djpark
Enlightened
Introducing POP2 (PIC-O-PWM Version 2) with Dual User Interface
I and a few users have been testing the new simpler UI with POP and we like it. The old UI and its features of POP are all still maintained in the POP2 and either UI can be selected by the user.
The original POP with the traditional UI (UI1) is found here including pictures, beamshots and run time charts.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Number=885491
Features
- LDO based constant current regulation with li-ion battery
- Dual selectable UI (traditional and simpler version)
- 7Hz Strobe mode (instead of previous 5Hz). Many asked for faster strobe. I find the faster strobe has not much effect.
- Easy access to the default high and low brightness mode
- Last brightness level used is remembered when turned on next time
- Modified SOS mode (shorter pause between characters)
- survival mode with minimum current flow and lowest brightness for really long run time
- User selectable low mode brightness level
- optional burst mode for short duration brihter light output
- Provision for future firmware upgrade without replacing the controller IC
It is not a boost circuit and regular CR123 is not suitable to use. Maximum current flow to led is limited by the combination of battery voltage and led Vf.
UI2 (new simple UI) operation
In this mode, strobe and SOS are also treated as if one of the low brightness level.
- 1st ON: last used level (including strobe & sos)
- 2nd ON: alternative level
- 3rd ON: burst mode (if available)
- 4th ON: low mode brightness selection mode (also can select strobe and sos)
|
- 10th ON: UI selection mode
I find this one simpler than the traditional UI. But the sequence may change in future if more feedbacks are available.
UI1 (traditional UI) operation = same as before
- 1st ON: last used level
- 2nd ON: alternative (next) level
- 3rd ON: alternate again (=1st)
- 4th ON: alternate again (=2nd)
- 5th ON: burst mode (if available)
- 6th ON: survival mode
- 7th ON: strobe mode
- 8th ON: sos mode
- 9th ON: low mode brightness level selection
- 10th ON: UI selection mode
UI selection
At 10th ON, OFF during first light ON to get UI1, 2nd light get UI2.
POP2-Q3
The POP2 circuit is modded into a Q3. Actually the existing momentary OFF switch gives better shifting to the next mode.
The picture below shows Q3 board with dual LDO and reverse battery protection FET. The pcb was made to be a direct replacement for the existing board.
With TPS73201 as primary LDO for the high brightness mode, it runs about 450-500mA on constant current regulation. It gives slightly brighter output than using regular CR123 with the original boost circuit (green line).
Run time brightness was logged with 2 sets of li-ion batteries and various bins of Luxeon-III leds. The measurement was done in the room temperature of 34 degree C without a special cooling device. The value at left column has no meaning, it is just my logger ADC reading and only meaningful as relative comparison.
SY0K is the original Luxeon Star in Q3, TX1K is bought from Sandwich Shoppe and used in Arc-LS for some time before, so I expect the Vf could have been shifted lower now. R123 batteries has been heavily used and even abused with over-discharge to near 0 voltage a few times, so it is expected to contain less charge than new ones.
Raising tail of the brightness indicates the LDO is not able to hold on to the constant current regulation and it works as wide open from that point.
This run time chart may give some debatable ideas of brightness vs Vf. If you consider the Vf of TX1K shifted lower than or as low as new TX1J, higer Vf gives brighter light output for the same given led current. W=A*V formula may explain, but it is best discussed in LED section, not here.
The following beam shots are taken with TW0J for high brightness mode and burst mode on the wall 1m away using camera setup F2.8 1 second. The lux meter reading is 776 lux @ 1m for high mode and 1153 lux @ 1m for burst mode.
The low mode brightness is variable (actually over 200 levels of fine resolution), so it is not included for comparison.
The burst mode does bring slightly noticeable extra brightness.
POP2-MiniMag
The same circuit was put in the mini-Mag in the form of sandwich. One 14500 li-ion was used and a spacer was used to fill the empty space for the other AA battery length. This light may work well with cut down mini-mini-Mag for 1AA configuration.
A beam shot on the wall 1m away using low dome 1W Luxeon running 350mA.
I will take some video and more pictures when time is available.
Any comment or suggestion/recommendation are always welcomed.
-- dj
I and a few users have been testing the new simpler UI with POP and we like it. The old UI and its features of POP are all still maintained in the POP2 and either UI can be selected by the user.
The original POP with the traditional UI (UI1) is found here including pictures, beamshots and run time charts.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Number=885491
Features
- LDO based constant current regulation with li-ion battery
- Dual selectable UI (traditional and simpler version)
- 7Hz Strobe mode (instead of previous 5Hz). Many asked for faster strobe. I find the faster strobe has not much effect.
- Easy access to the default high and low brightness mode
- Last brightness level used is remembered when turned on next time
- Modified SOS mode (shorter pause between characters)
- survival mode with minimum current flow and lowest brightness for really long run time
- User selectable low mode brightness level
- optional burst mode for short duration brihter light output
- Provision for future firmware upgrade without replacing the controller IC
It is not a boost circuit and regular CR123 is not suitable to use. Maximum current flow to led is limited by the combination of battery voltage and led Vf.
UI2 (new simple UI) operation
In this mode, strobe and SOS are also treated as if one of the low brightness level.
- 1st ON: last used level (including strobe & sos)
- 2nd ON: alternative level
- 3rd ON: burst mode (if available)
- 4th ON: low mode brightness selection mode (also can select strobe and sos)
|
- 10th ON: UI selection mode
I find this one simpler than the traditional UI. But the sequence may change in future if more feedbacks are available.
UI1 (traditional UI) operation = same as before
- 1st ON: last used level
- 2nd ON: alternative (next) level
- 3rd ON: alternate again (=1st)
- 4th ON: alternate again (=2nd)
- 5th ON: burst mode (if available)
- 6th ON: survival mode
- 7th ON: strobe mode
- 8th ON: sos mode
- 9th ON: low mode brightness level selection
- 10th ON: UI selection mode
UI selection
At 10th ON, OFF during first light ON to get UI1, 2nd light get UI2.
POP2-Q3
The POP2 circuit is modded into a Q3. Actually the existing momentary OFF switch gives better shifting to the next mode.
The picture below shows Q3 board with dual LDO and reverse battery protection FET. The pcb was made to be a direct replacement for the existing board.
With TPS73201 as primary LDO for the high brightness mode, it runs about 450-500mA on constant current regulation. It gives slightly brighter output than using regular CR123 with the original boost circuit (green line).
Run time brightness was logged with 2 sets of li-ion batteries and various bins of Luxeon-III leds. The measurement was done in the room temperature of 34 degree C without a special cooling device. The value at left column has no meaning, it is just my logger ADC reading and only meaningful as relative comparison.
SY0K is the original Luxeon Star in Q3, TX1K is bought from Sandwich Shoppe and used in Arc-LS for some time before, so I expect the Vf could have been shifted lower now. R123 batteries has been heavily used and even abused with over-discharge to near 0 voltage a few times, so it is expected to contain less charge than new ones.
Raising tail of the brightness indicates the LDO is not able to hold on to the constant current regulation and it works as wide open from that point.
This run time chart may give some debatable ideas of brightness vs Vf. If you consider the Vf of TX1K shifted lower than or as low as new TX1J, higer Vf gives brighter light output for the same given led current. W=A*V formula may explain, but it is best discussed in LED section, not here.
The following beam shots are taken with TW0J for high brightness mode and burst mode on the wall 1m away using camera setup F2.8 1 second. The lux meter reading is 776 lux @ 1m for high mode and 1153 lux @ 1m for burst mode.
The low mode brightness is variable (actually over 200 levels of fine resolution), so it is not included for comparison.
The burst mode does bring slightly noticeable extra brightness.
POP2-MiniMag
The same circuit was put in the mini-Mag in the form of sandwich. One 14500 li-ion was used and a spacer was used to fill the empty space for the other AA battery length. This light may work well with cut down mini-mini-Mag for 1AA configuration.
A beam shot on the wall 1m away using low dome 1W Luxeon running 350mA.
I will take some video and more pictures when time is available.
Any comment or suggestion/recommendation are always welcomed.
-- dj