(BLF) Sofirn Q8 V1.5: The XPL HI monster, DIY parts + Extended 8x18650 tubes GB Interest List

Maybe it’ll be a Hi-C can light next…

Thorfirn? Sorfire?

We need Maury to give a DNA test.

I like when he dials up the drama…

Yep… Q8 - v.HI-C …. :+1: … :smiley:
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I like it Lightbringer….

Oooh good idea.

BLF Q8 HI-C edition.

:+1: … :slight_smile: …. /\

Why don't I have a rope to hang on such a long thing, so heavy and heavy? I have to carry 8 18650 batteries with me. I think this design is a failure

I wanted to get carryers for modding from the beginning, but the team has declined becaus it should be SRK-Style.
Now, that would be great.
And we will see, how the carryers could be modified. There seems to be only the center bar, which could be used to make Bat+ contact from the end to the top. The other bars are used for battery- or ground.
So with different carryer PCBs it should be possible to make a 2S2P or 4S1P variant.

Ok, now we have a MCPCB for XHP50, we’ll hopefully soon have the new battery tubes, now I need an affordable source for well binned XHP50 or XHP50.2 in neutral or maybe warm white. Are XHP50.2 suitable at all for a FET driver? I guess I have read somewhere they have a lower forward voltage than XHP50.

Any recommendation from the LED guru(s)?

This is a good question but not because of the voltage. I have a XHP50.2 running fine without driver on 2 high drain 18650 batteries so at least some XHP50.2 leds can handle that. But I had one dying at much lower current in a light with 3A boost driver from KD. Something with a sensitivity for unseen voltage spikes?, I don’t know. At least the Q8 will not use a boost driver but a simple direct FET driver, could be advantageous for the XHP50.2

Great news for several reasons. Thanks for the heads up BSM.

I’ve been patiently waiting 9 months for a simple CW version to be offered for sale.

Is 5700K to 6000K too much to ask for?

We (the Q8 team) had a flashlight made with one very well thought-over led choice for simplicity of the process. We never intended to proceed the Q8 project after that with extra versions, so just waiting for a cool white version to spontaneously happen was not a very favorable approach.

But now that Sofirn is involved that may be different, they tend to listen to what is popular on BLF. So ask them for a cool white version and convince them that it will sell.

Reflow these and enjoy:

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/samsung-semiconductor-inc/SPHWHTL3DA0CF4QTW6/1510-2262-1-ND/7562274

I can’t reflow stuff. To send the mcpcb off to be reflowed costs way too much.

Don’t you have an electric skillet?It work wonderfully with reflowing MCPCBs.

Buy yourself a 10$ one like I did, and you will be off to cool white land.

Along with some solder paste of course.

I use an even worse setup and it works every time.

I have an induction cooktop and use a super old rusty one of these with knife marks on it. I dont recommend it because when it gets hot and cools off the center has a tendency to “pop” in and out with temp changes.

I spent so much time on this project that I feel like a Q8 Team Member. :smiley:

Remember back when it was said that once the group buy was over Thorfire would take over and possible rename the light and do whatever they wanted? I was really hoping they would add a CW option. It seemed like a no brainer as the majority of flashlight buyers in the world (excluding BLF and CPF) prefer CW.

At this point in time I have no idea if a CW version would sell. I may be the only person in the world that wants this, but I’m not willing to pay double the price to modify it. I don’t need it that badly. I’ll just wait and see what Sofirn does.

Being a novice to all of this stuff I find soldering e-switch wires (or anything for that matter) 1000x harder to do than reflowing. If you practice once or twice with the right solder paste and an old MCPCB I have no doubt u can figure it out.

Thorfire taking the design and doing whatever they wanted with, and they did not do anything

Looking at how Thorfire refuses to sell any replacement parts, it does not surprise me that they did not do this. I think it is because the BLF Q8 is a constant stream of revenue for them, and any departure from the original design would disrupt that revenue flow, so they are not willing to take any risk to change the design or do what they want with the Q8.

TLDR: The original BLF Q8 is good enough for Thorfire not to take any R&D risks.

Strange. Both LEDs from the same batch? Was the dead LED soldered properly or could it have been too much heat (don’t know in which light this LED has been used)?