limited production :: hand crafted :: high performance :: rechargeable :: premium flashlights

This is my blog about creating a startup LED flashlight business. I'm a designer, fabricator, and strategist and I'm passionate about making ideas real. I believe that products are about people, that they should be built to last, deliver real value, and that we need to do a better job than we have in the recent past.

Most of my career has been contract or freelance work and I've crafted products and strategies for both big international companies and startups. I also used to work in the "industry" fabricating special effects for film and TV, along with the occasional hot rod. Bottom line, I love making things.

I'm starting this blog so you can follow along, from day one, and see what it's like to start a business, or fail in the process. Only time will tell, but I hope you find this interesting enough to stay tuned, comment, link, like, tweet, and (most importantly) participate in turning this idea into something tangible and valuable.

For a good place to get started with general info about who, what, why, etc., check out the "Stickies" on the left side of the page. Thanks for stopping by and please don't hesitate to ask questions and get involved!

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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Charger Upgrade: MP1 to MP1S

Xtar has a new version of the MP1 (the MP1S) and this will supersede the previous charger. All lights will now ship with the MP1S! This updated version features extendable battery spacers to accomodate a range of li-ion batteries, from the standard 18650 that powers the Alpha, to smaller 16340 and 18350 batteries. The charge current remains at 500mA because it is a USB based charger. Check out the new MP1-S on my website (link) !


Monday, June 10, 2013

New Product: XTAR WP2 Double Bay Charger

Hi folks,

I just got in a batch of the Xtar WP2 chargers so you can charge two batteries at once! This model also includes spacers so you can fit everything from a full size 18650 to the shorter 16340 (CR123 size) or the 18350. The WP2 also features a selectable charge current of 500mA or 1000mA. Because of this higher charging current, it is not USB compatible, but it comes with a standard wall plug. You can also set the charger to setting "0" and this activates the USB port on the charger, so you can plug in your other USB devices and charge them. Check out the WP2 on my website (link)!

Selectable Output: Please be sure you know which setting to use (500mA or 1000mA). Basically the 1000mA setting is for larger batteries, and 500mA is for smaller ones. The charge current should not exceed the battery capacity! For example, a 500mAh battery should be charged at 500mA. 1000mA should not be used on a battery with less than 1000mAh of capacity. It can be dangerous to exceed the charging capacity of your battery.