New Convoy C8 – Clearly better

Yes, the bugs from the initial release were fixed. These new ones are much closer to what it should have been.

The extra-low level between config flashes is a side effect of using fast (sawtooth wave) PWM on attiny13a. It’s really voltage-sensitive so the output drops quite a bit as the battery drains… which makes it less suitable for use as an actual moon mode. Also, it didn’t happen at all on the prototype drivers because they used a different brand of 7135 chips. It might be an option, if we could count on getting the exact same 7135 chips in each batch, but that’s not realistic. However, you could still change the source a bit and reflash to get it exactly how you want it…

The first batch was a bit unfortunate. The driver hardware changed quite a bit between prototype and production, without warning, and they were flashed with the wrong fuse values, so a lot of things weren’t quite right. But that all got resolved for the second batch.

Thanks for this! :+1: it is nice to know that this change is due to a software update. I really like the slower flash.

Out of curiosity, was the slower flash implemented due to user feedback? Or is it slower due to a side effect of some other technical improvement?

The first batch ran at twice the intended speed because the MCU was flashed with the wrong fuse value. Everything ran twice as fast, though most of it wasn’t very noticeable. So, the slower blinking was how it was supposed to be all along.

I didn’t change much for the second batch. I mostly just added extra redundancy on the part which measures the button timing, to avoid an issue which affected roughly 1% of the drivers. There were a few which had literally just a few atoms out of place, deep inside the MCU, in a way which interfered with the trick it uses to measure time while power is disconnected. And I think the driver hardware got some minor updates too, to make it easier to reflash.

Good luck on the surgery Dale. We’ll be watching for you.

I just received mine, its beautiful and very bright but I only have one mode (high) available somehow… Is there a quick fix to this problem or do I have to change the driver?

One mode is most likely a short from LED minus to the body

New driver can be programmed to 1 mode
Look for biscotti firmware

That’s the first time anyone has reported having only high mode on this light. Could be a short, as suggested. Or something else to try as a quick test is tapping the button as fast as you can to see if it changes anything. Turn it on, then give it a quick, light tap. Not hard enough to make a clicking sound, just barely enough to turn the light off for a short fraction of a second.

If it still comes on only in high after a quick tap, try doing it ~15 times quickly to see if it goes into a config mode. It could possibly be in the mode group with only one mode.

the MCU may be stuck in one mode

if its DD short you can easily check with a DMM

I tried multiple things, of-course it stays stuck in one mode. Nothing on the reflector side that can make a short, I even tried without the reflector. So I unscrewed the retention ring to see the driver on the other side but the cable are too short to be pulled -of the head so I can’t solder a new driver and now the driver is stuck in moonlight mode…

The driver is the same from the official Convoy website but mine is written ‘’convoy’’ instead of ‘’fx-12’’.
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/7135x3-7135x4-7135x6-7135x8-with-new-firmware/330416_32734523412.html?spm=2114.12010612.0.0.BcDGXw

Be careful of overheating the LED since the reflector is what presses the LED down to the flashlight body for heat transfer. Just a quick 1 second power on to see if it changes is all that’s recommended. Several seconds on turbo might damage it.

Have you ever swapped a driver before? You just have to unsolder the 2 wires on the LED star and then you can pull the driver out.

Is it now one mode on moonlight only?

That’s really odd. I better let others suggest something. If you can’t get it working I’m sure Convoy/Simon would send you a replacement driver.

Just a thought, maybe it’s the tail switch. You could remove tailcap and apply a jumper from battery to end of flashlight body, then try successively tapping wire to body to change modes.

Yes its on one mode moonlight only now… I already changed drivers on flashlight but its tricky since there is no removable pill. Its not the switch either sadly. I purchased it from Gearbest so it might be second grade quality.

Did you try 15 fast half presses from the on position to get into the config menu?

It may just be a faulty driver. With gearbest you can open a claim with them and they will probably ask you to make a short video showing that there is a problem. Once they feel it’s a valid claim they will probably ask you whether you would like to send the light back or they will offer you half the purchase price back. I got half my money back and then ordered a replacement driver from the manufacturer. It took another 2 weeks to get the replacement driver, but I installed it and everything was fine.

I have heard that some people will argue for a full refund, but I don’t know if they will do that. Maybe.

Omega, try this… click it on then bump like you’re changing modes 10 - 12 times, it SHOULD give you a quick blink, tap it like a mode shift at this point, it should then blink once, pause, twice, pause, three times and so forth… try clicking on one of those like say the place where it blinks 3 times bump it or turn it off, see if it takes that setting.

Biscotti, which is what your C8 driver should have, has this interface….

The interface is as follows:

While off:

- Fully click and release to turn the light on. It will go to the first mode or the last-used mode, depending on whether you enabled mode memory.

While on:

- Short tap: Do a short (less than 0.5s) half-press to go forward to the next mode.

- Long tap: Do a long (longer than 0.5s) half-press to reset to the first mode (if mode memory is turned off).

- Fully click and release to turn the light off.

  • Short tap a bunch of times (10+ taps, or until the light stops turning on) to enter config mode.

Blinky modes:

- Some mode groups have blinky modes. They are not hidden, but if you leave mode memory off you can skip them with a long press.

Blinky modes include:

- Tactical strobe (~10 Hz)

- Biking flasher (2-level stutter beacon, 1 Hz)

- Battery check / beacon mode Each blink represents about 25% battery charge, so 1 is a low battery and 4 blinks is full. 5 blinks means it’s over-charged.

  • SOS

Configuration options:

The config mode has several options. It will blink out a number to show which option is active, then “buzz” or “stutter” for a bit.
Click during the “buzz” to select that option. Some options may enter a secondary config mode after the light turns back on.

Options include:

1. Mode group.

After clicking, the light should come on in a special group-select mode. In this mode, it slowly blinks out numbers from 1 to N, where N is the number of mode groups, then repeats. Turn the light off after N blinks to select mode group N.

Do not leave the light in config mode for long periods of time, because it will wear out the driver’s memory faster.

The mode groups are: (output is approximate)

1. 0.1, 1, 10, 35, 100%, strobe, biking, battery-check
2. 0.1, 1, 10, 35, 100%
3. 100, 35, 10, 1, 0.1%
4. 1, 20, 100%, strobe, biking, battery-check, SOS
5. 1, 20, 100%
6. 100, 20, 1%
7. 0.1, 1, 10, 50, strobe, biking, battery-check, SOS
8. 0.1, 1, 10, 50
9. 50, 10, 1, 0.1
10. 1, 10, 35, 100
11. 100, 20, strobe
12. 100% only

Example: To select group 5 (low-med-high), let it blink until it counts out five, then click the button.

2. Mode memory. Off or on.

Yes I already tried many times but it doesn’t work and there is no firefly only mode configuration so it must be the chip that is faulty. I have the BLF A6 and Astrolux S41 and I can easily access the config mode.

Shame you’re overseas, I’d fix that driver or set you up with a new one…

Contact Simon at his AliExpress site and he’ll take care of you. You’ll have to be able to solder the wires on the mcpcb at the emitter to make the swap, not difficult really, I mean, I do it so it can’t be all THAT hard. :wink:

I once had a driver that was stuck in single mode after I flashed it with Biscotti. After I flashed it again it was fine and the best thing was that I didn’t have to unsolder the wires to the emitter since there was enough room to get the clip onto the Atiny after removing the retaining ring.

He purchased through Gearbest, so I definitely think he should just buy a new driver right now to get it on the way. Then deal with GB to get his partial refund since it may take a week or so to get the actual money back into his account.

The problem might have been an incomplete or currupted flash of the mcu or maybe a defective component on the circuit board. Maybe something didn’t get soldered correctly. It’s rare, but sometimes happens.

The manufacturer holds the warranty, not the seller. Some seller’s will replace defective merchandise no questions asked, but the warranty is still through the company that made it. Many warranty cards implicitly say to Not Contact the Distributor.

In the end, whatever works. Simon made it, Simon will stand by it, regardless of where it was actually purchased. (At least, every issue I’ve heard about Simon stood behind his product.)

Yeah, like Dale said, Simon stands by his work. Omega_17 I would contact Simon through his Ali store even though you purchased it through GB. It will certainly be much less hassle. Just explain the situation and ask if he could send you a replacement driver. I’m sure he will make it right.