garry
Hey Garry,
Solid choices there for stock lights. If your group is used to the stuff you’re describing they should be very happy. S2+ is a great little flood light and the M2 is a nice flood/throw blend. Make sure you explain the low level blink thing to change mode groups or you’ll have guys blinding themselves/eachother with the strobe light. I ordered mine direct from Simon because I did NOT want blinkies and Richard’s mod service wasn’t available then either and Simon will set the mode group for you if you ask. I think it’s just a single solder blob to the correct star to disable the blinkies but someone else can confirm. Of course flashing firmware will give you infinitely more options. Let us know how it goes.
Yeah I explained the mode groups and low voltage flashing to them and stressed the importance of being careful with the lithium ion batteries. I know the batteries will be left on the charger overnight, but I don’t expect that’ll be a problem using a quality charger and protected cells.
One thing about strobe mode - flashing your light is an underground signal method (don’t remember what it means) so it’even more important not to trigger the strobe or SOS mode!
-Garry
Yikes. That’s scary. Still, as long as the people using them are trained and careful that shouldn’t happen. I would work on tuning out the blinky modes ASAP though to avoid incidents. To above ground people it is just an annoyance. Obviously it can be quite more serious underground.
I’ve got the custom firmwares built up using STAR (standard version); tested on a test rig of an LED mounted to a large PC heatsink with a 105c mounted up. Even flashed my EDC S2 with new firmware to get rid of that annoying 2-group firmware with the blink on low mode.
BTW- anyone know if the new S2+’s use a retaining ring to hold the driver in instead of being soldered to the pill like my old S2? Being soldered in is a real pain to undo to flash the mcu. I’m pretty sure the M2 will have a retaining ring.
-Garry
STAR doesn’t have strobe, right? Did you add strobe to it or do they have to use other lights to signal with underground?
Oh, the standard way of signaling underground I believe is to just cover then uncover the light with your hand lol! It’s almost always the headlamp as most people don’t even carry handheld lights. So no I didn’t add strobe at all.
-Garry.
Ahhh, I see. Seems I always make bad assumptions when asking “OR” questions. lol.
Thanks. Sounds like you picked good FW for this application. Congrats on the progress of this underground light build project.