Part 1- Sofirn SP32a Flashlight.

Oh, just managed to lock the light in strobe mode. Mine is just like the others. Buggy.

Hum, that may be a bug of all of them!
Maybe some other users can give input on this to see if it is a “random” bug of a “unexpected” bug!
Thanks for confirming 264 :wink:

I do think wanting to lockout the flashlight while it was in strobe mode was unforeseen.

The SP32a is a fun and useful flashlight. Not surprising us flashlight nuts find quirky things about different flashlights.

Reported the issue to Sofirn…

Update: just got a reply from Sofirn, which doesn’t seem to be helpful since they don’t acknowledge there is a bug…

this is the reply from Sofirn:

Yeah. The issue is very trivial. It’s nothing to fret about.

I just realized you got sent a protected battery. They now bundle an unprotected battery with these that are capable of a lot high amp draw.

I don’t really see it as a bug because I’d never perform a lock out with the flashlight on in any mode. Only for traveling or putting in my bag.

@ Rickw12

Use the flashlight in Ramping mode so you can choose the lumen output you need from 1 - 1067 Lumens. Set it to what you are needing 90% of the time and then two clicks to Turbo when you need it.

Well, I wasn’t trying to perform a lock-out, was sort of testing (or playing around with) the SP32A and I accidentally locked it out in strobe mode, and it does appear to be a bug, anyway it’s easily solved by either unlocking it, or just unscrewing the tailcap.

Re: protected battery — I ordered the SP32A twice (as the “kit” version with battery and charger). The first time, I got an unprotected 18650 (wrapper is the red “UltraFire”-like wrapping, labeled 3000mAh). The second time I ordered, they sent a protected battery (it is much longer, labeled “Sofirn 2800mAh”; and I verified that it’s protected since this protected battery shuts down when I tried it on the Astrolux S41S — shuts off when set to Turbo mode; I would presume the trigger is around 6A for the protected Sofirn 2800mAh 18650 bundled with the SP32A).

Both the “Ultrafire-type” wrapper Sofirn “3000mAh” 18650 and the protected Sofirn 2800mAh 18650 tested just around 2700+ mAh capacity (at 0.50A discharge rate, discharged to 2.75v on MC3000).

Ramping time appears to have improved in the new batch of SP32A (ordered during the special sale last end of March 2018 and arrived a few days ago; the “handled by AliExpress” ships really fast…).
(whereas in the original older batch, from Low-to-High or vice-versa, it takes about 7 seconds; in the new batch, the ramping takes around 3.5-4 seconds; there is still a very slight pause somewhere in the middle of the ramping — I’m not sure what’s the pause for…)

(testing ramping speed on new & old SP32A; new on the left, old on the right)
(sorry the stopwatch is not exactly the time, since I don’t have 3 hands to simultaneously start the testing…)

(ramping on the old batch SP32A ~ 7 seconds)

(ramping on the new batch SP32A ~ 3.5 seconds)

Checking the new batch SP32A, I also noticed these:

- it still has the “lock-out possible in strobe mode” bug

- changing modes group is also now faster in the new batch SP32A (in older batch, while in “ramping” mode, one needs to hold the button for around 7-8 seconds to change to “groups” mode; in the new batch, only need to hold for around 3-4 seconds to switch from “ramping” to “groups” mode)

- I measured a slightly higher tailcap current on Turbo mode on the new batch (UT210E ammeter w/ bare copper wire: I got around 6.5-7A on previous SP32A, on the newer one, I got momentary peak 8.+ A reading on freshly-charged VTC6 — I can’t be sure if this may just be a contact issue specific to my one sample each of the old and new SP32A though)…

Anybody get 1550 lumen in Turbo?

I personally measured higher lux on my ceiling bounce test (531 vs. 500) with my 32A when compared to my BLFA6 (1A). So I would say that it is close to 1550 lumens on Turbo.

This review says 1200lm:

And my eyeball comparison with BLF A6 (3D) (1250lm) is about the same.

But “defective” Zanflare F1 Turbo (1200lm) is noticeably brighter than the supposedly 1550lm of SP32A!

I suppose it depends? In my case, there’s a slight brightness difference between my Astrolux S1 (3D) on Turbo and the SP32A on Turbo — The SP32A on Turbo is slightly brighter than the S1 @ Turbo… (both using a freshly-charged Sony VTC6 for test comparison)

(pardon just a reminder: the highest mode (single-click or ramping) on SP32A is not “Turbo”, the “Turbo” mode is achieved by a quick double-press).

This SOFIRN SP32A describes as high as 1500LM. If it is opened at close range, it is unadaptable to the human eye. It's going to do a lot of damage to people's vision and it's suggested that you add a little bit of slow, slow closing down when you turn on and off and you think.

You and Ilmatic say 1550lm. One reviewer and I say 1200lm. Don’t know if “it depends” explains away the discrepancy — not as defective — and that’s the purpose of my post.

(I should not have brought up the case of “defective” Zanflare F1.)

[EDIT]
Astrolux S1’s 1600lm is with a Spring Bypass Mod.
Stock brightness is 1400lm.

I suppose without more advanced testing equipment, our observations may not be too precise…

I have 2 SP32A, an older one (the ramping from low-to-high takes about 7 seconds) and a newly received one (ramping from low-to-high takes about 3.5seconds only).

I did test the tailcap current (UT210 ammeter) using a piece of copper wire and a fresh-off-the-charger Sony VTC6. When put to Turbo mode, with the older one, I’m reading around 7.x amps max while the newer one is 8.x amps max (and possibly higher). So it seems like there could be some slight difference between batches (or it could also be due to my testing, since my test equipment is just basic…)

I don’t think judging by eye is the best way to measure lumens. To many variables like tint, spill, and hot spot. The lights going all over the place.
Judging by this test graph and the current reading everyone is reporting, I’d guess to say it’s making more than advertised or the drivers really inefficient. Just my 2 cents. :smiley:

Think the answer lies with spring bypass.

Astrolux S1’s 1600lm is with a Spring Bypass Mod.
Stock brightness is 1400lm.

Just like Astrolux S1, you get 1550lm with tail cap spring bypass.

The following posters mentioned the necessity of spring bypass for 1550lm:

WalkIntoTheLight
d_t_a
Funtastic

When mine is on turbo in ramping mode, it steps down to high but does not further step down (very hot).When in stepping mode, it steps down twice ,turbo-high-med. Is this how others are working?