SunDrop Three Stage

[Peter Atwood]

Just wanted to give a big thanks to Don. The three stage SunDrop is terrific. It remembers the last setting which is always a nice feature and the lowest output is very low indeed. The tint remains consistent in all three output levels. Great stuff as usual Don!

 

[griff]

Just wanted to give a big thanks to Don. The three stage SunDrop is terrific. It remembers the last setting which is always a nice feature and the lowest output is very low indeed. The tint remains consistent in all three output levels. Great stuff as usual Don!

Are these available now? I want one!

 

[precisionworks]

Are these available now? I want one!

Count me in for one as well:devil:

 

[brighterisbetter]

No kiddin', I didn't see a sales thread yet?!?! :thinking:

 

[coloradogps]

 

[souptree]

LOL, now you done it.

 

[McGizmo]

Hi guys,
I am 2/3 the way through a wave or actually more like a tide, of the LunaSol 20's. When the sea state settles enough after their launch, I will then proceed on a typical sized wave of the SunDrop 3 speed. I did get production converters in and needed to confirm fit and function. Mr. Atwood was the recipient of a pre wave light.

The tint doesn't shift because the 3 speed uses the same set drive current for all three levels and PWM for the medium and low outputs; at least this is my limited understanding. I did some measurements on Peter's light and in terms of flux, measured 3, 13 & 48 lumens on low, med & high, respectively. I also use an Extech clamp on amp meter to measure the current to the LED and on high, measured 315 mA. I guess the meter measures average current in the case of the PWM or something along those lines because I measured 20 mA on low and 85 mA on medium. I think these measurements are a bit suspect but probably give a reasonable indication for relative runtime guestimations. I admit that all of the converters are basically black boxes to me and this is my first experience building with PWM converters. I am in over my head here.

Herr Kiesling also has a 3 speed headed his way and he can chime in when he gets it and if he is so inclined. I am anxious to get his take on the UI. Although I am his senior in years, we both seem to have an aversion to the new fangled electronics with complicated UI's requiring familarity, learning and competence.

I will no doubt add some more information and comments on the 3 speed when it gets closer to the beach and I have had some time to focus on it.

 

[starfiretoo]

McGizmo - What are are you doing answering this? The northshore wrap around to the west must be unreal glass.:thumbsup:

 

[Kiessling]

Herr Kiesling also has a 3 speed headed his way and he can chime in when he gets it and if he is so inclined. I am anxious to get his take on the UI. Although I am his senior in years, we both seem to have an aversion to the new fangled electronics with complicated UI's requiring familarity, learning and competence.

Hey ... did he just say I behave in a way that makes me look older than I am or what? :whoopin: :nana:

But basically yes, the more of those new UIs I try, the more I detest them. I am looking forward to this 3-speed SunDrop that should arrive here any day now. And I am anxious to see a clicking-UI that passed the "Don-test"

bernie

 

[precisionworks]

I guess the meter measures average current in the case of the PWM or something along those lines ...

You're correct in the way the meter is reading the current. In a single speed SunDrop, voltage is constant & current is constant, so the meter reading is accurate.

With PWM output, voltage is constant (the square wave crests are all the same height) but the voltage is applied for only a part of the cycle. In the diagram below, 1a would be 50% brightness, 1b is 75% brightness, and 1c is 25% brightness. Because the voltage is zero during part of the cycle, the current is also zero at that time.

Most PWM output isn't as uniform or as pretty as the charts above. Some meters are designed specifically for PWM measurement, and use low-pass filters that let LOW frequencies PASS, but block unwanted voltages above a certain frequency, like 1kHz. The Fluke 87V uses this type of filtering, and is a popular meter for work on motor drives that use PWM.

 

[Peter Atwood]

Oh man, I thought I was getting the exclusive one of a kind test one from Don's pocket and now I find out Bernie's getting one too.

LOL, I'm sorry if I let the cat out of the bag Don, didn't mean to cause any troubles. You did mention in an earlier thread that there were three stage ones in the works didn't you? I didn't think it was a secret or anything...

Anyway, love the UI on this thing. Click it once and you get a very low output, perfect for dark adjusted eyes. Click it off and immediately back on and you have a nice medium, again and you have high. Leave it on any setting for more than a second or two and you can click it off and it stays at that level next time you turn it on. Unlike other lights with similar UI it does not pulse to indicate that it is now set at that level. I find it very simple and like I said the tint is really consistent at every level.

Also, the form factor on this light is probably the best of all the McGizmo lights I have seen so far. I love the PD lights but I'd rather have a clickie so this suits me perfectly. The tint of the SunDrop is better than the Mule, to my eyes anyway. It does not appear as bright as the Mule on high but that may have more to do with the warm tint than actual output level.

 

[Peter Atwood]

I just realized that the UI can also be activated without fully clicking. You can do a momentary on, half press the button on and off, scroll through the three levels to get to what you want before pressing completely through. Very very nice feature. This is the way a UI should be IMO. Forget the strobe and signal stuff, millions of complicated levels and keep it stone ax simple. The more I play with it the more I love this light.

 

[McGizmo]

Hi Peter,
No worries on the cat in the bag (they don't like being in bags anyway!). Yes, you can use the momentary to select a new level if you wish and then latch for constant on. I believe the "off" duration needs to be shorter than a second (.33-.5 second?) to cycle you through to the next level. The light will never change on you or flash while it is on. There are no easter eggs and no programing sequences to find or enter either.

You turn the light on (momentery or latched) and it just comes on. If it is not the level you wish, turn it off and quickly back on. Repeat as necessary. There is no waiting time involved. You can shift through the levels as quickly as your hand allows.

The SunDrop 3 Speed is not a tactical light and it refuses to play one on TV. :nana:

EDIT: Strarfiretoo,

I finished up some LunaSol 20 work this morning and through the noon time so I will now take off and check out the ocean. I suspect a cast of thousands have similar ideas so I may end up passing anyway.....

 

[Edwood]

LOL, at first I thought the time day stamp was so far off that it was showing posts from the future.

 

[octaf]

Hi guys,
I am 2/3 the way through a wave or actually more like a tide, of the LunaSol 20's. When the sea state settles enough after their launch, I will then proceed on a typical sized wave of the SunDrop 3 speed. I did get production converters in and needed to confirm fit and function. Mr. Atwood was the recipient of a pre wave light.

The tint doesn't shift because the 3 speed uses the same set drive current for all three levels and PWM for the medium and low outputs; at least this is my limited understanding. I did some measurements on Peter's light and in terms of flux, measured 3, 13 & 48 lumens on low, med & high, respectively. I also use an Extech clamp on amp meter to measure the current to the LED and on high, measured 315 mA. I guess the meter measures average current in the case of the PWM or something along those lines because I measured 20 mA on low and 85 mA on medium. I think these measurements are a bit suspect but probably give a reasonable indication for relative runtime guestimations. I admit that all of the converters are basically black boxes to me and this is my first experience building with PWM converters. I am in over my head here.

Herr Kiesling also has a 3 speed headed his way and he can chime in when he gets it and if he is so inclined. I am anxious to get his take on the UI. Although I am his senior in years, we both seem to have an aversion to the new fangled electronics with complicated UI's requiring familarity, learning and competence.

I will no doubt add some more information and comments on the 3 speed when it gets closer to the beach and I have had some time to focus on it.

3 speen Sundrop ! This is great !

 

[Rico801]

I really like the sound of this 3 speed SunDrop light. I have enjoyed my PD light, but I think I'm more of a clickie kinda guy. Maybe once the PD gets broken in it will be a little more tail cap friendly. I'm looking forward to the release of this one.

 

[mullytron]

Hi Don,

I really love the pictures of your lights, but could you please post some pictures of some awesome waves? You should see the junky little sloppy, messy things we have to ride on out here in NYC...

Oh, and count me in for a 3s SD!