waywardgeek
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2012
- Messages
- 28
The Klarus MiX6 is almost a great AAA light, but has problems that make it unpopular, though I carry it for its size and beauty. The significant flaws are:
1) Tail spring will get crushed by the battery if you drop the light on it's tail, breaking the light.
2) It takes 1/3 turn to turn it off/on, while selecting modes, and sometimes it flickers, skipping modes.
Some people would add that the strobe mode is also a fatal flaw, but that's a matter of opinion. They should get rid of it because there seem to be few who want it strongly, and many who hate it.
First, here's a simple change to the light that would fix both major flaws. Replace the tail spring with a traditional spring, like the one in the Fenix PD01. That would fix the reliability problem. Second, don't rely on current flowing through the threads to power the light. Instead, use contacts just like the Fenix E01. Here's an image I found showing the inside ring where contact is made:
This would not effect the size of the light at all, but it would make it reliable, and make mode selection smoother. It would put this light on the same footing as the Fenix LD01 in terms of functionality.
However, there are other features that could make it even better. The first is a simple matter of improving the electronics: support up to 5V input, and 700mA from the battery. Supporting the rechargeable LiON 10440's would allow a much brighter turbo mode, and longer battery life in other modes. This is a no-brainer. The PD01 functions with this battery, and is much brighter with it, but the other modes are basically broken and using it voids the warranty.
The second upgrade requires mechanical stuff I'm not so good with. I want the light to turn off when the head is tighten, and slowly increase brightness when I loosen the head. Think of how a Maglite Solitaire functions, but instead of changing the focus as I loosen the head, I want it to get brighter. This would eliminate the who mode selection hack, and let me get the brightness I want when I want it, without having to mess around repeatedly tightening and loosening the head.
The electrical contact between the head and body could be made reliable using spring loaded contacts that push from the head onto the body while screwing it in, so I think that's a solvable problem, though it bothers me that the battery will be putting out a lot of current while the positive contact is turning. Is this a problem?
The final problem is sensing head rotation, and doing it reliably. There are several possible solutions. For example, we could have contacts like the Fenix E01 that indicate when the head is screwed down tight rather than providing power. However, it would be better if we could break rather than make contact when the head is screwed down tight. That would allow sensing the state without any static current, increasing battery life. I think there is room for such a switch in the space currently occupied by the rubber ring on he head. As for sensing rotation once we detect that the head is being loosened, there are several possible solutions. Using up to a milliamp of current is not much of a problem for a battery that has 700mA hours of life or more, so we could sens rotation magnetically, or even optically. Either sensor could fit on the side of the head and detect rotation of the body.
What do you guys think? How would you design the head sensors in a tiny AAA light?
1) Tail spring will get crushed by the battery if you drop the light on it's tail, breaking the light.
2) It takes 1/3 turn to turn it off/on, while selecting modes, and sometimes it flickers, skipping modes.
Some people would add that the strobe mode is also a fatal flaw, but that's a matter of opinion. They should get rid of it because there seem to be few who want it strongly, and many who hate it.
First, here's a simple change to the light that would fix both major flaws. Replace the tail spring with a traditional spring, like the one in the Fenix PD01. That would fix the reliability problem. Second, don't rely on current flowing through the threads to power the light. Instead, use contacts just like the Fenix E01. Here's an image I found showing the inside ring where contact is made:
This would not effect the size of the light at all, but it would make it reliable, and make mode selection smoother. It would put this light on the same footing as the Fenix LD01 in terms of functionality.
However, there are other features that could make it even better. The first is a simple matter of improving the electronics: support up to 5V input, and 700mA from the battery. Supporting the rechargeable LiON 10440's would allow a much brighter turbo mode, and longer battery life in other modes. This is a no-brainer. The PD01 functions with this battery, and is much brighter with it, but the other modes are basically broken and using it voids the warranty.
The second upgrade requires mechanical stuff I'm not so good with. I want the light to turn off when the head is tighten, and slowly increase brightness when I loosen the head. Think of how a Maglite Solitaire functions, but instead of changing the focus as I loosen the head, I want it to get brighter. This would eliminate the who mode selection hack, and let me get the brightness I want when I want it, without having to mess around repeatedly tightening and loosening the head.
The electrical contact between the head and body could be made reliable using spring loaded contacts that push from the head onto the body while screwing it in, so I think that's a solvable problem, though it bothers me that the battery will be putting out a lot of current while the positive contact is turning. Is this a problem?
The final problem is sensing head rotation, and doing it reliably. There are several possible solutions. For example, we could have contacts like the Fenix E01 that indicate when the head is screwed down tight rather than providing power. However, it would be better if we could break rather than make contact when the head is screwed down tight. That would allow sensing the state without any static current, increasing battery life. I think there is room for such a switch in the space currently occupied by the rubber ring on he head. As for sensing rotation once we detect that the head is being loosened, there are several possible solutions. Using up to a milliamp of current is not much of a problem for a battery that has 700mA hours of life or more, so we could sens rotation magnetically, or even optically. Either sensor could fit on the side of the head and detect rotation of the body.
What do you guys think? How would you design the head sensors in a tiny AAA light?
