Re: Arriving Soon...
Thanks for the poke Shane! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sleepy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Diggdug13, you're not too late... I've got you added to the list for two MC2's. Thanks! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Lunal_Tic... and all others who have shown EXTREME PATIENCE with me and my ever-so-slow tinkering... THANK YOU for that! I vow that the MC2 will indeed become a reality, and you folks are going to be glad you waited for it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif But life's intervened with a newborn from around Halloween and a new job from around Thanksgiving, plus the much harder-than-expected task of transitioning from being a home-based computer consultant to a 9-5 fulltime employye of someone else's company again! I still don't have the schedule straight, and one of the casualties has been the amount of time I get to mod. Another has been sleep... very bad! I really need to right the ship quickly. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
But I'm hopeful! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
As for the MC2: it's gone through some growing pains. Would you believe that I've had a couple prototypes provided by one of our little communities more well-known circuit designers for a number of months now, but still haven't nailed down the final details of the MC2? Sad but true! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
I can tell you this: it's looking like the MC2 will be a fairly radical departure from the original Milky Candle... in a good way! I've revisited virtually every aspect of the design, from the level selection switch (which now looks like it's going to be a "Nuwai-style" multiple state pushbutton), to the LED (I'm presently favoring some really nice 10mm LEDs that I uncovered by accident, with great output and a beautiful hotspot... and unlike all others I've seen in this size category, this one still only requires 20mA of current flow!), to the housing itself. On this last point, the PVC tubes have served me well and I've got about 80 of them stockpiled for MC2 builds, but recently discovered a completely different housing that promises to be much shorter, a little wider, easier to build out, easier to weatherproof, and cooler looking. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif And what is this magical alternative housing? Of all things... it's a pencil sharpener! With the sharpening part removed, of course. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
The circuit itself, as it stands in the prototypes I've got, is a thing of beauty. Believe it or not, between the new circuit and the new 10mm LED, the MC2 will be able to provide more light with less current flow, and run as much as 50% longer than the original! For perspective, remember that the original was capable of running in regulation in nightlight mode for 1000 hours... now add 50% to that figure, and the new circuit becomes quite remarkable! Hope I haven't pissed off the designer with my delays, but it's an inherent character trait of mine: as a friend once said of me, I'd sooner release nothing at all than release a crummy product. That's why I didn't take prepayment from you guys! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif I knew something like this would probably happen. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
