Thanks very much for that!
Are mountain electronics the only ones who sell the BLF17DD already assembled?
Have you tried the dipper lights at all?
What is the XinTD X60? can’t seem to find one anywhere?
Oops. I meant Warsun X60. XinTD X3 is good if you don't mind a rear clickie, but protected cells may not fit.
I am actually keen on the rear clicky because it is what I am used to. I had forgot about the X3. That could be another option. Protected cells not fitting is no issue, I don’t think a protected cell will be able to supply enough current anyway? I assume a direct driven XM-L2 with lots of braid and good connections will draw ~6A?
The momentary switch UI is amazing. From off, a short press gives you the lowest mode, or a long press gives you the highest mode. At any time, a short press makes it one level brighter, and a long press makes it one level dimmer.
You may want to stay far away from it, though. It will make you hate all your other clicky switch lights.
hahaha I am always keen to try something new, but I am wary of assembling the driver? I have never done anything like that.
The BLF17DD drivers are bought as a blank board aren’t they?
Which firmware is this?
Doh, I think the way you explained it confused me. When you said short press to lowest mode, I was thinking of that got it to moonlight, or the closest thing to it. It's really just a UI that starts in low without memory. That firmware just got me started learning C. I've worked with a lot of different languages over the years, but somehow never worked with C. It's a lot of new ground for me since I've never done firmware programming or designed PCB's either.
It starts in low OR high, depending on what you want it to do. It doesn't have an instant-off function and memory, but to get that you'd have to sacrifice the ability to choose which mode you're going to get before the light is turned on.
The mode order is circular, with 'off' being just another mode but with 0% output. Short presses go clockwise (brighter), long presses go counterclockwise (dimmer).
You're right, 0% is effectively a mode, and if I read the mode code correctly, there is mode memory in that it's always loaded in the array, but it isn't set up to work like mode memory usually works. Locking out loses it though.
No, you cannot turn the light off unless you cycle back around to the 0% mode. There is no memory. If you plug in 5 or 6 levels when building the firmware you're never more than 2 or 3 clicks away from the 'off' mode. More than 6 or so and it can get a bit awkward.
off(L0)-short(L1)-short(L2)-short(L3)-long(L2)-long(L1)-short(L0)-long(L6)-short(L0)
off(L0)-long(L6)-short(L0)
off(L0)-long(L6)-long(L5)-long(L4)-long(L3)-long(L2)-long(L1)-long(L0)
Get it?
I didn't say different. I'm talking at a code level. There's memory, but no way for a user to access it. With direct to off added, bringing memory should be very simple as long as direct to off doesn't make mode_idx=0. Memory is used to get turbo. It just reverses from 0% into the previous mode, which happens to be turbo.
Oh, I think I see what happened. I made a typo. I typed "mode" when I meant "code".
You would have to configure the instant-off function to use something other than a long press or a short press, since those are both already spoken for...
Tom E has already done something similar, using a timer function - if you stay in the same mode longer than X and then do a short press, it turns off. If it's inside the timer window it changes mode like normal.
Richard was talking about using a longer press to go direct to off. Tweaking the press_duration checks would be the way I'd add direct to off. Instead of going directly to the previous mode when LONG_PRESS_DUR is reached, it would need a second check like there is in the else code. I think... It looks like it's already sort of a timer, sort of because it looks like every time it cycles and see the button is still pressed, it runs that if statement again and increments the press_duration. I need to look at the code some more.
I also need to build a test rig so I can easily rewrite the firmware and quickly test it without the hassle of dealing with a flashlight.
I suggested that way back when, by doing whatever in the code to check when the switch is released, instead of just how long it's pressed. Like, less than X is a short press, more than X but less than Y is a long press, and more than Y is the 'off' command. But I'm code illiterate, all I could do was describe it about as poorly as I did just now. :shy:
You do a good job explaining it. Hopefully I'll be up to speed enough that I can make little contributions soon. Not knowing C isn't that big of a problem. Code is code. A code reference and time is usually enough to get things done, and having a testing rig will help with saving lots of time testing changes. I really should have started looking into this when I first joined, and then I'd be writing code for anything you guys could think up...at least if it fit on the chip. Everyone here is pretty new to this though, and what's already been developed is very impressive. I can't wait to see what happens in a couple more years.
I have ordered the 'Dipper H33' (post #3), because why not. Think it'll be like a single cell Torchlite with a side switch? :|
There are so many nice mod hosts right now, and not enough time and money to play with all of them...and now Daylighter is going to try to prove me wrong by buying all of them!
I really like the Yezl Y3 for high amps - uni-body pill, pill-top is 3 mm thick, maybe little more, real nice heat sinking and bigger reflector than a HD2010 - more throw. Can take 26650 or 18650. I even fit in the new 26700 5000 (5300) mAh tested cell -- it's basically a KK with higher capacity. The lights comfy linked look awesome too.
The Y3 has a real SS bezel by the way, and a tail switch, so if you wanted to make it pure direct drive, you can still use the tail switch for power cutoff.
DayLighter tipped me off for the Y3, same for the Warsun X60 which I have one on the way. Good thing he buys at least one of each of everything!