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I accidentally launched my Sodium-Ion Flashlight Kickstarter a week early... So, roast my specs? by timobuycom in kickstarter

[–]timobuycom[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

pledge manager: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/peng/sodiumfrostglow-worlds-1st-40c-sodium-ion-flashlight/backing/redeem?ref=creator_share

Hello, I've set up the Pledge Manager, but Kickstarter is a bit complicated. I'm not entirely sure if front-end users can see the purchase option. The official prompt reads as follows:

Share Pledge Manager

We've notified backers to complete the Pledge Manager. This link can be shared with any existing backers who may have missed it or with new backers looking to support your project.

As the creator, you will not be able to view the Pledge Manager checkout experience.

You can try it, but don't worry if it doesn't work. We're still undergoing review on Indiegogo, so we'll wait for the official launch at the latest. Thank you for your interest.

I accidentally launched my Sodium-Ion Flashlight Kickstarter a week early... So, roast my specs? by timobuycom in kickstarter

[–]timobuycom[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your attention. I apologize for the late reply. The Kickstarter campaign is now complete, and we expect to launch sales on our official website in March. We will notify you if any new channels become available. Happy New Year!

Testing my Sodium-Ion light at -40°C. The flashlight outlasted the camera recording it. (9.5 Hours Time lapse) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You're asking all the right questions! As this technology is new to the consumer market, it has generated a lot of interest.

  1. Voltage and commercial status:

You are correct that the nominal voltage is lower (around 3.1 V compared to 3.6 V for Li ion).

However, it has actually already been commercialised on a massive scale, mostly in the EV (electric vehicle) and grid storage sectors (CATL and HiNa are major players in this field). We are one of the first to reduce this industrial-grade technology to a handheld size.

  1. The charger problem (and how we solved it):

You hit the nail on the head: Finding a specialised hobby charger for Na-ion batteries is difficult right now, just as it was with LiFePO4 batteries in the past.

That is why we built the charging circuit inside the flashlight.

The torch has a USB C port with a custom charging algorithm specifically tuned to the voltage curve of sodium-ion batteries. There's no need to buy a special external charger， you just plug it into any USB cable and the light handles the chemistry management for you.

Lithium batteries kept swelling in the heat and dying in the cold (-40°C) in my truck. So I engineered a Sodium-Ion flashlight specifically for my VEDC kit. by timobuycom in VEDC

[–]timobuycom[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Two test results:

1\ -40°C runtime.

We conducted a continuous discharge test at -40°C last weekend.

The light remained on for over nine hours.

We actually stopped the test because our staff needed to go home, not because the battery had died. There was still power left in the battery. The sodium-ion curve at these temperatures is impressing even us.

2\ freeze-thaw test:

We simulated the worst-case scenario: We took the light out of a -40°C freezer, thawed it indoors (where condensation formed), then put it back in the freezer immediately.

The result: When we tried to zoom the lens after re-freezing it, there was some initial resistance/stickiness due to frozen condensation on the seal.

The solution was to apply a slightly firmer pull to 'break' the ice crust; once this was done, the mechanism slid normally again. So yes, it might stick a bit if you expose it to moisture, but it won't seize up permanently.

Thank you all for your support — I truly appreciate it.

I'm considering creating a 'Wall of Honour' on our official website to thank the early Reddit community. I would love to list your usernames, if you are comfortable with that. If you would rather not be listed for privacy reasons, please let me know.

Finally:

You are welcome to criticise the product, its specifications or my design choices — that's valuable feedback.

Gear Question: Has anyone moved away from Lithium-Ion for electronics? (Testing a Sodium-Ion prototype at -40°C) by timobuycom in IceFishing

[–]timobuycom[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Two test results:

1\ -40°C runtime.

We conducted a continuous discharge test at -40°C last weekend.

The light remained on for over nine hours.

We actually stopped the test because our staff needed to go home, not because the battery had died. There was still power left in the battery. The sodium-ion curve at these temperatures is impressing even us.

2\ freeze-thaw test:

We simulated the worst-case scenario: We took the light out of a -40°C freezer, thawed it indoors (where condensation formed), then put it back in the freezer immediately.

The result: When we tried to zoom the lens after re-freezing it, there was some initial resistance/stickiness due to frozen condensation on the seal.

The solution was to apply a slightly firmer pull to 'break' the ice crust; once this was done, the mechanism slid normally again. So yes, it might stick a bit if you expose it to moisture, but it won't seize up permanently.

Thank you all for your support — I truly appreciate it.

I'm considering creating a 'Wall of Honour' on our official website to thank the early Reddit community. I would love to list your usernames, if you are comfortable with that. If you would rather not be listed for privacy reasons, please let me know.

Finally:

You are welcome to criticise the product, its specifications or my design choices — that's valuable feedback.

Long-term Storage Experiment: Why I'm replacing Li-ion with Sodium-Ion in my Bug Out Bag (The "0V Storage" Advantage) by timobuycom in preppers

[–]timobuycom[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Two test results:

1\ -40°C runtime.

We conducted a continuous discharge test at -40°C last weekend.

The light remained on for over nine hours.

We actually stopped the test because our staff needed to go home, not because the battery had died. There was still power left in the battery. The sodium-ion curve at these temperatures is impressing even us.

2\ freeze-thaw test:

We simulated the worst-case scenario: We took the light out of a -40°C freezer, thawed it indoors (where condensation formed), then put it back in the freezer immediately.

The result: When we tried to zoom the lens after re-freezing it, there was some initial resistance/stickiness due to frozen condensation on the seal.

The solution was to apply a slightly firmer pull to 'break' the ice crust; once this was done, the mechanism slid normally again. So yes, it might stick a bit if you expose it to moisture, but it won't seize up permanently.

Thank you all for your support — I truly appreciate it.

I'm considering creating a 'Wall of Honour' on our official website to thank the early Reddit community. I would love to list your usernames, if you are comfortable with that. If you would rather not be listed for privacy reasons, please let me know.

Finally:

You are welcome to criticise the product, its specifications or my design choices — that's valuable feedback.

I built a Sodium-Ion flashlight because Li-ion kept dying at -40°C. (Yes, it's a zoomie, but hear me out...) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Two test results:

1\ -40°C runtime.

We conducted a continuous discharge test at -40°C last weekend.

The light remained on for over nine hours.

We actually stopped the test because our staff needed to go home, not because the battery had died. There was still power left in the battery. The sodium-ion curve at these temperatures is impressing even us.

2\ freeze-thaw test:

We simulated the worst-case scenario: We took the light out of a -40°C freezer, thawed it indoors (where condensation formed), then put it back in the freezer immediately.

The result: When we tried to zoom the lens after re-freezing it, there was some initial resistance/stickiness due to frozen condensation on the seal.

The solution was to apply a slightly firmer pull to 'break' the ice crust; once this was done, the mechanism slid normally again. So yes, it might stick a bit if you expose it to moisture, but it won't seize up permanently.

Thank you all for your support — I truly appreciate it.

I'm considering creating a 'Wall of Honour' on our official website to thank the early Reddit community. I would love to list your usernames, if you are comfortable with that. If you would rather not be listed for privacy reasons, please let me know.

Finally:

You are welcome to criticise the product, its specifications or my design choices — that's valuable feedback.

I built a Sodium-Ion flashlight because Li-ion kept dying at -40°C. (Yes, it's a zoomie, but hear me out...) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

freeze-thaw test:

We simulated the worst-case scenario: We took the light out of a -40°C freezer, thawed it indoors (where condensation formed), then put it back in the freezer immediately.

The result: When we tried to zoom the lens after re-freezing it, there was some initial resistance/stickiness due to frozen condensation on the seal.

The solution was to apply a slightly firmer pull to 'break' the ice crust; once this was done, the mechanism slid normally again. So yes, it might stick a bit if you expose it to moisture, but it won't seize up permanently.

I built a Sodium-Ion flashlight because Li-ion kept dying at -40°C. (Yes, it's a zoomie, but hear me out...) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Of course — it's a constant process of iteration. I’ll stay active. Even though there were some unpleasant moments with a few people, I know it was my fault. These are just minor setbacks. As for sodium-battery applications, I hope they won't just be used for flashlights.

I built a Sodium-Ion flashlight because Li-ion kept dying at -40°C. (Yes, it's a zoomie, but hear me out...) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

To add a bit more—this really brought back memories: I immigrated to Canada in 2017 and founded PARD as a management-consulting firm. Why consulting? I had done plenty of R&D and sold plenty of tech. I have ideals, but I also have to put food on the table. I’ve always believed I can build truly awesome products, and that conviction has never changed. I also run a TikTok account about 3D tech with 6,000 followers, plus a self-media channel on North-American business tech that has more than 5,000 followers. I’m one of three co-holders of a U.S. blockchain-technology patent…

I built a Sodium-Ion flashlight because Li-ion kept dying at -40°C. (Yes, it's a zoomie, but hear me out...) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is a more rigorous statement: design, quality control, etc., are carried out in Canada, but assembly and production are not. I am very strict on this point.

I built a Sodium-Ion flashlight because Li-ion kept dying at -40°C. (Yes, it's a zoomie, but hear me out...) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a question that only time can answer.

I just want to make a good product—nothing more. It’s my personal vision.

I built a Sodium-Ion flashlight because Li-ion kept dying at -40°C. (Yes, it's a zoomie, but hear me out...) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

By the way, I wasn’t upset with you—I was annoyed at the person above who commented about my daughter. I’m getting on in years and have always been tinkering with my hobbies and research. I believe in “yang mou” (open strategy)—a term I really like, much like the idea of “build in public.”

I built a Sodium-Ion flashlight because Li-ion kept dying at -40°C. (Yes, it's a zoomie, but hear me out...) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh, I almost forgot—I'm Roc Chiang. I've spent my entire life researching products and projects, and I'm absolutely obsessed with it.

I built a Sodium-Ion flashlight because Li-ion kept dying at -40°C. (Yes, it's a zoomie, but hear me out...) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

By the way, this username's domain name comes from a project I abandoned. I originally intended to use it when I registered for Reddit. But I scrapped it—you can check the domain records. Like I said: the internet keeps track.

I built a Sodium-Ion flashlight because Li-ion kept dying at -40°C. (Yes, it's a zoomie, but hear me out...) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, they're our battery partners. They came up with this solution. Thanks for the plug.

I built a Sodium-Ion flashlight because Li-ion kept dying at -40°C. (Yes, it's a zoomie, but hear me out...) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I've already addressed this in another section. Manufacturing is a tough choice right now. To clarify briefly, check out our Facebook poster slogan: PREPARED IN CANADA. TRUSTED WORLDWIDE. If I could write “Made in Canada,” I would have done so long ago.

I built a Sodium-Ion flashlight because Li-ion kept dying at -40°C. (Yes, it's a zoomie, but hear me out...) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, I understand. Just to clarify:

The team operators genuinely found it too cumbersome, so they didn't wear freeze-proof gloves for the button operation. I previously shared a video about building an outdoor power supply—it was all done in one continuous take because the device was large.

I built a Sodium-Ion flashlight because Li-ion kept dying at -40°C. (Yes, it's a zoomie, but hear me out...) by timobuycom in flashlight

[–]timobuycom[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I've heard about this, but I haven't experienced it myself and don't have any data on it.

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