I am very new to flashlight DIY. Bought my parts from mtn electronics and their driver FET + 7135 Driver - 17mm - MTN-17DDm Bistro firmware with Three Nichia NVSL219C D240 4000K 90+ CRI LEDs on 20mm 3XP MTN DTP Copper MCPCB. Built it up, it worked fine until I went into a Config Mode. 15 taps did take me there once but I did not make any changes. Second time in Config Mode I have tried to get to Thermal config (Option 7) and then once I clicked during "buzzing" it turned off and after that light stayed permanently in low/moonlight mode. I can only turn the light on and off to moonlight. Nothing else works. I cannot enter Config Mode again to do a reset. The battery is fully charged to 4.35V just checked on my Xtar VP2. I suspect something is "fried" or firmware got into a loop. The tail switch is stock Convoy S2+ host, no mods on that tail switch. Battery is unprotected LG 4.35V from Mountain Electronics.
Appreciate help. Was trying to build this light for my son, who got so bummed about being put on a waitlist to a college of his dream that I wanted to cheer him up a bit...
To start off — I’m curious how you didn’t burn up the spring on the Tail switch — you didn’t do a wire bypass in the spring —usually with fet it cooks the spring —- try using a piece wire with the tail cap off to jump the battery to the battery tube — you can just tap the wire to simulate switch presses
By some crazy thing 4.35v might be too high for that driver
I have many flashlights with MTN-17DDm drivers with Bistro and zero problems.
How did you install the driver? Did you solder it to the pill or use the retaining ring? If retaining ring, is it tightened well?
Have you checked the tailcap? Is the retaining ring there tight? The tailcap tightens counter clockwise.
Maybe you have a short with the driver. Sometimes the pill holes are sharp and can cut the LED wires. You may want to check to see if the wires look good.
First, any time a light goes mental, I check all the mechanicals, ie, retaining rings and the like. Loosen, jiggle, retighten.
One way to eliminate the switch as a troublemaker would be to unscrew the tailcap and just use something metal to short the end of the cell to the exposed edge of the battery tube.
Then unscrew the pill and feel it up to make sure nothing’s obviously loose, and then do the loosen/jiggle/tighten on the retaining ring for the driver. Retest.
I have reassembled everything again. My spacer is full copper and driver and leds are sitting in/on copper. Leds board is connecting to the copper spacer via high quality thermal paste. All rings are super tight. I have used Mountain Electronics silicon wires and have re-soldered them from the driver onto led board, just to make sure, no cold solders there. I have re-assembled the tail switch spring assembly and re-tightened. MtnElectronics does say that this driver supports 4.35V.
I have unscrewed the tail cap, and tested with a copper braid bridging and used that to tap-tap to the bare edge of the tube. Same thing it goes on to that low-light mode and that is it.15-20 taps no Config mode anymore. I have contacted Richard at MtnElectronics but I have read that these days he is very very busy and takes a long time to get back. Looks like he is no longer on this forum either.
It is correct, I have not bypassed the tail spring. I am looking for a sure way to bypass the tail spring, I have both copper braid and Mountain Electronics 22GA silicon wire. If anyone can advise on how to solder bypass the spring, I will appreciate!
THIS is very interesting, and before i read your thread i just emailed MtnE becuase i have had a VERY similar problem, with the EXACT same driver i bougth from them about 6 weeks ago. I have been meaning ot ask them abut it, and keep forgetting, but i just emailed them.
I have bought 2 DD FET 17mm Drivers from MtnE, both with Bistro for a UI. the first one was perfect. I installed it in a brand new Convoy C8+ with a sbt90.2 led, and ran a Molicel P26a, and it was perfect. I have since sold that light and wanted to make another.
I ordered my Second DD FET 17mm driver with Bistro from MTNE about 6 weeks ago, and this one has had a prbem since my first day installed. I cannot enter configuration mode, and it only works (on what i assume is) 100% turbo. I am runnign a Panasonic 10a 3400mah green and black 18650, as i installed a sft40 in thi sone while waiting on a sbt90.2 to come in.
I had configured my first driver no problem - i set thermal limits, turned off moonlight mode (sbt90.2 thrower) and even set my preferred number of steps (4). Everything was fine and i know that i know how to configure th edriver bc i have done it before.
But this new one only has 1 output level. 100%. it actually is kind of nice, bc i use it for very specific cases (just checking the property), but it sucks not having options for thermal settings and it would be nice to at least know why the problem exists.
I wonder if they sent me a DD FET driver with the wrong UI programmed, or if something was shorted on install? i had none of the tell tale "oops!" moments like the reflector touching a lead and melting the centering ring, like have happened in the past and i at least know why the driver doesnt work lol.
Anyway, just thought id chime in because we have the same exact driver, that also has a problem.
I have not had trouble with Bistro —but recently had trouble with a Guppy 3 not accepting the program I’d pick —magically I let it hit the thermal temp set and it started working right ( I bought these drivers at least two yrs ago) — A few yrs ago I had this type of issue with a Crecendo driver — Richard said to send it back , but I never did — I think some of these issues are caused by these cheap MCUs
I have cleaned all the connections, re-soldered, re-tightened. It is a driver at this point. I hope Richard would replace or refund. I have ordered DrJones driver from him (will try him 1 more time) and will experiment with it. Are there alternatives in USA to MtnElectronics? I have read Mtn Electronics used to be top-notch in support and quality but maybe I shall find another supplier. I am not doing it for living and only for kids, friends and family, always had passion for quality in tools, lights, cars, bikes. Fewer and fewer craftsmen around. I just built a phono preamp for my vinyl turntable and it is sounding several times better than $1K units that my friends brought in to compare. If you want quality do it yourself, but components do matter. If I give a gift, I hope it lasts.
Yes, I have placed an order with them, hope they standup to the promise. In the meanwhile, I will keep looking for the suppliers in US that can offer drivers and led boards. Aliexpress in the past 2 years went downhill too. Items arrive in paper envelopes damaged.
I ordered from this guy a couple times — he only had one driver in stock —if you contact him with interest maybe he’ll stock more stuff —- His shipping policy is great over $15 ships free
I hope Richard isn’t slowing down toward retiring the business. He’s always been great with assistance and making so much available to us but it seems like after his accident things just got slower and slower. I’m sure he’ll take care of you once he reads and replies. I was going to suggest morhlumens as well, but he just stocks (or did) some basic Convoy items…MTN is about it in the US. We’ve had several forum members that made drivers for sale in one fashion or another but I think nothing available currently…and of course there is always Digikey and similar for at least a few parts. The rest comes from China vendors, but perhaps the couple in Europe will start up again someday.
On aliexpress it just depends who you buy from. Simon at Convoy often ships many parts in little plastic lip balm cases to keep them safe, sometimes with foam padding, and Sofirn generally puts theirs in small sturdy-enough cardboard boxes…then with any luck you get a padded envelope instead of a plastic wrap envelope. I get the worst packaging from Banggood…feel lucky that a few of my drivers and lenses arrived unbroken.
I wonder if Richard is still supplying Vinh with all his drivers — I would imagine anything in the states that’s custom might have one of his drivers in it — Who knows he might finally be doing some Legal Work ( I think he passed the Bar )
Very helpful, thank you. I hope Richard is not shutting down the business too. I would like to support domestic small business is I can. I will look Simon up at Aliexpress though. I do agree that Banggood is a huge lottery.
Here’s Simon’s official store…it’s kind of blanked out at the moment for Chinese New Year but he should have it back up and running in another week or two or whenever most people are returning to work this year. https://convoy.aliexpress.com/store/330416
The Kaidomain outlet on aliexpress is called the LHT Flashlight Store…also a great source if you don’t want to order directly from Kaidomain…has most of the same things and lots of drivers and diy bits. They package everything very well, too…each item separately wrapped in a bunch of foam or bubble wrap usually, plus a padded envelope. https://www.aliexpress.com/store/708513
There are a lot of little bits and such that MTN has never stocked and may never stock, so ordering from overseas is more or less necessary for repairs and mods…but everything he has great quality plus the knowledge to go with it.
