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

Hi guys, my Q8 is dead :confounded: HELP!
I bought it in January this year at Banggood, used it a few times, mostly it was laying around
but I was super happy with that hell of a flashlight until yesterday… fail… it wont turn ON anymore.
I have turned it ON yesterday for a short time, about 30 sec and felt that the flashlight was warmer than usually on the front.
After turning OFF it wont turn ON anymore.
Even if I pull out the batteries (Samsung INR18650-30Q) and put them back in, the flashlight usually “blinked”
once when it got power from the batteries or the button was glowing, now it is totally dark.
The driver board visually looks OK, nothing seems to be burnt, the bottom spring plate is OK too as far as I can see.
What else can I check?
The LiIons are charged 4V each :wink:

Can someone point me to the process on how to get a new Q8 switch? I don’t mind paying for it! Mine has kept on flickering and just want to get a new one. Thanks! :slight_smile:

Can you check the colour of the springs: are they still shiny gold coloured?

Yes, they are gold as new!

The Miller was taking care of that when switches from the first batch failed, but I do not think there is another way now.
But I just read that the Sofirn Aliexpress store started selling Q8 drivers, perhaps you could ask them for spare switchboards too?

A very odd sounding situation. Just to clarify, are your batteries button top or solder blobbed?

Thanks, I’ll inquire with them :slight_smile: :beer:

Button top

That’s not it, I don’t think that project is going anywhere.

See here: Led4power.com : LD-4 CC linear drivers, ILC-0/1 illuminated tailcaps, optics, MOSX, copper DTP MCPCBs... - #367 by led4power

Looking forward to rewarding led4power’s entrepreneurialism with a couple of orders, as soon as he’s ready to take them.

When you said you looked at the driver, did you remove the retaining ring and look at the other side of the driver?

You can eliminate any potential problems with the battery tube by holding your battery positive directly to the Brass Ring and then running a wire from the battery negative to the driver retaining ring. Try that.

They are available now - I Just ordered some w/ LUXEON V’s installed.
Q8 4040

It’s the same project, isn’t it? I have not been following it’s progress, but yes, these dual footprint boards are now available by Led4Power.

Yes, I almost disassembled the torch completely from the bottom side and from top/front/LED side.
I just can’t take out the LED board, it seems to be glued in with some gray (thermoconductive?) glue.

I followed Your advice and connected the negative of the battery directly to that retaining ring and it seems to work.
The button is glowing and the flashlight can be turned on.
After assembling everything together it is still dead.

Okay, so it looks like the upper half of the light is good including the driver and emitters.

The problem seems related to the battery tube.

It’s important that the top edge of the battery tube threads in and makes contact with the edge of the driver. Sorry about earlier when I mentioned the driver retaining ring. I don’t actually have a Q8, so I forgot what it looked like.

I recall people mentioning the battery tube o ring being too large and not allowing them to screw the battery tube all the way up until the top edge of it presses against the driver edge. That could be your issue. Test it by removing the O-ring and seeing if the battery tube now screws all the way in and presses against the driver.

It’s also possible that the driver is not sitting down flat on its mounting pads. I remember that the screw holes for the driver were not cut oversized so the screws threaded through the driver and sometimes caused it to sit crooked. You should check that as well.

Thanks Man, that worked! :crown:
That stupid rubber o-ring between the battery comparment and top of the flashlight was the problem.
That’s strange i’ve used all my force to fix it tight with that o-ring and it still prevented contact.
Thanks again!

I like a story with a happy ending :+1:

Yes, lots of interesting ideas were developed on the original thread, but it seemed a little stalled as far as finalising a specification/design, and someone stepping up to commit to manufacture and distribution.

The Miller asked led4power if he was interested in helping.

He has quietly got on with it. Djozz received the first a few days ago, and it’s looking good:

Unfortunately for us guys who can’t do reflows, there still doesn’t seem to be an affordable way to have a CW Q8.

Led4power does have reflow service but it requires him to have the correct emitters in stock, but atm he only has 4000K Luxeon V’s and an IR Oslon. No cool white leds.

That’s what I meant.

I’d need to buy all the parts and ship it off to get refowed and it might end up doubling the cost of the light.

I wish Thorfire would just offer some tint choices.