Okay, so it is the thermal step-down triggering when it shouldn’t. I don’t recall if that was one of the things Tom fixed in v1.2, but the Q8 is relatively easy to reflash if you want to try it. Remove two screws and the driver should pop out far enough to access the relevant parts.
More information on reflashing is in the firmware repository linked in my signature, in the “README” file.
Or, the timed step-down is probably good enough… no thermal measurements needed.
… and firmware is kind of a rabbit hole. Definitely try it if you’re interested, but be warned that it could turn into a new hobby. 
Thanks for the information. Yep, sure enough. The leads on the driver are plenty long enough. I must say that these solder joints are really smooth and pretty, too, with all residue removed. They’re really well done. Wow! I’ve seen some nasty, scary looking PCBs from China, but this one is fantastic.
I’m sure that in the next few weeks I won’t be able to help myself, although, as you suggested, it truly is a tiny problem.
I do need to thank you for all of your help. Without your help, I wouldn’t have been able to pinpoint it.
Thanks again.
This is an old bug fixed in NarsilM v1.2. The v1.2 HEX file and a v1.3 BETA hex file are posted on my google drive share, but of course this won't help those that can't download 
. Sorry bout this.
Here's the latest ReleaseNotes.txt file:
For Vers 1.3 2017-10-16:
tweaks made to battery voltage level readings:
- The single cell mode using the internal V ref and no resistors appears to be more accurate now, rounded to the blinked out value.
- for using R1/R2, it should also be more accurate now - still in testing
For Vers 1.2 2017-10-16:
ADDED : (from MAD777, maybe others) if strobes are disabled, a 2X click from 2X turbo should restore the previous level you were at
FIXED: 4X clicks in modes operation engages lockout - not supposed to
ADDED: operation change: make click&hold in MODES or STROBES wrap from 1st mode to last
FIXED: in LVP switch LED control: the LED sometimes is left on after an LVP drop, and is not blinking the way it should be. The "bug" is that I'm trying to control the switch LEDs from multiple places so it's getting turned off quickly after turned on, and left on when it should be left off. It's a timing thing, so has sort of a random pattern - sometimes left on, sometimes left off. The 8 sec LVP blink need to be qualified better, and should not be calling Setlevel() as is because it wants to control the LED
FIXED: temp stepdown should not happen right away from turn ON. Delay it by 15 seconds
FIXED: for temperature stepdown, in moon mode, a temp stepdown is actually done because moon mode is marked as special level 255, which is considered as a high level of output instead of very low. The stepdown results in the light switching much brighter. This should only happen id the temperature threshold is set to a low temp, or the light is still hot and not cooled down when moon mode is chosen. It can also result in an immediate jump to the stepdown level as soon as the light is turned on in moon mode. Might appear as a bright flash when ramping first starts.
There's more previously implemented:
- added momentary/tactical mode via 5X clicks in ramping mode - only active til a power reset (full turbo only when switch is held down) - It's only accessible from ramping mode, not Mode Set operation
- full BLF GT buck driver support
- capability of setting max ramping to less than full max FET (Hi mode), while the 2X click still goes to full FET turbo. This is being used for the GT buck driver configuration.
- added more compile switches, little better custom configuration of the source in header files
Teacher and Jason, thanks. I will check it out after work tonight.
TomE would you please check your PMs. It’s been over 11 weeks since your last response indicating you were finished modifying my q8. Thanks in advance.
My first thought was no, it couldn’t have, but I’ll check anyway.
The result? Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!
And I’m a dummy.
Thanks.
Excellent!! … :+1:
Wonder why I thought to suggest that??? 
. .
Yep…. your not alone. 
It happened to you too, huh? Well, thanks for the suggestion. I guess I’ll give the manual another read, because sometimes it’s hard to get the click sequences and timing just right. I might even look up how to do a factory default reset, and start again.
Oh yeah… more than once too. :person_facepalming: … In fact one of mine even came with it disabled from the factory.
Here is the most simple Factory Reset I have found……
Restore to Factory Settings
A feature (undocumented in the user manual), to restore all configuration settings to factory default. (The state as Q8 originally shipped.)
To access this feature, while displaying the firmware number ; press & hold the switch until the light blinks quickly. (This acknowledges ‘Factory Reset’)
Cool, thanks teacher.
Your welcome my friend.
Still no issues with my Q8 after a few months of ownership. That being said, I’m as happy as a pig in #2…. lol
THAT…… is pretty darn happy!! .
Teach, there’s nothing happier!
Exactly my friend!!! :+1:
No complaints about the Q8 here either. I haven’t even had to charge the batteries yet!
With one of Zozz’s diffusers donated by Dale, it has spent quite a few hours lately doing candle duty:
I just charged mine for the first time too . They were at 3.85v and the light wasn’t hurting for a charge but I charged them because …
” February is official charge up all your batteries month ”
I broke out multiple chargers and opened up all the beefy lights and all the multiple battery lights .Tomorrow I’ll open up a bunch of single battery lights…
anyway the first thought i had when opening up the Q8 was …Wow nice job on the threads …Another thing I have to compliment the creators of the blf q8 on is the TINT … I consider myself very picky and have always …always been unhappy with tints on past BLF lights . This is just more proof that decent tints can be found for these projects if someone actually cares . Thanks again … what a nice light
I can’t say enough nice things about the amazing User interfaces that members here have produced .
I’m old enough to remember All the torture we endured with hi/ho/sos/strobe next mode mem.
for the newb who wants to argue the need for sosstrobe etc can we have a strobe only mode which makes full use of high discharge batteries and one click/just kills them where they stand ./one less knucklehead on BLF
I agree Boaz, over are the days of flashlights with obvious design flaws, terrible PWM and bad user interfaces, thanks to what happened on BLF over the last years, for the same budget we can have extremely nice lights. I just finished a triple C8 build with a driver (made by Lexel, but MountainElectr. makes similar drivers) that has the same user interface as the Q8 (NarsilM, one version further down the road) and I’m delighted to have that user-friendliness in a smaller light as well I do not think I can go back to the old days of bad mode spacing, PWM and strobe/SOS in the main sequence, anu light that has that will be re-build or simply not bought in the first place.