Hey guys, just wanted to go over one of the features of the Micro ATL so no one is surprised when their light shows up.
Back in the Homemade and Modified build page I mentioned that I had done research and experiments to come up with a configuration for the switch that would minimize the likely hood of it accidentally turning on, as the Micro ATL is intended to be a pocket or keychain light. Anyone that has tried to carry the donor light, X-Light Micro should understand when I say that they are very prone to accidental turn ons, because of the way the switch is designed. The micro processor in the X-Light even has a two minute auto power off setting that I believe was likely added to combat this tendency. I eventually relegated my X-Light Micro to lanyard only duty where it performed very well.
I went in a different direction with the Micro ATL and came up with a mechanical way to combat accidental pocket power ons. The switch on the Micro ATL is not like the switch on a TV remote or garage door opener, as necessitated by the design for its intended purpose as a pocket light.
This picture is in the Micro ATL user manual that comes on the disk with the light and shows how the switch is intended to be used.
The switch is activated by pressing down with the tip of your thumb for leverage rather than the pad of your thumb. Some people can activate the switch similar to the way you would activate a switch on a remote control, with the pad of their thumb and some can't. Probably has something to do with the size of your thumb, muscle capability etc. Now one thing I have noticed is that I use the pad of my thumb to operate my Micro ATLS now but originally I had to operate it as shown in the above picture. I'm guessing that the muscles in my hand have developed from using the light all day everyday. But just a guess.
If anyone is interested, send me an IM and I will be glad to send you a PDF of the user manual.
Also want to go over the LED combinations. I'm not sure if anyone else offers mixed LED color temps in a single light or not so this is probably something that most people have never seen before. I've gone over the beam shots I posted earlier and they pretty much look like the beam of the light in real life. But those are static images, taken with a single lighting condition, not casting over various objects under varied ambient light and so on.
What I would suggest is, if you are on the fence or not sure you would like the way the blended beam would look, go with a single color temp, in warm or neutral as it is not practical to change the LEDs once the light is completed.
Let me know if you have any questions or want to make any changes before your light is built.
Thanks!