Inside an EDC V3 flashlight (with schematic)
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- čas přidán 26. 04. 2023
- I'll just assume that this unit is a clone of one of the many similar looking products. It's hard to tell which came first in a sea of lookalike products. I'm sure the true flashlight connoisseurs will know.
In the UK we call these torches, which is kinda bizarre, since it's literally a progression from the original blazing stick that was used for light in the long distant past. According to Wikipedia the word torch comes from the French word torche, representing the fuel carrying wick wrapped around the end of the stick. So basically speaking this torch is an electronic blazing stick that fits on your keyring.
This link finds them on AliExpress. Target price around 10 pounds.
www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesal...
The lithium cell claims to be 500mAh, which is viable for its size, and it is charged at a current of around 350mA. The USB C charging port does not have the load identification resistors, so some smart chargers may not detect its presence and will not charge it. A plain dumb charger will charge it.
The front LEDs have five modes. Brief high power output and four latched intensities, with current draw at 4.2V as follows:-
Momentary high power = 2000mA
High = 660mA
Medium = 140mA
Low = 67mA
Night light = 13mA
The small side LEDs have two chips each and are run at 100mA.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:- www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of CZcams's algorithm quirks, allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
#ElectronicsCreators - Věda a technologie
I gotta say Big Clive. My pop was an engineer in Chicago and maybe it's genetic but since I was like 7 years old, I just loved dragging stuff home from the alley to take it apart. Were you like that?
Anyhow, taking stuff apart with you (pulling it to bits - love it!) has been a real mainstay for me. Bringing life to "normal" for a time here now and then is wonderful.
Yeah, I still dumpster dive for technical treasure from time to time.
Yep ! same as.
I built a vacuum with a computer fan, a dryer lint sheet, and a 9 volt battery at 6 years old.
literally everyone in here
Same here....hihihihi
I bought this exact flashlight recently! It's got everything I was looking for in an EDC flashlight, especially the low-power red light led for providing tiny amount of light in my tent without screwing up my night vision.
I agree, these lights are amazing, I have 3! For the nightstand it's a great "need quick light". Carry it in my EDC backpack and have even taken them on vacations, the magnet makes them great for hanging next to the bed.
I like the Thrunite for that
It's firefly mode gets you 1/5 lumens
It's awesome
police mode too XD
In retrospect I’m surprised there was never a 1980’s TV show called “Police Mode”.
_STARING: _*_Danny DeVito!_*
Inspector gadget
@@voltare2amstereo I ⁵
Sounds like a bad Google translate of a police show title.
We got sledgehammer instead
I waited for the “One moment please” and was not disappointed. Next time I expect a “Watch your eyes. I’m turning the light back on”.
Thank you for sharing this informative video, Clive! I own the same flashlight and it was fascinating to get a closer look at the inner workings of it. Your explanations were clear and concise, which helped me gain a better understanding of how it operates. I would love to see you do a video on a Nitcore light next. It would be really interesting to compare the qualities of these flashlights. Keep up the great work!
I can honestly say not knowing much about this type of stuff in my 25 years if work in heavy civil. I really appreciate your show you are very clear , and break things down so people with little knowledge can actually learn from you. Respect Sir
takes my back to my ‘engineering’ youth. The exquisite joy, fear, guilt and wonder when realisation hits that I have effectively broken the ‘thing’ and needed to hide the electronic corpse.
Oooh, I saw these while looking at the ones you covered recently. Glad to see you pulling one apart.
Also glad to see you looking at the black-case version so I can see how much of the light it blocks...
I've mentioned you in the description of my review of this light, and added a link there. Thank you for the in-depth view of this light, and how to take it apart. I've been tempted to see what's inside, but I don't have any clue on electronics.
Would very much like to see you do a dedicated video on how to reverse engineer a circuit board, from analysing the board to producing a schematic diagram.
man, i love reading your descriptions ^-^
I do love Clive’s schedule, while most are asleep I’m normally here at 1am looking for stuff to watch 😀
As always Clive shines light on the subject.
Hi Clive, thanks for the interesting video! I recently bought a similar V10 version that has a 1000ma battery and even more LEDs and alarm ‼️ sound. It has a clear plastic shell that glows a little in the dark. I guess the internal layout will be much the same as the V3. I'm quite impressed with it’s design and quality. Cheers…
I've got the same one, used it for a long walk in the dark in the countryside and it was fab
Suggestion for those buying one of these: Buy the clear one, not the tinted one. It's glow in the dark!
Thanks mate!
Glow in the dark stuff on a torch is great, really enhances utility in my opinion, though some cheap lights use cheap GITD pigments that don't last long. The best pigments glow for over eight hours, excellent if camping, etc.
The Torque Test Channel had a pretty good economy luminosity test rig. It was a combination of a hollow stryroform dome and a light sensor. I think they have a video explaining what went into it.
Their findings were that lumens ratings were even more absurd than the battery capacity ratings.
For those in the know, yes. For many many years.
I quickly gave up on the lumen race. for quite a while now, regen tech and actually useful low nodes are what get me going for lights.
I trust my combo taser/light 😃 500 million volts and 100,000 lumens. Runs off one 9v 😃
@@napalmholocaust9093 ROFLMAO!
@@napalmholocaust9093 mine has so many lumens that people ask me to turn it on when they need a few extra hours of daytime.
@@WitchidWitchid Ha, ha, ha, you guys are funny!
I believe this is the only video on the Interwebs demonstrating a torch screaming and sending its own distress signal. I'm so glad the Dremel of discovery was not required.
It's really nice to see such positivity in your comment section. You're becoming as rare as hens teeth on this god-forsaken platform. You're one of the ones who just perseveres. I honestly wonder how many years that I have been subscribed...
I will admit that at times it's a struggle keeping up with the comments. But I shall keep doing my best, as I feel they are important.
I’m going to get one that looks like just what I need thanks Clive 😊
Super cool Big Clive. Thanks!
I bought one after the last video of similar one and one of those for good measure :D and now I now whats inside of both. This one is great little light and now my edc
I would bet that polarity protection mosfet was put there by the designer after having a mishap like that cellphone killer a few months ago that was wired in backwards. Seems weird since the only time the battery would be connected is during assembly, but it's probably cheaper for a mosfet than to make sure it's plugged in correctly every time.
If you spudger the lipo it will be spectacularly destructive possibly. Great video bigclive
Good review, useful information. I think I need such a gadget.👍
Thanks Clive. Another great tear down. Been recycling Vapes for batteries. Many now have this type of “ flat” battery.
Have 💯 of used vape cases that I was looking for ideas to reuse them.
But But looking at this light , thinking that the case from a “ lost Mary” would make a nice light similar to this.
Another item for my wish list of projects with recycled batteries.
The original Rovyvon Angel Eyes E3 cost £50, Vs £20 of the Boruit V3. The Rovyvon uses a constant current drive and not PWM, and the components are first choice. But for almost one third of the price you got similar functionalities but not similar quality. In addition, the original has one Li-Po battery and one AAA alkaline, and can switch between the two.
Thank you Big Clive for the video...
"Maybe I shouldn't be stabbing it in there" 😂😂😂
Actually seems to be a quality product 👍
Love these little flash lights. I have the small one and this one. Not high water raiting but thats fine for what I bought them for. Airsoft, work and for EDC
I bought two of these the other week, I like it.
I have a Nitecore TIP2 that is a similar but better form factor. It has a keychain holder which is magnetically attached to the light, making it easy to detach and mount to something ferrous. It's also made of aluminum, which is nice. I've had it for year, works great, other than the similarly unfathomable controls.
I’ve got the same one. Brilliant torch 👍👍
Thank you. Keep working. Good luck! 👍
I've got the model M300 one and I'm loving it. It's super useful, I use it almost everyday.
good video. thank you again for the knowledge
Great video. please make a video one day of your work and non-work EDC. I'd like to know what you carry around.
Probably the best little flashlight for $3.54 ever thanks Temu
10 mins ago a delivery guy brought me exact same. Now Im eating breakfast and watching having my own in hand :)
I bought the GITD version of this recently. It's already replaced all the AAA lamps I used for EDC at work. I tend to carry a small lamp on a lanyard around my neck for quick checks of the kit I work on, with bigger lamps used as required. If I lost or break this, I'll be replacing it with the same.
That's a pretty neat little flashlight, I think I'll get one.
So far, one of the more amusing videos.
Pretty neat light. I'm a sucker for about any new light.
Imagine getting into a Chinese elevator. Minimal buttons to keep costs down, so you have to know the weird pattern of pushes that specific control panel model was created to accept. Imagine a car, or an airplane cockpit.
That airplane cockpit sounds like a Boeing, with all the weird inconsistent modes.
"It has so many modes and only 2 buttons" Yeah Clive wait until you discover the clicky wonderland behind the lenses and reflectors called Andúril or Andúril 2. 😀
Really cool devices!
I really wish the lights with multiple light modes would support programming, and being able to set a lower default light setting.
I use a streamlight at work, and with the 10 tap programming, I can set it to disable modes I don't need (strobe) and set it so when I turn it on, the low 150 lumen setting is the default, I can go brighter if need be, but that's rare for my use case.
You're in luck. Look up Anduril flashlights. Anduril is flashlight programming offered on a few brands of flashlights.
we love ya clive. cheers
I like nitecore because of the firefly mode ,you can last days with it !!
And when in the absolute dark you see way more than enough!!
Now you should bring your own branded flash light.
yesss. milled from T6 aero grade aluminium, no button double/tripple/what ever tap codes. just on and off. 300lm and at least 10h runtime. usb-c chargeport and watertight capped.
I bought this one and it is truly awesome, especially having in mind that it costs about $9.
I think the polarity protection MOSFET actually has its drain tied to the battery and source to the positive rail, not the other way around as drawn in the schematic. Otherwise it would not be particularly effective as reverse polarity protection due to the internal body diode :)
I like how yours comes apart so easily by unscrewing. My V3 is probably welded shut
With microcontrollers, you can pretty much do any mode you want - as long as you have sufficient memory and output pins.
Oh the luxury of TWO buttons! And yet operation is still not easy and intuitive.
When I have to open one of these throw-away items I usually use my jeweler's saw. You can make very fine cuts with it but it needs some practice since the saw blades are fragile compared to other saws.
6/0 blades are like cutting with a sewing thread thick blade , I could make one last all week sizing ring's without breaking
The LEDs driven by the transistors might be regulated by a PWM output, which is more efficient than wasting heat in a current limiting resistor... useful for getting that little bit extra juice out of the battery.
Speaking of batteries, I found a battery recycling drop off thingy where people put their used vape pens... free li-po batteries!!
I’ve got a question; if those lithium batteries have got that little protection chip on them, does that mean you can charge them directly with a 5v USB supply?
I did a little experiment with one & it did seem to limit the voltage, but that just seems too easy.
Would you consider looking into DW-CT14+ bluetooth module?
They have since revised the software on the buttons (or I got one programmed by someone half competent).
Long hold is "full intensity".
Two presses is "on".
Long press is "off".
Single presses cycle through modes.
Please suggest small EDC pouch having compartments to carry charging cables, usb adapters, card readers
There is a community of flashlight modders that reprogram the chips in flashlights. Any of those people here?
How opportune! I saw these a few weeks ago and ordered 2 from Ali Snail. Clear plastic case version, they arrived this morning (28/4/23 in NZ)
Paid around $24NZD each and pretty happy. Tempted to place one either side of my windscreen, on Police red/ blue mode, to clear the road ahead.
Not very good idea to play an alarm vehicle because of the unmarked police cars._
@@DjResR You’ve heard of irony yeah?
How cool is it that 53,000+ people have already watched this? that a frickin' ton of people... and many go WAY past that!
NICE ! I bought this last black friday just FYI I have the clear version whcih i think its much better since the light goes though way better for around 10$ its worth every penny !
Things I have never in all my years ever wanted a flashlight to do: strobe on and off rapidly
Since the front LEDs are directly driven by the battery and tied to the negative rail via MOSFET, what controls the output levels? Is the microcontroller generating a PWM signal for the output? 13mA/2A ~= 1.5/255, so it's in the right range for 8-bit PWM I suppose.
In addition to the LEDs, the FET itself might be baked in the high-current mode. The datasheet for the A1sHB chip notes about 100mOhm RDSon, so at 2A in the high current mode it's dissipating about 0.4W of power. That's above the chip's maximum rating (350mW). The 'high' mode of 660mA is better (about 44mW dissipation across the FET), but it must still get very toasty in there.
I came here to ask the same question. Must be PWM if the microcontroller is driving a mosfet that feeds directly to the battery.
Simple PWM control.
Hi Clive watched your teardown for the EDC V3, liked it so much went to purchase one & found the latest model V10 LED Keychain EDC Flashlight USB so purchased 2 of these. They are amazingly bright for there size. But was using one of them the other night in the garage and noticed that on all settings for the main light it slowly dims in stages. I measured this with a lux light measurement app on my mobile & it is definitely going down in brightness in pretty steady stages... both of them do this & if I cycle the main light back the the set brightness I had it goes back to being brighter. Just weird did your V3 do the same when you where testing it?
I'll check that. But I prefer lights that do that as it protects the LED against overheating and also saves battery life as your eyes adjust to the lower intensity levels.
I love the way on a few of these Chinese torches have gone from the SOS to police lighting 🙂
Can you please do the v15 and v20 flashlight disassembles.
Had one hanging from my belt hook for about a year now, still going strong :) Bourut it is called
I always find myself wishing that flashlights would power on in low mode, when they don't have a brightness selection switch separate from the on/off switch.
Big Clive -- "I'll destroy mine, so you won't have to destroy yours" 😁
Not a bad little thing, you should know by now if you want to use the item after tear down buy two. 🤣😂 Interesting video 2x👍
I notice you said "can't really test that", when mentioning the 900 lumens. In fact, you can often use the light sensors on your cell phone. I't surprisingly accurate. Not 100% but absolutely close.
Clive, your the led guru, what do you make of this?
I have an led bulb in my living room which has gone bad, if you try to switch it on it just glows dimly with a very slight flicker and when you turn it off it continues to glow at the same brightness for two to three seconds then extinguishes.
Sometimes if you leave the light on for a long time it will come to live and illuminate properly.
Its obviously a component in the power supply but I've not opened Tue blub to investigate yet.
Very common failure. A failed LED chip that is tracking slightly, causing the glow and flicker. The fade-out is the low current of the faulty LED string discharging the smoothing cap slowly. Sometimes the tracking will establish a temporary bridge that results in the light illuminating at almost full intensity.
There are a lot of variant of these multileds chain lights, also with dual channel selectable color primary leds and metal clip for less than 5$ each. Can you review them?
Is there any sort of temperature protection for main LEDs or battery? Seems like everything could get too 50C quickly on turbo.
I think they rely on software to limit duration at high power.
Great video Clive, i have a request, my son smokes these thro away e cigs, is there anyway i can use the batteries for garden lights for the summer ? Thank you
Search the videos, I think he’s already made one on those lines
Yes. But they do need overcharge protection. However, some of the modules do have charging circuitry built in.
I had to have one after watching this enticing tear down
well i ordered the glow in the dark one. to add to me sansi leds and whatnot. unfortunately i cannot get to an ikea with any stock for the legacy usb plugs that are really running out of stock. so had to skip those :(
just thanks for including some really good products amongst all the other ones. hope you get an affiliate kickbacl
I have an Astrolux K1 and it is freaking awesome...Has a UV-led for fake money detection and a red led for when low visibility lighting is required (burglary??)
High quality case and other materials...
Bought it for 18 euros but nowadays it sadly goes for about 50.
I have one of these. They are excellent.
I may have missed it in the video, but did you measure the current it draws when it's off?
I don't think I did test the quiescent current on this one.
I like that it has a UV mode and a police mode
All the lights for all occasions... :P
That light displays perfectly the problems exhibited by all of these LED lighting units. They're too damn complicated. If I buy a light I want a switch that turns it on or off.I don't want modes. I don't want fancy flashing garbage. I don't want different power levels. I want one click for on and one click for off. That's it and manufacturers have all forgotten that the customer doesn't need nor want the fancy nonsense.
Probably designed for the younger generations. After all most of us Old Farts who think like that will soon be dead! 😜😉
I do like what acebeam has done with their lights. You have one main switch that turns it on and off and a second one that will cycle through different modes when you're on and goes immediately to strobe if the light is off. There's definitely times where you want more or less light depending on what you're trying to illuminate and how far or close it is to you.
Nice Light
you could mod the turbo mode to go longer by sticking a giant copper block behind it with some thermal paste, better yet liquid metal
Two amps is quite surprising. Could the design be relying on the battery protection chip? Is that a standard discharge rate limit for such cells, or is it a custom unit?
2 amps would equate to 4C which is massive for a standard cell but normal for a high current rc heli/drone cell.
the leds still dont like that. they'll be cooked in a short time after serval high power blasts.
When you start hearing birds and you haven't gone to sleep yet....
That's a bad two coming...
A bad two?
I miss the days when the switch was either on or off. Now you need an instruction manual just for a torch.
Hi bigclive the question I have is why they didn't make the front of the touch side out to give the touch a longer distance like other touches out there on the market. Thank you for making this video from down under Sydney Australia your number one fan
What's a flashlight. Can I use it for more than just flashing? I have a suitable trench- coat. Or, is that a misspelling?
Is there a playlist of wellmade products?
There's not. Mainly because I tend to look for badly made products.
They have a glow in the dark version that charges itself from the uv led. Bought 3, my credit card thanks you Clive 😂
Only took 12 days to get to the US - these things are nifty!
Ive been rather happy with my tini2 I just wish they had something closer to the tritiled ultra dim setting. Sometimes I only want about as much light as the little status oled gives off
I was gonna tell you to look at one of these, but it looks like you've already got one.
I would reccomend you look for the white one because it glows in the dark and the green LED fluoresces the entire shell really well.
I actually thought the UV LED was green because the entire shell was so bright
also they're less than $15 now which is very reasonable imo
One moment please....
I am going to like this video....
❤️frm odisha, india
I don't get why these things don't have a power switch and then a mode/brightness button, it would make them so much easier to use
If you find such a thing, let us all know. I've been wanting one for my bike for years. It's disappointing to try turning or dimming your light (e.g. night dog walkers) and start flashing at them with 3,000 lumens.
My Sofirn SC21 can start really dim everytime. It uses ramping mode so i can set at whatever brightness i want.
This is actually close. Double click either button and the relevant light comes on in the mode you last used. You don't have to cycle through modes from a default mode.
I think I prefer my Fenix E03R. Which is an absolute tiny beast of a flashlight.