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New product ** Tank Light ** Feeler Interest/Info

dat2zip

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New product ** Tank Light **

Update 4SEP07.

Started Part 2 thread here.


Update:16MAY07
=================================
You can BUY the products on the shoppe at:
Tank Lights

A few notes:
We have tassled the pricing and implementation given the current ecommerce package we are using and have come up with a short term solution and a longer term solution.

Short term. Each Tank light will be listed twice. A single qty item and two qty item. There will be a single 4AA, Two 4AA item, Single 123 version, two 123 version. The two item ones will be discounted relative to the single item listing.

Long term:
We are migrating to a new ecoommerce package that will hopefully fix many of the nagging existiing issues we are having and offer new capabilities that we currently don't have. It might be possible to have a single listing called Tank Light and have the capability to select sub product 4AA or 123 quantiies under the main Tank Light product. I know this might be true as many products like Jeans can come in different colors/sizes. I can only imagine this is a desired feature that many others need and I hope this feature is part of the new subset with the new site and will allow us to streamline the product offering and simplify it for customers.

Those of you who have a Tank Light and would like to add any comments, suggestions or provide any of your personal views can feel free to add or post here.

Last, the final color configuration will look like
t640_123_tl.jpg


The top is transparent blue and the frame under it is clear. The picture above is for the 123 version. The shoppe image for the 4AA shows a black frame instead of the clear frame. The 4AA version will also be a transparent blue top and clear frame. (not what is shown on the shoppe).

=================================


I'm thinking of taking the Night Light that is nearing completion and possibly offering them to the general public.

Introducing the Tank Light
t640_IMG_9668.jpg


Features:
  • Runs off 3 or 4 AA batteries.
  • Three levels of brightness (Low, Med, High)
  • Photo Sensor turns light off during daytime
  • Photo Sensor sensitivity configurable for different ambient conditions
  • Turret can be flat top or clear dome top
  • Cannon can be 20mm or 25mm in length
  • Secondary LED blinks when low battery is detected
  • LED is regulated in all three levels (not pulsed)
  • "I'm alive" feature. Blinks once every 15 seconds when off (daytime)
  • The board can report the battery voltage
  • The board can report the firmware revision
  • In the special functions mode you can set one of three photo sensitivities
  • Photo sensor can be disabled for constant on
  • Firmware upgrades available through a programming interface (factory)
  • If the button is accidentally held down and the special function mode is entered the light will be automatically time out and go back to normal mode after 15 seconds of no switch activity.
Price is still TBD.

With a set of standard Alkaline batteries and using 1500mA/HR as the battery capacity the approximate run times for the three levels are:
Low: ~4,000 Hours
Med: ~1,000 Hours
High: ~200 Hours

If the photo sensor is enabled and you assume 12 Hours on and 12 hours asleep then divide the number of hours by 12 to get the approximate number of days.

Low: 4,000 / 12 = 333 Days
Med: 1,000 / 12 = 83.3 Days
High: 200 / 12 = 16.6 Days

Currently the board has a Luxeon Emitter style footprint for the primary LED and I'm loading a U bin Seoul emitter as the primary LED. This makes the light even on Low brighter than if a standard 5mm or Luxeon Lux3 T/U bin is used.

The button is recessed and currently when the light is on or when the photo sensor is fully covered to turn the light on the button toggles from low, med, high. To access the special function menu requires holding the button down for 5 seconds.

The UI tentatively might look like the following.
nl_flow_chart.gif


-Wayne
 
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dat2zip

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Reserved.

Q: How long have you been working on this?
A: I started this project last November.

Q: What will be the final price?
A: That's still TBD

Q: Will there be any other configurations?
A: Yes, I have a prototype of a Three 123 configuration. It will run on two or three 123 batteries. I haven't decided whether to make this version or not.

Q: When might this be available.
A: I'm thinking of making them in small batches of around 20 units at a time. I won't start offering them until I'm done with all my testing and completion of the firmware. I have one more feature to put in and test before any assemblies will be considered. Most likely we are still a couple months out or sooner.

Q: I saw other colors for the top plate. Will you be offering other colors?
A: I may consider other colors. They will be solid. Transparent colors couple the primary LED light to the photo sensor and can cause rapid fire mode on the cannon.
 
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nein166

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Feb 16, 2006
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New York
dat2zip said:
Currently the board has a Luxeon Emitter style footprint for the primary LED and I'm loading a U bin Seoul emitter as the primary LED. This makes the light even on Low brighter than if a standard 5mm or Luxeon Lux3 T/U bin is used.

Here I hope you mean the SSC is brighter on low than the Lux3 is on Hi.
 

fleegs

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Dec 13, 2003
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546
Location
Indy
Interested. Prefer 123 batts.


Wondering about water resistance? (Seem self explanatory but just in case)

Wondering about beam pattern? (Any possible use as a flashlight? Or is this just a room light?)

Wondering about battery config? (I know AA, maybe 123 but any other batts in the plans?)

Will this handle rechargables in AA and the 123 version?


Thanks,
rob
 

Turd_Ferguson

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Jan 15, 2004
Messages
458
I like it. I'll assume I can use rechargeable NiMH. I've very fond of the 15 minute Ray-O-Vac's. Gimme, gimme.
 

DudeDon

Banned
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Mar 1, 2007
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3
Location
London
Hay Turd, you have a great nick! I am interested in this light too for my fish tank. It would be really cool at night.
 

supes

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Jul 22, 2004
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Location
GA,USA
Sounds very good. I'm tried of my cheap $5 dollar incandescent night light that puts out that yellowish color. :popcorn:
 

Strauss

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Aug 19, 2006
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Plattsburgh, NY
This would make a killer replacement for my Milkyspit MC2! I am in for one for sure :sold: .....as long as the price is right :) Can you give us a ball park figure on the price?
 

dat2zip

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fleegs said:
Interested. Prefer 123 batts.


Wondering about water resistance? (Seem self explanatory but just in case)

Wondering about beam pattern? (Any possible use as a flashlight? Or is this just a room light?)

Wondering about battery config? (I know AA, maybe 123 but any other batts in the plans?)

Will this handle rechargables in AA and the 123 version?


Thanks,
rob

These are not water resistance. The hole for the switch and the holes in the battery pack would allow water to get onto the board and components.

Beam pattern is diffused. There is a solid diffuser over the LED making the diffused turret the part that glows.

You can stick any AA batteries you like in the AA unit. It has been designed to accept voltages up to 10V and more.

I had plans and actually have the proto for the 123. Really, there is no difference between the two except the battery holders.

I'm having second thoughts on other configurations for the moment and here's the reason.

The circuit that drives the LED is basically a series linear regulator or mimicks one. Thus, if the LED is drawing 10mA so is the load on the batteries. That means 3,4,5,6... in series in any combination would all see a load of 10mA. Four AA would draw 10mA, 3 123s would also see 10mA.

That means the runtime for 3AA is 200 hours. 4AAs? 200 Hours. 5AAs? 200 Hours. Get the picture. That bugs the crap out of me.

I'm working on the a next generation that will do power conversion and thus be more efficient. More batteries would then give you longer runtime.

I've only started the second generation, but, if I'm successful in making a working proto I would make the 123 configuration at that time.

If there is sufficient demand for the current configuration I'll consider making them.

I would need to see at least 10 people interested and more like 20 to make a run for one configuration.

Getting the assembly construction down to a minimal time effort will determine the final price of the unit. Not the cost of the components. Not the cost of the engvaved top... How much time it takes to assemble. That for me will dominate the final cost.
 

jefft

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Aug 30, 2005
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Cupertino, CA
Ok, Wayne, this thing is too cute to pass up. I'm pretty sure my kids would love one (or two) in their room.
 

Ctechlite

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Philadelphia, PA
This is really kool imo. Depending on price and what not I would be interested in at least two.

dat2zip said:
Getting the assembly construction down to a minimal time effort will determine the final price of the unit. Not the cost of the components. Not the cost of the engvaved top... How much time it takes to assemble. That for me will dominate the final cost.

In that case any chance for a DIY kit?
 

tvodrd

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:paypal: I have a collection totaling 5 so far! (1kW and up!) This will offer orders of magnitude runtime improvement! :bow: :D

Larry
 

nine

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Jan 28, 2005
Messages
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I'm certainly interested,
although I do question the wisdom of the "I'm alive" mode. If someone were to walk pass the device in that stage, they might think it was a "live device" and call the bomb squad.
 

DFiorentino

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tvodrd said:
:paypal: I have a collection totaling 5 so far! (1kW and up!) This will offer orders of magnitude runtime improvement! :bow: :D

Larry

Hey Larry, how many of Wayne's Tanks would it take to equal the output of one of your 'portable' 1kW lights? :laughing:

-DF
 
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