The Min/Max Light! Supermodified TIP2

tterev3 · 2019-06-30T18:43:01.000Z

I’m calling this light the Min/Max Light - minimum size, maximum functions. I used a Nitecore TIP2 as host for this and put every feature I could think of into it:

RGB colors
Cyan LASER
365nm UV
Current and Voltage instrumentation with INA219
Temperature monitoring & control
OLED display
Touch-sensitive controls for peek mode
USB-C onboard charging

For a long time I’ve been carrying the SDmini with OLED and got to a point where I couldn’t stand to carry a light that didn’t give me detailed battery and runtime information, but the 18650 format was often too large. I decided to build a very small EDC light that included every feature I’ve ever put into a flashlight in one, and in the minimum size possible. The Nitecore TIP2 was the perfect host with 500mAh cell size, onboard charging, and conveniently had two emitters side-by-side so I could remove one and add new emitter types.

The most difficult part of this was the optics setup - I had to fit optics for a collimated laser and the UV LED into the space left by removing one of the XP-G emitters and corresponding TIR from the stock light. Here’s the completed setup, which involved heavy modification of the plastic frame and brass heatsink, as well as some custom structures formed from copper:

The TIR optic itself took some work too. I needed a flat lens for the laser beam, and the plastic material wouldn’t pass 365nm UV, so I carved out the TIR lens and installed a small glass window, secured in place with epoxy:

In the back I removed one of the two magnets and used the space to put in a USB-C jack and a charger based on the LTC4054:

The laser is built as small as possible using 7mm optics from cheap red laser modules just like I did in my Nitecore Tube Laser, and in this case using a 505nm cyan laser diode. Even built this small, the battery had to be moved back to make room for the laser assembly. For this reason I had to separate the protection circuit and put it on the side. In this image the laser boost driver and LED drivers are also in place:

The back end also gets a programming port to update firmware without disassembly:

And a 3D-printed cover held on by a screw:

After quite a bit more wiring with 34AWG magnet wire, here’s all the electronics in place, with some annotations. The battery monitoring is accomplished by an INA219 power monitor and the control is a PIC18F26K40 on a custom board that includes support circuitry for the 128x32 OLED display:

And with the display board folded down into place it is ready to be put into the housing:

The housing needed a window to be milled out for the display:

And finished with needle files:

This light includes something I’ve been adding to all my lights with displays - peek mode. With this function you can tap on the the buttons (without actually pressing them) and see the battery status on the display. To do this, I add a capacitive touch sensor behind the buttons by covering the back side with copper foil tape which gets connected to the TTP223:

Finally the internals can be slid into the housing. I also added a 0.5mm-thick plexiglas window over the display, and then program it:

And power it up:

And here’s what the UV looks like:

And a head-on view of the front. You can see the TIR for the white beam, the laser, the UV, and on the lower side of the TIR you can see where the de-domed XML-RGBW contacts the optic to get RGB light out the front:

I should probably do a video or something to explain more about the firmware features - there’s a lot going on in this one. In short, it is 2-button MELD interface with the display showing mode, drive level, drive current, battery charge status, LED temperature, battery voltage, battery capacity remaining, and estimated runtime. While charging it shows charge status, voltage, and current. In peek mode it shows charge status, battery voltage, and a preview of the mode that will run if it is turned on.

Thanks for reading

bilakos10 · 2019-06-30T19:07:03.000Z

That’s a godlike mod!
Well done tterev3!

ollywood · 2019-06-30T19:09:37.000Z

Very cool!!!

djozz · 2019-06-30T19:13:40.000Z

Aarrggh, it takes a while and then you come with a mod even smaller and more extreme as the last one. Very well done and thanks for the detailed post!

HONDARIDER · 2019-06-30T19:19:52.000Z

I don’t think I would have the patience to even attempt something of that nature. Excellent work!

whipskirtayeyay · 2019-06-30T20:15:09.000Z

Holy. Shit.

That’s some next level work! This is THE ultimate EDC light.

cayman · 2019-06-30T20:23:16.000Z

this is a very complex mod, someone at a flashlight manufacturer should hire you!
Are you doing this for a living?

bmengineer · 2019-06-30T20:28:27.000Z

This is insane. And I was proud of just swapping the LEDs in this thing!

ZozzV6 · 2019-06-30T21:00:07.000Z

Insane thing!

thisnameisvalid · 2019-06-30T21:19:43.000Z

… and I thought my rovyvon A8 was impressive for having a UV, red aux leds Seriously impressive and complicated mod. Looks like the ultimate keychain EDC light

Firelight2 · 2019-06-30T22:56:23.000Z

bilakos10:

That’s a godlike mod!
Well done tterev3!

Agreed.

I am in awe of your modding skills! :heart_eyes:

So when are you conducting the group buy for these tterev3?

KawiBoy1428 · 2019-06-30T23:10:34.000Z

This pretty much sums it up!

pinkpanda3310 · 2019-07-01T01:09:30.000Z

Wow Totally awesome

Slayer1 · 2019-07-01T01:45:55.000Z

Awesome mod!

MyRants · 2019-07-01T03:51:16.000Z

Wow!

electricjelly · 2019-07-01T04:48:07.000Z

The Swiss army flashlight. I’m blown away. You incorporated so much awesomeness in such a tiny package. Very nicely done.

kiriba-ru · 2019-07-01T05:29:23.000Z

Modded flashlight in near future:

Agro · 2019-07-01T09:24:15.000Z

Incredible mod. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Question:
you put the protection circuit to the side. And added OLED on the side. It looks like there was empty space to the sides. Is that the case?

Geuzzz · 2019-07-01T10:56:57.000Z

Super mod, thnx for sharing.

jacktheclipper · 2019-07-01T12:09:56.000Z