modding convoy c8

looking for someone to instruct or mod convoy c8 for me. Just been a lurker here for the most part if someone can tell me the parts i would need and sizes i might be able to do it myself with some guidance, im in WV any help or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks. Tim

Your C8 already has XP-L HI emitter? If so you could upgrade the driver to a FET+7135 for about 50% more output.

You would need a 17mm driver, 22AWG silicone wires for spring bypass and proper high drain batteries like a Samsung 30Q.

Here’s an awesome C8 mod that someone did here at BLF: :sunglasses:

Convoy C8 Mod - The WOW Factor

When reading the WOW Factor mod. It says I would need An LED with a DTP MCPCB to dissipate heat. Is this the case.

I put a Fet driver in my convoy C8 with the stock xpl-hi star.
I don’t have tons of use on it but it’s given me no problems. It’s been reliable.

Ok, I’m Waiting on my new driver got snap ring pliers. The holes on the retaining ring look like little dots instead of holes any tips or tricks to make snap ring pliers fit into holes I’m just sliping and scraping the retaining ring with pliers. Tailpeice retainer came out easy actually had real holes although it was a left hand thread. Is the driver ring right or left hand thread.

Thanks, Tim

@TimS, you have the XPL HI version, correct?

If yes, then the XPL HI board is a DTP MCPCB, and just swapping the driver to a FET one will net you much more lumens and throw.

yes i have XPL HI. but dont I have to take retaining ring out to swap drivers? I cant get it out.

I was gonna point out that. Convoys are I think RH threads at the driver, while Thorfire and Sofirn are LH.

You can carefully use the right-sized bit to just gently open up the holes, as long as you’re careful not to hit the threads on the head, or cut through to the inner surface of the ring (don’t wanna cut it in half, after all).

I got me a set of ring-pullers from Tekton, but they’re now discontinued and the replacements are lots more expen$ive now.

Oh yeah, FT now has a bunch of LEDs already mounted on DTPs (“thermoelectrically separated” something or other).

I just ordered a few WW LEDs a few days ago on DTPs.

(Oh yeah) ², while it might not be as much fun, you can just get a Sofirn C8F and giggle like a schoolgril playing with it. It kicks arse.

You can do something else with your existing C8 later… if you’re still so inclined. :smiley:

Lightbringer Thank You! Had some small drill bits in Basement buddy gave me years ago who used to be mechanic for old US Airline. Found bit .045 about same size as snap ring plier, worked perfectly. now waiting on driver.

Hi.
What Lightbringer above says.

I have 4 x C8’s My last one being the Sofirn C8T. Giggle puts it mildly. You won’t better.
THEN. when you have a few more sheckels. You can make up a “triple” with your existing one.
Don’t cost much.
Then you’ll have walkabout. distance and no bulk. All in two hits.

It’s taken me 15 yrs to get to this point. Plus around 20 torches.

If it’s the money side of it. There is a little happy short dark hair\bearded bloke on Youtube.
Sportsman??? Something.
He does a step by step conversion on a C8. Which is also a cracker (Apparently?)

Have fun. It’s never ending once you start. Ask my missus.

PS.
If you want the next step up in quality. Power output and price.
Go to Kaidomain . and look at his new C8.2 models. XHP 35hi and XHP 50.2.
ready made C8’s ($30ish)
Ask others here regarding his reliability\longevity of??.

Like I said. Goes forever. Enjoy.

The T gives you better throw with somewhat fewer lumens. The A belches out more lumens in a wider hotspot at the (slight) expense of throw. The F just makes you all giggly as it lights up everything in sight in a teeny li’l C8 form-factor.

What’d be so kewl is if Tracy would pop by here and say, “Hey, we got a sale on all our C8s!”. :smiley:

Most of the time I don’t use snap ring pliers unless the ring is stuck. I use pointed tweezers. Cost about 2 dollars from the cosmetic section in Walmart.

I’ve recieved a couple convoy lights where the ring was cross threaded from the factory and I’ve had to use snap ring pliers. And they threaded back on correctly. I remember my first build I was so excited I built something and it worked. It didn’t at first until I resoldered the led and then it did. I use the tweezers to push the wire down on the pad when soldering it

OK still waiting for driver to arrive so I thought I would try the tail piece mod, took 3 attempts to get spring and wire in center and wire soldered to base. Put together to see if it worked without burning something up, now light comes on soon as I screwed everything together on a higher mode and switch dosen’t work. Did I get switch to hot?

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

Yeah, sounds like.

Switches like heat even less than I do. Their nice soft innards melt waaaaaaay too easily, letting it get stuck-on (or worse, stuck off) if overheated.

Worst case, use it like a twisty.

Or here’s something, use it like a twisty (eg, Jet-I or -II) and try changing modes. Ie, turn it on, then off/on/off/on really fast and see if it changes modes as if you’d half-press the switch. Might be usable that way.

If it stays full-on no matter what, then it’s the driver going mental.

The light is brand new shouldn’t be the driver never got that far yet.arent switches cheap.Would it be a 17mm clicky switch same as driver, I haven’t given up yet. Just trying to learn a new hobby.

Ok I guess the switch is a driver.borrowed my brothers soldering iron,its old but seems to heat pretty good.seems like probe is small and pointy but hard to get between spring coils and gets stuck between them (not enough hands) used my vice to hold switch. Any tricks to get between coils and not get stuck or is my iron to big.