Evidently, there’s a LOT of people with a flashlight problem…….
Would they be protected or unprotected. Better go with protection. :smiling_imp:
Way to be prepared Mike, I knew you would be.
I’m just one of the hundreds of people who are content to 1) patiently wait, 2) really appreciate the work that was put into this, 3) will be super thrilled when it arrives, 4) isn’t looking for tracking, won’t be tracking, will just be surprised one day when it’s on my porch.
I’m nothing special: Number 847 on the order list. Number 137 on the paid list.
Guy, thanks for doing such a super job!!! I would NEVER, EVER complain so anything written below are just my observations and experience.
Some “next time” suggestions:
Keep an outside the forum spreadsheet going on Google Docs or whatever and have Hyperlink for this appear maybe at the top of the Original Post at all times to be referenced by participants. Also have it appear in the signature of all the organizers?
Use columns in the list for various milestones for each BLF profile. For example:
- Assign each profile a discrete ID number for all communications.
- Your order prioritization. I was number 847 somehow or other. Definitely not in the first 555 list.
- Number of units ordered, date ordered for each unit. Maybe add the post number where each order was placed?
- PM sent (or any other administrative milestones)
- A column for any needed information: address, phone, etc. and whether received from participant or still required.
- A paid or unpaid column
- Shipping method chosen
- Items on order such as batteries optioned for…
Participants could even report receipt of the item and people could see which people had received tracking or the actual units.
Whatever information you’re tracking can then easily be kept in one place and fully accessible by all participants at all times. Each column could even have an updated date at the top to let us know how current the data entry. We could see what you see. If I go to that spreadsheet and see that you are missing something, there could be a SINGLE email I send to with a single reference ID number assigned to me as a person/profile.
This thread is quite unwieldy, a mix of way too many subjects including product updates, complaints, the same questions asked over and over and over and over and confusing. I never knew where to look for things and so did quite a lot of searching (hard on a mobile device at times). I asked some stupid questions a couple times but it was clear I wasn’t the only person having difficulty finding my place in the order list or whether I was missing something or not.
I’m sure someone has thought about it. I’ve organized many group projects in this manner and though simple it’s hugely effective. Just post a single spreadsheet accessible to all and direct people there over and over and over until it sticks.
Thanks again from a really sideline nobody!
This is a bit of a touchy time around here. Peoples nerves are a bit frayed. Everything will be back to friendly and helpful around here in a couple of weeks. Just hang in there and give people the benefit of the doubt for a while.
I’m sure this has been covered, but just out of curiosity, what amperage is suggested per battery for this flashlight? Would a 3500 MaH 8 amp battery suffice? Or what do you suggest? I couldn’t get into the battery buy in.
With 4 cells each cell only has to put out 3 amps. With 8 cells each cell only puts out 1.5 amps. So high drain cells are not a requirement.
3400, 3500 and 3600 cells are just fine.
Make sure they are button top.
Why specifically a button top? Does the flashlight not have protection? I personally prefer flat tops. Especially since I can get them for around $5-6 a battery.
there are unprotected button tops too—-it’s just for contact at the + end. some carriers just like chargers don’t protrude enough to make contact so a button is needed
There is no polarity protection in the driver so it was added to the battery carriers.
If your handy with an iron, you can add solder blobs to the cells or remove the polarity protection from the carriers.
Here I a picture of the protection. It’s basically an extra circuit board about 0.5mm higher than the terminal and can accept a flat top up to 8.5mm in diameter.
Full size.
I think I’ll wait until I have it and make a decision then. Thanks guys!
The polarity protection can be removed from the carriers if you want to use flat tops at your own risk.
You can get unprotected button tops normally for $5-6 per as well. On deep discount they get down to around $4 per for BT 30Q’s.
Also FWIW earlier I mentioned I received the tracking # by email from Neal. Afterwards, I got a text from DHL also with the tracking #. I don’t believe I have an account with them, but I have had quite a few packages shipped through DHL. Pretty standard so far. In the next few days I suspect we’ll start getting the ‘Delivery expected in 1-2 days’ text & email notification. Maybe delivered over the weekend. Time to top off the cells. 
BVH do you think I could get a pocket clip for that. I absolutely have to have a pocket clip for an EDC light, so it’s a deal breaker if not. :innocent:
Yeah, a big spreadsheet is a good idea, although it still usually requires manual information entering, which is where most errors come from.
Personally in the future it would all be about automation for me, mostly to reduce human error and human workload. So dang much of the time and energy spent on this project was not needed. They could have been easily automated and saved everyone a ton of time, energy and effort and vastly reduces issues and questions at the same time.
I easily spent well over 100 hours on the GT over the last month, Neal WAY WAY WAY more then that.
Once the important things are automated, then I agree, a way for everyone to easily check their status, fix issues (in an automated fashion), and keep tabs on things is the way to go.
Just having Jason post the same links each page has already done wounders to the amount of repeat questions we get.
For this GB, we are working with what we had and just trying to make it through. We should have learned some lessons for next time though.
Not that it matters where do I see where I’m at on the paid list?
You can check HERE
People from both lists have been checking in about receiving tracking# There isnt much of any order as far as anyone can see as to which are going out first.
So JasonWW. I have a set of the Sanyo GA’S and the positive side sticks out 0.67mm on them. Will I still have to boobie blob the tops? I’m looking at the battery carrier but my blind eye’s cant see if the pos terminals are slightly above or below the MCPCB. Nice set of springs!!! 
Yep, you will either have to boob them or remove the polarity protection from the carrier. (at your own risk of course)
I got no idea why the battery carriers would have metal core PCBs, but… the positive terminals are obviously recessed as in slightly below the protective layer.
The whole point of having that feature is to not allow a flat surface to make contact at the positive terminal. Button top batteries are needed unless you want to modify the carriers to disable this safety feature, which is not recommended.