Texas Avenger "TA" Driver series - Triple channel + Bistro or Narsil + Clicky or E-switch - The Ultimate open source driver!

Tom_E · 2016-09-07T00:03:57.000Z

Got the 17mm drivers today - they took longer, different panel. Wow, sure looks packed in there. Will take a closer look - should work well for the piggyback e-switch setups. Need to work on the ramping table...

Discussed the issue of dropping R1/R2 to my EE buddy at work, and using the ref voltage. He's not familiar much with the Atmels, uses the PIC's mostly, but said that is entirely possible to do, couple different ways in fact, depending on what the Atmel has.

He's still adamant that we pursue optical programming/dnld of the drivers. He believes the LED can be used to read light as well as transmit it, and we could use it to both set config settings, and do a full download from a cell phone. Other lights on the market do this, but not sure they are using the primary LED for this.

Texas_Ace · 2016-09-07T00:20:35.000Z

Tom E:

Got the 17mm drivers today - they took longer, different panel. Wow, sure looks packed in there. Will take a closer look - should work well for the piggyback e-switch setups. Need to work on the ramping table…

Discussed the issue of dropping R1/R2 to my EE buddy at work, and using the ref voltage. He’s not familiar much with the Atmels, uses the PIC’s mostly, but said that is entirely possible to do, couple different ways in fact, depending on what the Atmel has.

He’s still adamant that we pursue optical programming/dnld of the drivers. He believes the LED can be used to read light as well as transmit it, and we could use it to both set config settings, and do a full download from a cell phone. Other lights on the market do this, but not sure they are using the primary LED for this.

Yeah, the 17mm are packed super tight, thats why using the internal reference would be great, make it a lot easier to fit things on.

An optical programming setup would be super cool indeed, kinda like using a speaker as a microphone I suppose.

An issue with that is code space, would there be room for this in the firmware?

Tom_E · 2016-09-07T00:24:25.000Z

Code space is one sure concern, but there's the small detail of the R&D and getting it to work without a ton of parts, etc., plus the app development to support it. Not for the faint of heart...

I ordered the 17's in 2 oz and the thin size, figuring it's better for piggybacking.

Texas_Ace · 2016-09-07T00:35:12.000Z

Tom E:

Code space is one sure concern, but there’s the small detail of the R&D and getting it to work without a ton of parts, etc., plus the app development to support it. Not for the faint of heart…

I ordered the 17’s in 2 oz and the thin size, figuring it’s better for piggybacking.

Good idea, that would make piggybacking easier indeed, if you got some 0603 components it would cut space a little more as well.

Tom_E · 2016-09-07T03:00:24.000Z

I got triple channel ramping working pretty well, least it looks ok. I installed the 22mm driver installed in a SupFire M2-Z for testing, XPL/copper. I used this levelcalc command:

level_calc.py 3 150 7135 3 0.3 150 7135 3 0.3 800 FET 1 1 1500

This generates 3 150 entry PWM tables. It takes about 2.4 secs to ramp thru the table. 1st 65 entries are for the one 7135, then next 62 are for the 7135 bank, then last 23 are for the FET.

I'd like to see more entries in the lower range, less in the high range though. Gotta do more testing. Would also be good to see it in a multi-LED light. For Narsil double channel, one ramping table seemed to work well across single and multi-LED lights. Might be one glitch about in the middle - slight pause, maybe, hard to tell... I've found lowering the last # (1500) gets more entries in the low range, so may try 1200 or so.

Tom_E · 2016-09-07T12:18:55.000Z

Found some good info from Halo... on doing VCC monitoring without needing R1/R2 here:

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/34900/731 (post #731 in 25/45/86 thread)

and here:

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/32545/790 (post #790 in flashlight firmware repository thread)

Wish Halo... was still around - not seen online for 2 weeks, but this looks like pretty good stuff. He's a treendous source of knowledge on the ATMEL parts, an area I'm particularly weak in.

DrJones mentions he uses it here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/34900/765, in 25/45/85 thread, but no info provided on how to do it.

Want to try some more tweaking on ramping, then I could post NarsilTriple as-is, but Want to mod it to what I described before - have ramping and mode sets all integrated together in in UI state. Still feel this is the best way to go. Think it will save code space, which I will probably need if I can get non R1/R2 VCC reading working, then I'll have another I/O pin available for the indicator LED.

Texas_Ace · 2016-09-07T13:17:41.000Z

Nice work, I also noticed that bistro tripledown works well in both single and multiemitter lights as a whole with only minor changes needed to the FET portion of the ramping table from what I have seen. Although frankly I am not picky enough to care and just use it as is, it is hardly noticeable anyways and since it doesn’t use ramping actively like narsil it is not an issue.

Having the ramping and modes combined would be sweet. I want to try the ramping, it sounds very interesting but I know that I will most likely just revert to 3-5 set modes as I find this the most useful overall.

If you can get the LVP with the internal reference worked out, it is possible that TK could copy this and add it to the Tripledown firmware. If so I could redesign the drivers without the R1/R2 and instead have pads for future options. Such as the indicator LED, or use the space for an LDO.

Tom_E · 2016-09-07T14:47:15.000Z

Yea, that's what I was thinking. She can borrow code from me for a change - I'm always borrowing her code, so I owe her . I could also make the mods to bistro-tripledown, doesn't matter much. I use her same header structure as well, but I keep them local with the source code/project instead of in one common shared place.

May need some time though - gonna lose evening/morn access soon to be office/shop with my mother-n-law and aunt coming this weekend for a couple weeks.

Texas_Ace · 2016-09-07T14:49:30.000Z

Tom E:

Yea, that’s what I was thinking. She can borrow code from me for a change - I’m always borrowing her code, so I owe her . I could also make the mods to bistro-tripledown, doesn’t matter much. I use her same header structure as well, but I keep them local with the source code/project instead of in one common shared place.

May need some time though - gonna lose evening/morn access soon to be office/shop with my mother-n-law and aunt coming this weekend for a couple weeks.

No problem, take your time. You have been going at this for quite some time now, last thing you need is to get burnt out entirely! lol

RotorHead64 · 2016-09-07T15:57:30.000Z

This is some really cool stuff going on in here guys! Keep up the good work and thanks sharing.

I'm wondering if there's any way that the programming could be altered to where the first mode could be full 7135 power with access to turbo/full FET by a quick double tap?

In bistro I like reverse mode order hi-low, 4 normal modes, moonlight enabled with no memory. Tactically it's great but for normal work I'd rather it come on in a regulated 3amp mode. With quick access to turbo. I'm mainly talking about use in triples and quads.

Tom_E · 2016-09-07T16:14:58.000Z

RotorHead64:

I'm wondering if there's any way that the programming could be altered to where the first mode could be full 7135 power with access to turbo/full FET by a quick double tap?

In bistro I like reverse mode order hi-low, 4 normal modes, moonlight enabled with no memory. Tactically it's great but for normal work I'd rather it come on in a regulated 3amp mode. With quick access to turbo. I'm mainly talking about use in triples and quads.

Narsil already does that, or equivalent in both operating modes.

If you are in ramping, double tap goes to max/full FET -- that's how it works now on FET+1 drivers.

In mode set mode, it's easy - just configure for 2 modes: max 7135, and max FET. I can't recall exactly how I configured 2 modes - whether for mode #1 I used the single 7135 or bank of 7135's, but easy to change however you like, or add a new mode set -- simply really. Could make mode #1 both 7135 channels at max: single and the bank.

RotorHead64 · 2016-09-07T17:29:44.000Z

Awesome! I don't have any experience with Narsil but from what I've read it's great. I'm actually doing a yezl y3 mod right now and wish I had Narsil to try out with it.

So with a clicky, if you could make it come on at 100% 7135's no PWM , then ramp down to moon with half press, double tap anywhere in between to full turbo? If that's how it'll work that's awesome!

I'm sure I'm not right about that but am I close?

Tom_E · 2016-09-07T17:36:27.000Z

clicky? You mean a power switch? Narsil is e-switch based, but does have support for a power switch, but just for doing basic clicks to change modes, w/mode memory.

RotorHead64 · 2016-09-07T18:35:12.000Z

Yea I must have gotten my wires crossed back there somewhere.

I guess you would need a pretty big capacitor to keep the mcu powered when using a power switch?

I had envisioned the light would ramp a little at a time depending on how long you half pressed the power switch. Obviously you wouldn't be able to see it ramping but with practice it could become second nature.

Is that even possible with a power switch?

Tom_E · 2016-09-07T18:45:09.000Z

In theory you could. Not sure if anyone implemented it, but if you have a std rev. clicky switch, 1/2 press, then ramp up from lowest, then a 1/2 click could set the output level to what ramping is at. Think that would work - not as much flexibility as an e-switch.

Tom_E · 2016-09-08T03:13:25.000Z

I tried another ramping table - think it's better, might still be a delay there. I do like one aspect of it - there's much less levels on the FET, which I think is better. Very hard to see any difference between 70% and 100% anyways, but of course depends how much amps you get from the FET.

I added an 8th mode set of 2 modes, where mode 1 is max 1x7135 and the max 7135 bank, and mode 2 is max FET. Interesting because measured amps on mode 1 was exactly 3.15A with all 7135's being 350 mA. One bank (8 7135's) measure 2.78A. So pretty much proved 7135 channels are additive.

This version is now posted up on my google drive share:

https://drive.google.com 254585 Support

Direct link to the source ZIP file: https://drive.google.com NarsilTriple v1-2

Direct link to the AVRDude dnld command for it: https://drive.google.com 85Narsil3.bat

DavidEF · 2016-09-08T16:01:18.000Z

Hey Texas_Ace, I downloaded Diptrace, since you seem to really enjoy using it. I figured since I’m a newbie anyway, I might as well try out a couple options before settling in with one tool forever. Well, I found out that Diptrace is so unlike Eagle that I can hardly get around in it. I only know Eagle because of Mattaus’ video tutorial series. But, there was plenty in that tutorial to get me going. Did you ever think of doing some kind of simple tutorial for Diptrace? I know it’s not your program, but you use it and seem to understand well enough. The Diptrace help menu claims to have a link to a tutorial, but I couldn’t get anywhere by clicking that. One thing that would be helpful is where did you get your parts libraries? You may have said before. Forgive me if I missed it. The Diptrace download has a lot of parts included, but doesn’t include AMC7135 chips or Cree emitters as far as I can see. What do you say? Would you help a man out?

Texas_Ace · 2016-09-08T16:22:20.000Z

I don’t have a lot of time right now but I recommend that you watch these videos, they were enough to get me setup with enough understanding to figure out the rest:

diptrace.com

Guided Tour - DipTrace

Guided Tour. DipTrace - PCB Design software. EDA/CAD package with autorouter, Schematic Capture multi-level hierarchy, real-time DRC, 3D Preview/export, Gerber output and comprhensive component and pattern libraries.

There is also a full user manual and lots of tutorials on youtube if you search.

Far as the 7135’s you just need to find a component with the same foot print and use that. For the LED’s I created my own template. It is not hard to do at all but I can also upload my templates if people want them.

DavidEF · 2016-09-08T16:31:44.000Z

Thanks, I’ll check out those videos! Do any of them tell how to create library parts? If not, I may yet need you to upload yours.

Tom_E · 2016-09-08T16:59:39.000Z

With the TA 22mm board running NarsilTriple, I configured moon mode to a value of "1" for PWM just to see if it worked. It used the single 350 mA 7135, and it actually works! I have a XPL in there, and there is a slight noticeable glow coming off the phosphor, can hardly be seen but it's there. a "2" PWM level is pretty obvious, but very low still.

Never saw this before. Wonder if it's magic from this driver design and/or DEL's magic of his new parts design.

It sure is impressive though...