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

Why are people acting like they have never ordered something online? I suppose it could be true for some people, but lord have mercy! And I doubt that people care much to read about the fact that Joe Schmoe’s light moved from the back of the warehouse to the front… bfd.

korpzgrinda, did you not notice how many people signed up at BLF just to get in on this group buy? A LOT! For the vast majority of those new folks it really is a BFD! :wink:

You are right, I can truly understand the excitement. It’s just these posts that are basically copy/pasting their tracking info… it feels like spam at this point. I would much rather see posts that show the lights actually arrived. Not trying to rain on anyone’s parade, though!

Duly noted. When mine gets here I’ll fill the thread with pictures and beamshots and mod status information. :wink:

I have a small story and a request… :person_facepalming:

So last night before going to sleep I had already turned off every light in the house and my eyes had already adapted to the dark conditions, I was thinking in revisiting that moonlight setting at level 3 which the last time seemed a little bright for my taste and wanted it a little lower so I put the light under the blankets so the flashes don’t interfere with my night vision and proceeded to adjust the moon setting to number 2, I let it finish and take it out from under the blankets, I was thinking that maybe its going to be too dim, so I look down to look and press the button to look at the leds when they light up in moonlight level 2, press the button… BOOM!!! FULL FRIGGING TURBO to the eyes!!! OWWWW!!! That hurts!!! :cry: Bye bye night adapted vision…!

In my defense I had taken sleeping pills and was too sleepy to realize my stupidity… :confounded:

So here is my request… Can you program the Q8 to go to lowest mode first after setting the moonlight as default instead of turbo, so morons like me don’t get blinded? :zipper_mouth_face:

Thanks, I still love this light!!! :partying_face:

Dale - that would be great! My time is somewhat limited now. Been working on trouble-shooting the flickery, finicky switch LED issue, ugh - it's taking hours and I feel at this point nothing obvious so I'm in over my head and don't want to mess up the only sample I have - the 10 Q8's I had or looked at are fine, so had one of the reported ones shipped to me. Plus firmware issues/Q's, support, etc.

I'm tossed now between a flaky PCB board (switch/LEDs) and the LED's, but looking more like the PCB. Might have to bring it into work, and if we got time, look at it there under a stereo microscope or something.

Couple of things here as possible explanations, ways to use it:

  • if you last were on turbo by ramping to it, then it's your last saved level, so 1 click will go turbo
  • from OFF, if you are not sure what the last saved level is, don't just click, do a click&hold - it will start ramping up from moon
  • hand cup the bezel if any doubt
  • unfortunately moon is not ever saved as a last level, so if you click&hold to moon but turbo is your saved last level, clicking off from moon, and single click the light back on will go turbo
  • the lowest ramping level is a 3 value, so 3 is the lowest you can save as a last level. Believe me, I frequently intentionally ramp up from OFF, then down to minimum, and click it OFF so it's saved - great for keeping on the night stand this way for getting up in the middle of the night.

The intention is here is don't let moon level or 2X click to turbo effect your last saved level. Again, I believe it was suggested here in this thread and I implemented it. I tried my best to implement what was suggested, but many times detailed specifics are lacking so I do my best to implement the intent.

What I should have done was allow ramping down to end at moon and not the last ramping level. If I did this, then moon level could be saved - that could be an improvement.

I own two Pedco Ultrapod II miniature tripods. I use them to hold a GoPro camera, an iPhone, and flashlights.

I’m happy to report that the Ultrapod II works great with the Q8! The mount clears the cooling fins and the bolt doesn’t bottom out in the Q8’s hole.

The Velcro strap allows mounting to objects up to about 3” in diameter. I’ve used cable ties to secure it to larger diameter objects. You could probably replace the Velcro strap with a longer one if needed.

I drilled some 1/8” holes in my other Ultrapod II and have used screws to mount it to rafters, wall studs, etc.


It’s strong enough to hold the Q8 at 90 degrees to the post.


I realize this may read like a paid endorsement, but I’m just a big fan of this tripod. :partying_face:

Pedco makes a few other models, but I like this one best.

If PCB suspect, might be dodgy plating of through-holes/vias. Had no end of bother with this once in an important application when PCB supplier made a seemingly straightforward process change (from electroless copper to “shadow” process). Micro-sectioning of test coupons from all delivered PCBs had to be (re) instituted and a lot of scrap resulted.

Had previously been done as standard at goods-inward, but we never saw any problems before, so dropped it. Then got bitten on the bum :person_facepalming:

It is possible to do your own micro-sectioning with simple equipment (epoxy resin, fine saw, fine abrasive paper, and a microscope), but you also need to know what you are looking for.

Repeated temperature cycling under power would eventually cause most dodgy vias. to fail eventually.

> a moon so faint as in the Q8 is just flipping awesome

Do we have a single-photon-emission level we can use in our double-slit quantum mechamics demonstrations?

I’m not real sure what you’re saying here but are you suggesting the amount of time you have to click up the levels should be increased to 1 1/2 seconds before locking in? It sounds like you think it should be 1 second. I believe the current time is 1.2 seconds. Can you clarify for me what you mean?

I hope it is clear Narsil for the Q8 is ready and will not change anymore?
The source code is there so changes must be programmed yourself, how to flash and what parts are needed is easy to find.

A wants X, B thinks Y is much better and C swears by Z. Cool, if the vast amount of config options doesn’t give you X,Y or Z, write it :wink:

You don’t use the Tracking number on 17Track. Use the Reference from the FedEx site on 17Track. The Reference will begin with YT.

So this Narsil UI….i’ve never had a light with that. I am used to different sorts of ui’s.
The more i read about people having questions (users with q8 in hand), the more confused i get :-))

It’s not that im a non-learner, it just all sounds so complicated…and i hope it isn’t.
From the sounds of it (and i haven’t read the manual yet, my light is in transit) it is programmable to “the way i like it” for the most part?

If the light is off and i long press and hold, does it start ramping from moonlight to full turbo?
If light is off and i long press and stop, am i staring at moonlight?

I dont care for any of the blinkies, hopefully there is a way to disable them all.
All i need is moonlight/different variations of brightness/turbo.

Once i get the light, ill have to come up with all kinds of reasons as to why i have to use it. I might put off some tasks
i can do in the day time, until it gets dark :-))

Oh, and i hope there will be 10s of youtube reviews on it :stuck_out_tongue:

Little comparison with TM16GT

Then just buy a Manker MK41. Single XHP 35 hi, but otherwise seems to meet your requirements. Takes AA, Eneloops or 14500, and no bad reports AFAIK (unusual for Manker I know). Manages to get great output even out of good AA alkalines. But can’t get the lower modes on 14500s. Disenchanted with 14500 anyway, no energy-density benefit over Eneloops, just disadvantages. Only used by me for a single BLF torch that needs them, otherwise redundant. And dangerous to have around in case they get put in AA torches that will blow. A dead-end I think.

Is there a big difference in the q8 and HaikeLite MT03 II Devourer XHP70.2?
Form factor is about the same, Haike might throw little better and has more lumens. Probably is more expensive too.

The ramping firmware is actually so user friendly that you probably shouldn’t even read the manual first. Pick it up and play with it and you’ll find it instinctive and effortless, you’ll be wishing all your lights were like it in no time at all. :wink:

The X5 requires a 14500 and is a really nice small light that acts like a much larger one. They could keep the 14500 in play forever for just this one light as far as I’m concerned. :slight_smile: Then again, my triple MagLite AA’s also use it so it’s just a big bonus right there! The fact that the Klarus Mi7Ti also uses the 14500 format is just icing on the cake. Manker’s T01 Godmes is the e-switch equivalent of the X5, very neat little light. And I happen to know of another light that is yet to be seen that utilizes this 14500 and should be a big hit…. but I digress…

The Jaxman M2 modified with a Zener FET driver and with an XHP-50.2 is a very solid reason, making 3000 lumens in a pen-light style with a pocket clip.

Seems there are plenty of reasons for the 14500 to remain in popularity. :wink:

If I’m not mistaken, The Miller has some thoughts using this smaller cell as a follow up to the Q8… reckon we’ll see! :slight_smile:

Diffuser made from a vitamin bottle.

With just a 3-4mm wider tube an 18500 would have fitted (also 14500), and been so much better. But I’ve said that before…

Not sure they are so popular, very limited choices, but once you start putting them side-by-side, yes, the slimmer dia. counts. Nevertheless, a torch that takes these would be so much better if it could take AAs and Eneloops as well. With a buck driver and 4s, no problem, 1s with buck/boost (my Olight S15 has this and works very well), fine, but the X5 seems to have painted itself into a restricted corner. Great torch though, love it.