If I remember right highest current measured was about 22 amps, so 5.5 amps per led. Djozz measured 1900 lumens with this current. There must be very little losses to achieve 1800 lumens out of the head per LED, the Q8 doesn’t even have a coated lens. I’m very interested in knowing the current flowing in this high lumens light.
Quite some pages back someone asked is the switch could be made to “breathe”. I would just like to say this is an option I would like also. My version would be for a breath then a pause for about 20 seconds (or configurable), then another breath. With the processor in deep sleep in between to reduce parasitic drain. Hopefully someone implements this into the code so that I don’t have to but if not I will see if its possible for me to HACK it in.
Cheers,
Jayson
Wow, really nice modding emarkd and RotorHead64!
RotorHead64 - awesome work there, good to see output confirmation in the same realm as I'm getting. I have those same springs, though the old IOS "A" seem to be a perfect fit, but can't buy them any longer. I don't know what a DMT lapping plate is, or what that filing mill bit is, but I do know I want them! 
Did you do throw measurement? Interested how it does compare to mine with the filing of the centering rings.
For amps, I'm guessing in the 22-24A range. I think these mods squeak out a little more than what I've gotten before, based on measured lumens. Of course it's difficult to measure amps though with this tail PCB modding - you would have to rig up some sort of fixture, then the fixture will introduce some loss's.
Guess you could design a low resistance fixture and compare measured lumens against the modded light, and if in the same ballpark, then assume the amps are the same.
I must have missed that these are XP-L2 emitters. These (or XP-L W2) will indeed do the numbers, even a bit more. I just thought it was getting XP-L V6 3D. (an ad from Banggood says XP-L emitters)
emarkd, nice work, great results!
rotorhead64, also nice work, excellent finish on that brass ring! 
Seems pretty clear to me by the output numbers what emitter is in the Q8, but can someone give a look at the emitters and confirm this, as identified by the picture below?
The XP-L W2 2B is on the left, note the smaller flats on the side of the dome as compared to the XP-L V6 1A on the right. (both of these were supposed to be the new XP-L2, the second order from Cutter came as what you see on the right)
This smaller flat on the side of the new XP-L2 allows it to JUST fit under Carclo triple and quad optics. Older XP-L emitters had to be shaved or de-domed to fit these optics.
Dale - definitely they are listed and pretty certain they are XP-L V6 3D's. The tint seems to be right, and compared a bunch of Q8's, and seem to match well unit to unit.
Wow, that bare tube looks awesome! :+1:
I have never stripped anodizing but your Q8 is making me consider it. Could you elaborate on your ‘boiling in alum’ process?
How long did the initial boiling take? What is your mixture’s ratio? Does the ano simply fall off or is there scrubbing involved? Did you do any polishing afterward to get your final finish? Is there a way to ‘mask’ the threads to still allow lockout by loosening the head?
DMT makes diamond whetstones for sharpening and lapping tools. The lapping plate is the FLATTEST and most expensive, and would only be necessary for the largest and most precision jobs. I have a couple of the smaller ones that would be quite sufficient for lapping flashlight parts and one that is big enough to lapp bench planes, which I think is a 10 inch. Look around in Woodworking stores and shops, they are often cheaper there.
I measured 7K after a spring bypass. Back when I reported it, I assumed I must not have had my light tube quite dialed in. Now, I'm seeing that others are measuring the same. So I'm hoping my reading was accurate. I felt it was ballpark accurate before my 7K measurement.
DEL, I just noticed at Q8 modding - #739 by RotorHead64 RotorHead64’s photo of the Q8 production driver, where the three resistors are now labelled R1, R2, R3 and the old pads for previous R1, R2 are no longer present (boo hoo, I had an idea in mind for one of them).
Perhaps you could update your schematic to reflect the silk-screen on the production driver ?
Edit, please ignore this nonsense above (how do I make “strikethrough” work ?)
I still see empty pads for R1 and R2 there in those pics? R2, R3, and R4 are in a row, R1 is separate.
-I don’t see any unpopulated pads ? and I read the row of resistors as R1, R3, R2, though the “R1” could actually be R4 I suppose, though it doesn’t look like it to me ?.
Zoomed in, on this image: Imgur: The magic of the Internet
Edit, please ignore this nonsense above (how do I make “strikethrough” work ?)
Sorry, I really did skip over quite a lot of detail there. I boiled (really more like simmered) the light in a saturated solution of alum in order to dissolve the steel screw. That’s an old mechanic’s trick for removing broken taps or screws from engine parts, or really anything non-ferrous (I think…). Removing the ano wasn’t my original goal, but it severely damaged the ano and left it looking terrible, which was not something I had considered, so a full strip was really my plan for salvaging the light.
I actually accomplished that stripping using NaOH, sodium hydroxide. Aka lye. You can find that in all sorts of “over the counter” chemicals, including Greased Lightning cleaner, oven degreasers, or several drain cleaner products. Personally I used Drano Crystals, because its something I keep on hand for clearing hair out of our bathroom drains. Its a good product, and is basically just crystallized lye. Put some water in a properly-sized dish, something strong like pyrex, sprinkle in a generous helping of lye crystals, stir to mix. Drop in the part to strip and it’ll be bare in like 10 minutes or less. Or rather, it’ll be ugly grayish looking, because the dyes from the ano wind up in the lye solution and coat the outside, but it’ll wash right off with some dish soap.
Be careful with this. Lye is strong stuff. The reaction will release large amounts of hydrogen gas so you really want to do this outside or in a well ventilated area. And getting lye on your skin is a very very bad thing. It’ll dissolve you even quicker than it dissolves ano. Really, be careful.
Thanks. panic over. All 5 present and correctly labelled. Silly me.
+1.
Also, I’d strongly recommend safety glasses when working this stuff, a splash from a dropped part and you could be in real trouble.
Thanks for the clarification. I thought you had developed a new method with potassium aluminum sulfate.
I’ve seen lots about using NaOH to strip anodizing but have never attempted it. I’m fully aware that it’s very caustic and dangerous.
I appreciate your safety warning. I’m a big proponent of PPE. :partying_face:
Mine is the 8" coarse 600 grit bench stone. I've just always called it a lapping plate. I bought mine used on fleabay. The 6" by 2" is probably the best deal for new ones.
ah, bollox, screwed up the switch board 
tried to solder in other color leds, couldn’t find desoldering braid, couldn’t find magnifying glass.
Hell, let’s try it anyway… Ripped both positive pads from the leds out of the board.
Let’s wait for oshpark and the 4 led board now
My Q8 measured 6800 in my approximation box after mods on full batteries. Using blobbed VTC6s and the peak steadily goes down, assuming it’s just from the batteries draining. Settles a little over 6000. My battery tube still isn’t making square contact with the driver so hoping my screws come in eventually and help remedy that.
Also that stripped Q8 looks really cool. I can’t say I’m not fond of it… giving me ideas.