Somewhat related, Banggood recently released a Astrolux C8 light with a FET + 1 driver. I review the light here:
From what I can tell, it appears identical in external construction to the Convoy C8, but it uses a FET driver for 60% more output (and throw). So, it doesn’t appear that mods are necessary to get a FET driver in a C8 host, anymore.
What mods were necessary before? I can only think of making sure the emitter is on a DTP copper mcpcb in order to handle the heat.
Well, I saw lots of people buying Convoy C8’s and replacing the 8x7135 driver with a FET driver. This one comes with the FET driver, so you get the extra brightness. But, you have to be more careful of heat, of course.
Oh, you meant changing the driver as a mod. I wasn’t counting that. :confounded:
This is not good at all. Convoy is not the only one doing this. I’ve noticed Sofirn is doing this too, and worse - they’re using longer, round headed screws.
The screw thing is not of any concern. It is still able to do its job of staying in place and not letting the mcpcb rotate when you screw the bezel on.
99.9% of all customers don’t even see that screw, much less take it out.
I am speaking of a personal observation, not a consensus. Take a good look. I don’t know about you and I couldn’t care less about the 99.9% customers who don’t see the screws, much less take it out…but I don’t like my flashlight built this way and I am certainly not buying a flashlight with cheap wood screws inside. I think I am not the only one who doesn’t agree with this cheap practice.
The screws are less to hold the mcpcb in place than to keep it from rotating when tightening the bezel. Rotation would/could damage the emitter or it’s power leads. With the reflector sitting on top of those screws they cannot possibly back out, so they are indeed doing the job intended. Since you took your light apart it is no longer in warranty anyway, so I guess if it’s that bothersome you can source the proper screws and replace the factory ones while you are inside.
While this discussion is open, this IS the CONVOY C8 thread, so it might be prudent to post your concerns about Sofirn’s doing’s somewhere else. 
While you’re probably correct, I don’t understand why wood screws would be used if the plate is threaded for metal screws. Aren’t the screws the same cost? Actually, I don’t understand why wood screws would be stocked in any factory that doesn’t build with wood components. ?
Maybe it makes no difference, but it seems a strange choice.
Oh well, my Convoys seem well built and do their job, so I’m not complaining. Just seems odd, that’s all.
That is a really good question, why would the assemblyline have wood screws in the first place? Perhaps they ran out of stock and had to use what could be found in order to make quota or something.
I have 4 Sofirn lights and they’ve all been exemplary. Of course, my Convoy lights have also been exceptionally well made. Truly though, I’ve been impressed with Sofirn for the level of quality I’ve been seeing, comparing favorably with Simon’s production and not left behind by any of the big names, in truth they have taken comments and criticism and come out with new upgraded product that is really nice and well thought out.
I would have been pleased to see Simon come out with a triple C8, but indeed it was Sofirn that brought it out and then made the necessary changes to make it a very nice light indeed!
I made a comment about a post made by Hunter; i.e., “I received Convoy C8 from Aliexpress store and when I disassembled it because I wanted to replace the driver with FET version I found out that they used wood screws to “secure” the led (Facepalm) I inspected holes in the flashlights head and they were threaded for metal screws as usual.”
My post was a reaction to his comment about using wood screws in his CONVOY C8. I think my post is explicit enough - that it is not only Convoy that does this in their C8 products. You can’t label my point as off topic because I was clearly reacting to a post about a CONVOY C8. I merely cited Sofirn and their very own CONVOY C8 equivalent to give some perspective. And by the way, the picture is not mine. It belongs to Barkuti in his review that I mentioned.
Lol, don’t stress out on it, I only pointed out that opening up a light voids the warranty, any light, any maker. Sofirn is using a C8 design that goes way back, does anyone know where it really started? Convoy is probably the most famous one now, and of course this IS a Convoy thread. You want to talk about Sofirn or Trustfire or Ultrafire or whatever, start a thread. This is STILL the Convoy C8 thread started by jdub who represents Convoy here.
If you’ve seen C8 clones with issues, simply state you’ve seen it before. Remember that all these lights that have crossed the line all worked right up until somebody cracked em open…. regardless, this IS a thread started to show that Convoy was listening and is making a clear anodized C8 for the masses.
Just FYI, you’re very new here and probably don’t know that BLF is the King of hijacked threads.
Amen to that 
Jack, remember when they used to quote quoted quotes quoting quoted quotes? They’d run like 30 deep in a post, take up an entire page. It got a bit crazy there for a while… lol
Oh, by the way, I FEEL that guys pain every time I see him hit the floor! UGH! hahahahaha
Hope it ain’t a dumb question, but are youse sure those are wood screws and not sheet-metal screws?
Still not too swift using them instead of what the holes are properly threaded for, but maybe they were thinking, “Hey, the shelf is fairly thin aluminum… can’t find my M-whatever screws… might as well use sheet-metal screws.” or something to that effect.
Yep, that was one fun thread 
I accessed it on mobile only, and the white part of the page was barely a fifth of the total horizontal length of the page! Fun times.
Hardwood, meet teeth! :smiling_imp:
Yeah, I’ve wondered what would happen to my neck if I fall, something like that? Or if a kid bumps me from behind and makes me fall and hit a chair or something, will these 6 Ti screws snap right out of my vertebrate or what? Freaky to think about, for sure.
But hey, on that note! 
I’ve found a new use for hot rodded lights! If I do stupid stuff and get my neck hurting I can turn a nice light on in Turbo and move it around about 3” from my neck and it feels so GOOOD!
MACROLUMEN Therapy.
I’m gonna say it straight: I’m not bothered with Convoy cutting a corner just once or twice given how much modding is a factor for them. And I have way more reason to complain than two semi-inadequate screws, as I see it: the pill on my latest light (an S2) doesn’t have the driver retaining ring - instead, the driver board is welded directly on the pill in two spots. I’ll post a photo when I can.
Soldered, is what I hope you meant by that. Yeah, Jaxman does that as well. Much easier to unscrew a brass retaining ring of course and if you contact Simon I’m sure he’ll send you one or some or something. Still…
As I understand it Simon has only a bare few people helping him, I can see being small and having little or no professional help, how do you keep your eye on these guys all the time, right? But yeah, a pita come modding time.
Hopefully we’ll never find out for real
Well now, flashlights have ousted lanterns and candles as illumination devices, now they’re open to replacing hot water bottles as thermal therapy devices? That’s news to me! Gonna try out a torch turned on Turbo next time I bend a joint at the wrong speed. lol