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

My BLF Q8 will no longer ramp… I can’t figure out if something is wrong with it or if I am not doing the right thing to get it into ramp mode. I don’t know how it got out of ramp mode. Sorry if this is in the wrong place but I couldn’t find where to look for this info or request it.

Thanks,
Brian

What is it doing?

Interested, should I send a PM?
I have the Sofirn, I just got it on Sunday.

It will go to full brightness from off and also can go to different flashing and dim settings. When I got it, it would ramp from off if I held the button and it would also ramp back down. I am not sure if I did something to it or what happened but I just want to get it back to that setting where it will ramp up and down. I have tried different button pushes for mode changes that I read in the instructions but no success.

Brian

Have you tried to reset it:

Ramping mode, From OFF or ON : 3x click > 2x click > 2x click > press and hold 1-2 seconds will blink 4 times to confirm reset.

MODEs(not in ramping mode), From OFF : Click + Click and hold for 3 seconds > 2x click > 2x click > press and hold 1-2 seconds will blink 4 times to confirm reset.

I really don’t know what your describing, but if it’s not ramping, I’ll assume it’s in mode sets. To get back to ramping you go into the menu by holding the button for about 3 seconds. It will first go to turbo, then to strobe, then into the menu, release the button. You will see it blink twice fast followed by a single slow blink. At this point you need to click twice. Make sure you see the confirmation blinks as you click the button. Now just let it finish going through the menu. It will end with 4 fast blinks. Now it should be back in ramping.

I’m so happy now. I followed your instructions with no success, I did it again and didn’t think it worked then it was off and I held the button and a ramping it came. I never in my life thought I would be so happy to see a flashlight get gradually brighter, then gradually dimmer.
Thank you AguassissiM and JasonWW

I am in for a BLF Q8 extended 8×18650 tube (x2)

Putting X2 at the end is confusing. 1 set means 2 tubes and 2 carriers for 8 batteries. So you want 1 set, right?

Are these tubes still being produced? If they will come out for sure I might buy a BLF Q8 and build a 4 XHP50 or XHP70 light. It is just taking Sofirn some time to design the extension tubes and battery carriers properly, right?

It seems they are past the design phase, hence the videos of the product. There might still be some tweaking going on. I’m sure they are busy producing flashlights trying to catch up any back orders due to the holidays. We see this every year. Plus we still have the Chinese New Year coming up in February. So if they haven’t done a full production run by early Dec, and I doubt they have, then they might not have time for these new projects until mid Feb. We just have to be patient and see how it goes. Situation normal.

I am in for 2 sets. 4 tubes and 4 carriers

I'm not sure if Sofirn still pursuits the XHP50.2 version of their Q8 when reading this...

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/54158/61

Wow, I did not notice the video. I’m in for one set of tubes and battery carriers for the BLF Q8, then. Just need to get me a BLF Q8! :smiley:

Me interesa set de tubo blf q8 18650

Machining wise, the extended tubes is a very easy path to take. They need just a bit thicker aluminum tube stock to accommodate the female end of the tube.

One tube with multiple reflectors is not really an economic alternative. The tube, cap and battery carrier are probably 15% the manufacturing cost of the entire flashlight (without betteries).

A more interesting path would be interchangeable lenses. Just a comment because I don’t know how much or how far it will convert a flodder into a thrower and vice versa.

Has anybody done a thread about how flashlights are made? Particularly bodies? I was in manufacturing and I can assemble some videos and explanations if you guys like that.

As a side note……I was in contact with Sofirn last night. Two words….VERY IMPRESSED with their customer service.

Spartans - the videos sound great! There hasn't been much posted here, if anything, on manufacturing.

There are options for lenses on these lights, but switching from one to the other might be too involved for some. A flip down type, hinged, might be better but it's been done before, sold as options for some lights. You cant improve throw, least I know of, but you could have a coated lens to make it more into a flooder. Many of us here use DC-Fix (https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/35838) as a diffuser to turn a light into a flooder.

That's great to hear about the Sofirn service btw.

I have found my Sofirn lights to be well made and have not had any customer service issues. That said, I can’t really back “customer service” because I was told weeks ago (months ago?) that these extension tubes would be ready in a few days, then next week, and again next week, and here we are, all the promises have been made and I obviously went a long way on a specific modification to the Q8 Just Because Of These Tubes… nothing yet by way of information as to when the tubes will actually happen or if they will.

I too was in contact directly with Sofirn, it was due to this contact that I spent over $200 building the 17 emitter Ham’r. And here I am, waiting on the extensions. I’ve spoken with no less than 3 representatives, have been given assurances it would be “soon” and well, we know how many cells that added to my behemoth…. so yeah, it’s a little difficult to sing customer service praises under the present circumstances. :wink:

Edit: Double checking my PM’s with Sofirn, first contact on this was Oct 28, 2018. Just saying…

I have the impression they are trying to make as many tubes as possible, and start selling them directly after the Chinese New Year.

The New Year will put a damper on things, but still its too bad as many guys on the forum do a lot of work on these type of projects.