The Samsung 26F will even run a direct drive FET style light, it just won’t give the absolute output a lower internal resistance cell is capable of. They’re decent cells though, and sometimes it’s nice to have a lesser cell to put in the A6 or X6 for loaning to a friend so it doesn’t get so hot if he abuses it. 
Any news on this? 
Quick question about the clear C8… aside from CW/NW/WW, are there any other “tweaks” or options possible?
AR, want. DTP, want. NW XP-L HI, want. Everything else, want. Only tweak I’d want is a different driver, a 2.1A (6×7135) 1-mode. Oh, and a forward-clicky, mustmustmust have (willing to buy separately, no big deal, uhh, as long as the threads match).
I specifically need a super-thrower with no chance of flipping modes under any circumstances, and it needs to have momentary-on (hence the forward-clicky).
Now, I looked at the XinTD, and yes to the forward-clicky, but no XP-L HI (XM-L2 only, I believe), and not sure of the driver (it’s 8×7135, and I’m hoping it can be kept on indefinitely vs needing a cooling-off period).
Basically, I’d love to pick’n’choose from different menus, but…
Yeah, I have my own 2.1A 105Cs, but for once I’d like to be lazy and just buy one off the rack vs rolling my own. I got the host (real Convoy, type 2), bare XP-L HIs on the way, but just for once I want to not have to reflow and solder and reflash and do the usual grunt-work building my franken-8.
I’ve got 20mm 6×7135 drivers (no µC), but not 17mm. Not enough trace around the edge to shave down to 17mm. I’d be okay with a 2.1A 105C flashed to 1-mode-only (wfo), or have the µC’s PWM output hardwired always-on.
If I have to, franken-8 it is.
So, any chance of getting a forward-clicky, and 1-mode driver (iff it’ll run at 2.8A for long periods w/o cooking the LED)? Worse comes to worse I can desolder’n’remove 2 7135s.
Yeah, I’m a pain…
The S2+ can be run at 2.8 A until the battery runs off without issues, but your hand may suffer a bit. I don’t believe that the bigger C8 could have worse thermal management than the S2+.
I own several BD lights that I bought directly from Simon on his Aliexpress store. Came in a Convoy box and was even labeled:
“Convoy
BD03” directly on the light.
I’ve seen them called “Big Dipper” but don’t recall if that was on a Convoy site or some other site. I believe that the BD line are all USB rechargeable, but I’m not certain.
Maybe Simon could clear this up personally?
Mahalo
Honestly, I tend to design very conservatively, so even though an LED can probably handle 5A+ and elevated temps for a while without bursting into flames, I try to at least keep things manageable for the LED regardless, if anything for better lumen-maintenance. (I’m one of those weirdos who uses AS5 as thread-lube screwing in a pill to the case.)
Hey, I had a ’98 for about a year, ran it full tilt all the time without a second thought, and was horrified when I discovered the hollow pill, so now it’s in pieces waiting for me to copper-fill the bugger somehow (and drive it at ~2A vs <1A). The floating star never transferred much heat to the case or the pill, and now I know it was because it was all bottled up in the LED. Eep!
So yeah, I’d rather let my hand tell me things are getting a little too toasty, vs not knowing the silent-scream of the poor little critter as it was suffering.
And I probably wouldn’t be keeping it on for too long in one burst anyway, but you never know when you might have to.
Can anybody explain to me the difference between the BD01 and the BD06? It looks like just a few mm difference in the diameters…?
And is there a BD05?
I’m considering getting one of this series for my Dad - the built in charging system is appealing.
Anyone have a favorite BD0*?
And to bring this back on topic, is this series going to get updated drivers with Biscotti?
Lightbringer, I’m sure if you ask Simon when ordering you can get the 6*7135 you prefer. I think the C8 comes with a forward clicky, but you can also ask him to use one to make sure. With Bistro-Mini (or Biscotti) you can select mode 12 and forget about it. 100% all the time. The light will be coming with DTP, you will already have an AR lens, and you should be quite happy.
Simon loves flashlights like we do, ask him in the messaging screen before finalizing the order on AliExpress and he will get back to you, pretty sure he’ll fix the light up any way you like it and would probably even engage level 12 at 100% only for you so you would have it operating as you wish right out of the box.
Simon is just really great that way. 
This new C8 foes have coated glass and DTP star and XPL hi right?
Just choose your mode in Biscotti and it seems like you have the light you want!
The BD01 and 06 are almost the same light with these differences:
BD01 comes with two rubber rings under the tail spring to slip over 18650 cell so that can be used instead of 26650.
The BD01 is bigger
Tube and tail of them Lego
the 06 is easier to pocket and a bit cheaper.
I like the looks of the 01 more but use them both (working on reviews so while doing that do a charge cycle twice a day and they both charge excellent)
The BD01 has a ~50mm head as compared to the BD06 having a 42mm head. The crenelations on the 01 are smooth, more gentle where the crenelations on the 06 are sharp and more pronounced.
I know the charging indicator lights through the reflector on the 01, don’t think it does on the 06. What I mean is, with the BD01 when the light is charging you see the illumination inside the reflector cup, it comes through a clear centering ring around the emitter. Looks really cool, I don’t think the BD06 has this feature but I’ve not seen the 06.
The BD01 I also know to have a 7135 regulated driver, easily bumped for more power. While I THINK the 06 does as well, I haven’t seen that one.
Does new C8 have direct thermal path?
Yes it comes with DTP copper mcpcb
Is it just me, or do the 7135’s on the spring side of the board seem to be closer to the center on the new driver?
I seem to recall soldering the drivers to the pill in the Convoy S-series (S2/S3/S6/etc) because the resistors got in the way of the retainer ring. I wonder if these drivers will allow the retainer ring to be used in the S-series pills? Does anybody have one that they can test?
New driver:
Old driver:
Good eye ‘gchart’, and good question. :+1:
I hope the retainer ring will work with these.
If everyone’s sure it’ll run forever at 2.8A w/o cooking the LED (DTP, integrated head, etc.), then I’ll take it on faith that it’ll work, and be happy with it.
My only issue with AX is that, for whatever reason, it always redirects to it.aliexpress.com and everything comes out in italian. Hell if I know how to change that…
And yeah, I go and put “www” back instead of “it”, but same thing, still back to italian. ?!?
As for the light, I’d figure out the config, no worries. My only concern is that it cannot flip modes or even go into config by any kind of diddling with the switch. That’s why I might have to go and reflash it anyway or just hardwire the ’13 out of the way (ground/Vcc/NC the offending PWM-out pin, forgot which), which is a pain.
Wonder if I can just buy it in “kit” form… That way I can use the goodies in my black host and use the “clear” one as a regular light.
Feh, I always gotta make everything difficult…
So I keep hearing, and I have no doubt it’s true.
I can testify that apparently what was said about the S2 is true.
I did it by accident one time with a fully charged 3400mAh Panasonic. No apparent damage to the S2+………
But that is another story.
If AliExpress kicks you in a strange language I usually place the item in cart then click global site top right
Then gobto cart and click item to return and browse the shop or whatever.
Dang Dale I can test that cell status thing of the BD06 I got it here.
Give me a few hours and I’ll post a pic.
Mine arrive today! Very excited to try out the new firmware!
Hey all. I don’t have time right now to respond to everything but as far as the naming goes it doesn’t all make sense to me either. Some of these names and designs are “publicly available designs” meaning essentially they’re open source. Anyone can build a C8 and call it a C8 but some companies (like Convoy) do it better than others. In these publicly available designs they may be required to use the original name but I’m just guessing.
The BD series lights to the best of my knowledge were originally made and solder under the Dipper brand name but Convoy now manufactures most of them. I don’t know what the exact rules are but take the BD04 for example. It’s made by Convoy but it’s also sold by Thorfire under the same name and neither company is doing anything illegal in doing so. Convoy does use some of these public designs and does a very good job of them.
As The Miller correctly said earlier, the L2 and L6 are both original Convoy designs and can not legally be produced by anyone else. Hopefully we will never see clones of these lights but it’s quite hard to control in China. It wouldn’t be a very cost effective design to clone though. Simon isn’t making huge profits on these and it seems like a cheaply made clone would stick out like a sore thumb…
No J-Dub74 you say it wrong, IF we see a clone of the L series (so please make that L1 happen ) we buy a L at Simon of BG/GB/DX/FT with the Convoy name.
Holding the BD06 and no sharp edges.
And while charging it shows red or green just like the 01
The only real difference is head size.
About more pronounced edges, I am thinking of a test to kind of prove “pocket friendliness” but havent figured it out yet
It is good to think of something so I am devoting time on it