No name tiny light that I quite like

matula · 2019-02-14T00:45:39.000Z

item on aliexpress: Page Not Found - Aliexpress.com
photos of the driver: Imgur: The magic of the Internet

I have a couple of these lights, and I like them a lot. I know it’s the bottom of the barrel, but it’s my favourite really. I never modified anything, could someone point out what’s what on the driver circuit like this? I would like to get into it and find out how can I make the switching behaviour different. Could you point me in the right direction, please?

Is this an efficient circuit?

Lightbringer · 2019-02-14T01:35:38.000Z

Looks… interesting. I take it it’s a single cell?

Driver looks like a pretty standard boost driver. Round thing’s an inductor, black block is a Schottky diode, 6-pin critter’s probably the boost driver IC with “smarts” if it does multiple modes (low/high/etc.).

2000lm? Chyeah, right. Not. Even. Close.

Lookit this:

https://www.fasttech.com/product/1127407-12-aaaaa-5-mode-800ma-linear-booster-led-flashligh

Same basic circuit, different layout.

Ah, here’s the same thing but 1-mode.

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1612/10001750/1127402-12-aaaaa-1-mode-800ma-linear-booster-led-flashligh

and you can see the missing µC that does the blinking, etc.

wle · 2019-02-14T15:14:57.000Z

more like 200 lumens
but i like those super cheap 16340s with one mode
keychain friendly

wle

wle · 2019-02-14T15:17:00.000Z

i like these too
same brand
prettier
half the price! [on sale now]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Sanyi-XML-T6-LED-Mini-Tactical-Flashlight-Keychain-Lamp-3-Mode-Key-Chain-Lantern-Keyring-Torch/32910302880.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.20.cf9f198aJRoYJn&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_5_10065_10130_10068_10890_10547_319_10546_317_10548_10545_10696_453_10084_454_10083_10618_10307_537_536_10902_10059_10884_10887_321_322_10103,searchweb201603_6,ppcSwitch_0&algo_expid=2d2f73ed-93df-4c1e-86db-4ced35096874-6&algo_pvid=2d2f73ed-93df-4c1e-86db-4ced35096874&transAbTest=ae803_4

djozz · 2019-02-14T16:12:20.000Z

Hey, that is the good old Trustfire mini-01, even the driver looks very similar to the 2012 version.
( Review: Trustfire Mini-01 )

Sidney_Stratton · 2019-02-14T21:08:14.000Z

I had modded some SkyWolfEye small AA type flashlights with Nanjg AK-47A 7135*3 1.05A LED DRIVER from MTN Electronics
Used the GuppyDRV firmware. Have 14500 cells driving Samsungs LH351D leds. Kept them at 1 amp driver and gives a very good 400 –500 lumens output (Hi). Usually set at mid 100 ’sh lumens to check things out about drawers and furniture.

matula · 2019-02-14T23:11:35.000Z

Thank you all for your replies. I’m quite particular about what I want to achieve. “100%” mode in such a small light makes no sense to me, because it will just thermal throttle in about a minute, so I would rather not even have this mode. For me an ideal strobe would be something along the lines of 50 ms on, 50 ms off, 50 ms on, 850 ms off. Like an commercial airliner forwards facing wing light, two very short but bright signals, followed by a second of darkness.

Low voltage monitoring and such are less important to me, and I think having 2 hours runtime would be sufficient, but with the strobe I’ve described, I see no reason why wouldn’t it work for many more than that, because it would only be emitting 10% of the time.

About the light: It’s not bright by any means in any of the constant modes. But the weight of it makes it really versatile. I put it on my helmet, baseball cap to run with, handlebar of the bike. It just needs an O-ring to attach to many of this stuff, and perhaps a small rubber pad, so it doesn’t move around, but on the helmet even this is not necessary. 35 grams weight makes a difference. It has very little knurling, so it’s comfortable to bite down on, and use it that way around the house. I removed the keychain loop and smoothed the cap with 2000 grit paper, so mine can stand on it’s tail. Even this tiny 200 real lumens light (total guess) can be seen from about 300 meters on the road, because in strobe mode it doesn’t dim down and it’s not getting warm. I would characterize this as plenty bright for city use, and the tenacity of the strobe is annoying even. 200 ms on, 200 ms off. It’s just relentless.

I anticipated custom firmware stuff to be easier. I’ve been reading some source codes from the Flashlight Firmware Repository, but

Lightbringer · 2019-02-14T23:22:58.000Z

matula:

For me an ideal strobe would be something along the lines of 50 ms on, 50 ms off, 50 ms on, 850 ms off. Like an commercial airliner forwards facing wing light, two very short but bright signals, followed by a second of darkness.

That wouldn’t be called “strobe”, but more like “beacon” mode instead.

My old Quark had 1sec on, 10sec off for its “beacon”, but Nitecore has a rather nice single-flash instead of double as you’d want, and a ~2sec pause between.

Sidney_Stratton · 2019-02-14T23:27:36.000Z

Ohh! You want the discos…

I’m out. Wasted effort.

matula · 2019-02-14T23:41:02.000Z

Thanks Lightbringer, I checked it out and it’s great. I’ll probably just buy a Nitecore light with the beacon mode, which is a cop-out, but it’s easier and cheaper than the alternative. I’m glad I wrote in this forum.

Lightbringer · 2019-02-15T00:00:41.000Z

Fwiw, you can get a MH20 for about 50bux with coupon from Gearbest, eg,

probably the best beacon I’ve seen, and I usually hate blinkies.

Also, any light that has the bistro UI also has “bike flash”, medium-brightness light with full-brightness “stutter” every 2sec or so. Dunno if that’d interest you.