Re:DIY Powerwall Builders Are Using Recycled Laptop Batterie...
by voltagex_ on Monday August 28, 2017 @12:38AM
(#15114433)
Any way to buy off Aliexpress without getting fakes?
Re:DIY Powerwall Builders Are Using Recycled Laptop Batterie...
by Zak on Monday August 28, 2017 @03:21AM
(#15114951)
A few of the budget brands like Convoy, Eagle Eye, and Maxtoch have official Aliexpress stores. I'm not sure about linking Aliexpress here, as the filter might think I sold my account to a spambot, but their store IDs are:
* Convoy: 330416
* Eagle Eye: 1735126
* Maxtoch: 314381
All three make good stuff that has been popular with flashlight geeks. Convoys with "new firmware" or "Biscotti" have an open source firmware: http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~toykeeper/flashlight-firmware/t...
Re:DIY Powerwall Builders Are Using Recycled Laptop Batterie...
by voltagex_ on Monday August 28, 2017 @03:24AM
(#15114964)
Forgive me for my ignorance, but why do I need my flashlight to have open firmware?
Re:DIY Powerwall Builders Are Using Recycled Laptop Batterie...
by Zak on Monday August 28, 2017 @11:40AM
(#15117284)
This is Hacker News. Open source is generally appreciated here even when there isn't a direct, concrete benefit to most end users.
But if you're here, there's a good chance you're the sort of person who could get an AVR programmer and tweak something if you don't like it. Different modes? Timed stepdowns to prevent overheating or not, or more sophisticated thermal regulation for the attiny25 based drivers that have a temperature sensor? A firmware with completely different behavior like near-continuous ramping instead of fixed modes?
It's hackable, and hackable is good.
Re:DIY Powerwall Builders Are Using Recycled Laptop Batterie...
by Whitestrake on Monday August 28, 2017 @01:15AM
(#15114532)
Any thoughts on the Wowtac A2 vs Wowtac A2S?
Re:DIY Powerwall Builders Are Using Recycled Laptop Batterie...
by Zak on Monday August 28, 2017 @03:14AM
(#15114924)
The A2S is not worth a 50% price increase for most users, but if you really want more output (in the form of a bigger hotspot, probably not more intensity or throw distance), it's only $10 extra.
As to your request, a couple general recommendations first: skip the zoom, and don't chase output numbers. Zoom is pretty optically inefficient, and small zoomable flashlights don't end up with much more throw distance than similar size fixed reflector flashlights. They don't do wide-angle illumination as well either. A good reflector with sufficient output provides both at once. As for brightness, human perception of brightness is roughly logarithmic (with a base between 2 and 3), so it takes four times the output to look twice as bright. Anything over about 500 in a pocketable flashlight is pretty decent, and most 18650 lights have more.
Specific recommendation: the Wowtac/Atactical (both names show up on Amazon sometimes) A2. This is one of the smallest 18650 lights, has shortcuts to low, high and last-used modes from off and has a right-angle configuration that works equally well handheld of as a headlamp. A pocket clip, headband and 18650 battery with built-in USB charging port are included. It costs $20, and I have no idea how they make a profit given all the stuff it comes with. Go with the neutral white tint if you can find it; this looks more like sunlight and won't wash out colors as much as the cool white.