New Convoy C8 – Clearly better

I got my clear Convoy C8 in mid February and it has this fast timer bug. It was a little bit difficult to configure the desired mode. But because my mode of choice does not use blinkies this problem does not bother me.

Just wanted to confirm (finally) that I downloaded code from Toykeeper’s website (quite confusing site structure) flashed it and it works just fine. I dont know why it did not work with previous driver but I suspect that it has something to do with my adding 4 more AMC chips before flashing while this time I uploaded code first, tested the driver and them added 4 more AMCs.
So, thanks caramba :+1:

I v damke!

Then I’m guessing you didn’t get it from Simon…? I meant people that bought from his Aliexpress store after it re-opened on 16th Feb.

You are welcome :wink: I am just guessing maybe the EPROM got erased?

Question.
(sorry if there is an answer somewhere above, did not check all the pages)

If I buy any of the bare biscotti drivers at this moment at Simon’s store, will they:

1) for certain have fixed firmware?
2) likely have fixed firmware but you could be unlucky
3) likely have unfixed firmware but you could be lucky
4) for certain have unfixed firmware.

As soon as the answer is 1) I will buy a bunch of these great drivers again.

You could ask simon. But, good luck with the reply.

Hey all. I’m still working with Simon on this. He has a new driver board layout ready that doesn’t ground pin #2 and has more clearance around the MCU for easier flashing. The driver boards are going to be labeled v.2. I do not believe any are being sold quite yet. ToyKeeper recently informed me that she is putting the final touches on the latest revision of Biscotti and it will be delivered to Simon as soon as it’s ready. The updated firmware should be a little more tolerant of slight component changes and therefore more stable. Good things to come, just hang in there.

That is fantastic news J-Dub74 & Simon & ToyKeeper ! With all the low voltage emitters around lately there is a new interest in quality lineair drivers. :slight_smile:

Thank you so much for this information! If possible, please let us now when GearBest will have this.

FWIW I got my clear c8 from Simon a couple of days ago. Seems flawless to me. A bit difficult to get into configuration mode but that was just a matter of practice. I did somehow manage to have it go back to default configuration but I may very well have done that as I was messing around getting amp readings of the different modes. Put it back to my preferred mode 2 memory on and it has stayed.

Thanks again J-Dub, Simon, and ToyKeeper!!! This really is a nice light!

I have a few C8’s on order. Can someone clarify to me what thickness to reduce the centering ring spacer down to. I have a few lathes so Im thinking I could easily do this.

What is the stock thickness vs modded thickness?

Also where to source a thicker lens o-ring? What diameter & thickness for o-ring?

Thanks

Is thermal runaway a risk with leaving a C8 on at 100% power? Or does the light automatically step-down or have thermal protection to prevent this?

Alternatively, could I simply request the light configured with 7135x4 so it could be permanently used by muggles and hand it to someone without having to worry?

The older C8 does not step down, but I don’t think it needs to. I’ve never ran mine for really long periods on turbo, but I can say that it does not get real hot like the smaller S2 lights. The big head really helps keep it from getting too hot. If your still worried, then you can reflash the firmware yourself or else buy a new driver with a new firmware in it that can stepdown.

I ordered my C8 from MTN E and got Richard to flash the firmware to guppydrv. Not only does it have lots of mode options, it also has a user setable stepdown to 50 percent. It’s time based. I use this option on my 7135x8 S2+, but don’t see the need on my C8.

Now if it’s the new C8 with biscotti, I’ll let someone else answer, as I’m not sure.

What the heck are you trying to do?

Thanks for the detailed reply. I’m mainly worried about what would happen if it got turned on accidentally or if I gave it to someone and they just wanted to run it at 100% all the time. Sounds like this may not be an issue.

I do know that GB also stocks a 7135×6 version with the XM-L2 which may be an option too.

I just tried it for you. A new version 8x7135 Convoy C8, without the new firmware, stood on its tail in a room at about 18C, gets noticeably warm but not uncomfortable to hold (about 45C) after 20 minutes. Walking about with an airflow and heatsinking from your hand and it would be less. It’s got the mass of metal and surface area to get rid of the heat so it doesn’t need a step down. The LED is unlikely to be near its temperature limit.

Heat’s more of a problem with tube style lights with 8x7135 drivers which can get too hot to touch and souped up lumens are everything torches which have turbo mode with step down.

As for it being turned on accidentally in a backpack, they have anodised tail cap threads and so if you think there’s a danger of that loosen the tail cap by a quarter turn and it won’t turn on.

I’d guess the 6x7135 option appeals to people who prefer a longer battery life against lumens.

Thank you! This answers my question perfectly.

You also bring up a good point that the 6×7135 config would have a benefit of longer run time too.

It had been previously suggested that to lower the reflector (ie., get the emitter further into the reflector) would provide improvement.

Sorry, I didn’t remember that in this conversation.

You can probably just take the plastic centering ring and rub it on sandpaper to make it a bit shorter.

Take care that you have enough clearance between the reflector and the soldered wires so they don’t get shorted.

I don’t know any details on lowering the reflector for the C8, just on other models. I’ll let someone with C8 experience answer your question.

Keep on mind this thread is mainly about the new clear model and it’s new firmware, not a C8 mod thread.

Any chance someone could flash their red Convoy driver with new firmware and make sure everything works? :slight_smile:

The updated code is here:
http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~toykeeper/flashlight-firmware/convoy/files/head:/ToyKeeper/bistro/biscotti/

I managed to break the voltage divider on mine so I can’t check to make sure the values are correct. I’m guessing it should be fine since it’s the same values as before, but I can’t measure it directly until I get a new driver.

Anyway, this is pretty much the same biscotti as what Simon is currently shipping, but with a couple small things tweaked to hopefully make it more reliable and more tolerant of hardware variations. The specific things I want someone to check are:

  • Does battcheck mode give correct values?
  • Does moon mode light up?

If I understand correctly, Simon is ready to produce new drivers with this version if there’s nothing wrong with it.