Q8, PMS SEND TO THOSE WITH ISSUES BLF soda can light

Interesting, thanks for sharing that info…. :+1:
:slight_smile:

Great info. Thanks!

That’s great. Apparently I was reading an old survey that was posted. I somehow found an old survey and didn’t realize it was last April not this April Q6/Q8 How many emitters build in it? this is a long buildup and even longer thread and hard to keep tabs on what exactly is happening when you don’t have time to read but a few of the posts here and there every month! :slight_smile:

I’m 1300 and 1301 on the list, could you please add 2 more to the list for me. My brother and neighbor will be very happy receiving these as gifts. Thanks

yes will do!

Prototype 3, sample 7 is in!

Already in pieces, photos to come. It is absolutely remarkable value for money!

One issue with the MCPCB solder mask de-laminated on one edge (without any soldering yet).

:+1: :beer: :+1: :beer:

Ye-haaaa, thanks for the info DEL. :+1: …. Looking forward to the photos. :slight_smile:

MCPCB sound like a concern to my uninformed self……… :wink:
…………………
Edit to add: I guess it shouldn’t, but it kind of amazes me that on 1 of 7 - #3 Prototypes they would send a MCPCB with “problems” right out of the box. I’ll just stop right there without any other speculation of any type. :slight_smile:

Yaay :sunglasses:

7 out of 7 are in! That’s the best on topic post in a while! :+1:

Regarding why one would want to have more then one Q8:

- If the production lights are as good as the latest prototypes it’s a hell of a deal for the price.

- The price is likely to go up for some time after the first group buy so a second one may cost notably more.

- If you plan to mod it you still have a stock Q8 to compare to.

- This kind of light is nice to have in several places in the house and possibly in the car(s).

- It would make a great gift - although a bit expensive with cells and charger.

  • It’s a piece of BLF history.

On a more personal note:

  • Whatever i like i want to have (more then) several. :heart_eyes:

Now the guessing game about when the first Q8s will ship… Mid August? September?

There is no ‘like’ button, so instead how about a :+1: ?

I hope things will progress quickly to the :beer: phase of the project, where we all get lit.

I want to get one for all of my cars, another to leave stock, a few to mod in various ways (thinking an xhp35 hi thrower version and an xhp50.2 high CRI flooder to start out with). Then a few more for gifts.

Sadly not sure I will be able to afford all of that before the GB actually happens.

:+1:

:+1: :+1:

:disappointed:

That suggests they need to tighten up both the QA and the QC systems.
Assuming they have such as part of their operation. If not we can help :slight_smile:

http://www.onquality.info/2011/10/difference-between-qa-and-qc.html/

http://www.onquality.info/2011/10/difference-between-qa-and-qc.html/

(emphasis added; a working QA/QC system defeats the aforementioned tendency toward quality fading over time, too.

I am following this thread for longtime, until today I just be able to register in just to join the wonderful group and wish to be on the LIST for 1 light. So please put me in if possible. Please please.

This is the round #3 Q8 with bypassed springs, using the tial PCB fro proto #1 (they are an exact match):

This was with VTC6's w/boobs at 4.19V: lumens: 6,660 @start, 6,190 @30 secs, so about a 5% bump on account of the bypassed springs.

This I should have done a while ago, looking at the spring at proto #1, proto #2, and round 3.

Here's proto #2 (left) compared to round 3 (right):

Proto #2:

Round 3:

Proto #1 compared to round 3. Proto #1 was a crude prototype in several respects. They were one of the worse set of springs I've seen. With the bypasses, doesn't really matter.

Proto #1 on left, round 3 on right:

  • Proto #1 springs: 11 mm high, thick, single
  • Proto #2 springs: 10.5 mm high, thick, inner spring is 7 mm
  • Round 3 springs: 10 mm high, thin, inner spring is 5 mm

I think the ThorFire engineers were attempting to soften up the springs in round 3 to ease the tension threading on the tube tight. I think they went a bit too far with that though.

Footnote: that pile of fur under the table in the first shot is my dog, Rex

Some first impressions, then photos!

The good:

  • Perfect fit and exterior finish. Clean and battery tube threads well lubricated.
  • Pretty good interior finish for the most part
  • Nice heft, weighs in at 404 g (no cells). The latest SRKs are around 300 g.
  • Clean reflector, lens, LEDs, MCPCB, interior
  • Looks like a good quality PCB for the driver
  • Good button with crisp action
  • Good thermal performance. Can sense some heat on the exterior very rapidly.
  • 3D tint, or extremely close to it, as per specification
  • 2 mohm FET on the driver, as per specification
  • The ‘good’ type 7135 regulator on the driver
  • LED wires are AWG 18 or larger

The neutral:

  • More aggressive knurling than usual, but well done
  • The SS bezel on mine came dirty. Some glue or similar that comes off easily though.
  • The glue used for the plastic finishing rings around the brass +contact ring is a little fragile. Very easy to remove these rings.
  • LED centering is OK, but not great.

The not so good:

  • De-laminating MCPCB. Apart from the mask lifting at one edge, there is also an air-bubble around the -wire pad.
  • Two inclusions in one of the four reflectors
  • The now known issue with the tail springs. A 2 ft drop onto its tail on a soft surface interrupts the cells.
  • Driver is obviously hand-soldered. Hopefully this is just a prototyping issue. It is mostly a case of too much solder and there are no signs of dry joints or bad connections.

OK, photos. These are as the light came out of the box, no clean-up, no rework of any kind.

Banggood style bag, but I am not expecting anything from BG?

Apparently we have an SKU already:

Simple but functional packaging, of course the retail version may end up improved:

Oh nice!:

Not something you will see on any other SRK light:

Less nice inside, but still pretty good:

Tail board:

Tail cap:

Tripod threads:

Some boobed flat-tops:

We would need 2-3 mm extra on those springs for a secure fit with short cells:

Plastic rings. The brass ring stands ~0.5 mm proud of both:

Cool side light:

Great tint. XPL-HI 3D on the right:

Business end:

Against two current-generation SRKs:

The good FET:

The not good reflector:

Underneath the tail board:

Back of reflector:

MCPCB:

Small screws are all the same size:

Thermal paste:

Back of MCPCB:

Shelf cleaned up, very nice finish on that one:

Its flat:

My only real complaint:

Same defect:

Now to put it back together and use it!:

WOW, now that’s a great rundown of the light :+1: Thanks a lot
Have the other proto3 lights the same issues as the one DEL received? Except for the LEDs being off-center and the spring issue I don’t remember any mention of the other issues.

Quick, The Miller, update the post title, link this review, and let’s get going on whatever else we need! We’re getting close to the end, now!

Thanks DEL! :beer:

I haven't even removed the MCPCB on the round 3 light, but I've even reflowed LED's on the round 1 and round 2 lights. Not the same exact MCPCB, but looks the same (round 3 made it wider and thicker). Haven't seen this problem or anything close of the peeling layer.

Haven't seen reflector issues in the 4 prototypes I've gotten.

I didn't notice the plastic rings could be removed easily. I had to pry off the ones on the round 2 lights and thought they were glued pretty good, but the plastics were very different in round 2.

I agree with the hand soldering, but truthfully it's hard for me to tell, so I couldn't say for sure. DEL has way more experience and expertise in that area.