ALIVE: Astrolux S42 groupbuy: US$ 25.95

Just picket up my Astrolux s42 nichia at the post office…
Can’t wait for s41 nichia to be available on Banggod again…

Usb cover wont stay in place, pocket clip holds it in place but that is no solution,when i use 18650 tube clip is to short to reach usb cover.
Tried my VAPPOWER IMR18350 3.7V 750mAh and the spring in the tail cap crushed negative(minus) side of the battery!!!
Vappower 18350 battery is 34,5mm long

Battery still works fine but that newer happened with BLF A6(astrolux S1) with short tube
Side button stick out too far in my opinion.
Light can tail stand when that hammer thingy spike glass something is not screwed in, it is made of two parts.
Using 18650 tube with Samsung INR18650-30Q works fine, protected batteries and button top 30Q do not fit in tube…

I have been watching ASTROLUX S41 for some time and when i saw S42 i ordered it immediately! Mistake???
UI 2clicks from on or off toggle two modes(moon,memory,4 or 7 modes)
1short click turn on light in last used mode or moon depends on selected mode.
short click to go from moon to turbo
long click turn off light from any mode except from moon where goes to turbo and then another short click strobe and other hidden modes
when off long press locked out and green light in switch is turned off…

Hope this helps someone to decide to buy this light…

Sorry for bad English :beer:

A lot of bad feedback already. Has lessen my excitment for my light to come. That’s what happens when I rush to buy a light without any reviews lol
Guess I’ll just keep carrying my s41

These negatives are not effecting my excitement… the light still performs I’m sure… it seems like a good light… just because there is some flaw that aren’t that big.you can mod the tail spring and glue the cover down if need be … that’s half the fun is working on it right lol

Also got my S42. Same observations with the others:

  • Tube is too short for KeepPower IMR 18350 750 mAH (flat top). 16340 also won’t fit. No way to make the bottom cap to make contact to the body without modification
  • USB cover just dangle from the flashlight. Will not stay in place
  • UI is sluggish and difficult to navigate. No way to turn off flashlight in moon mode. Cannot quickly go from moon to the next level; a fast click would be recognized as a double click and switch between 4 or 7 mode. Cannot reverse from higher to lower brightness.

However, the fit and finish is quite good. Better than the Astrolux S1.

Overall somewhat disappointed.

Not good news. Looks like this light might be heading straight to the workbench for modding!

Now the ui is a big let down…don’t they know we want it easy to navigate.:(… I’m glad I didn’t pay full price

Can anyone post pictures of the driver? What processor is on there? Can the driver be flashed with Narsil or Bistro?

Not easy to access driver

!

That protects nothing. A $6 nitecore tube has a better rubber flap!

Astrolux should send covers with a part which goes into the USB port.

Is the usb port directly opposite from the switch?

Received mine today. I can confirm it won't fit any 18350, not even a flat top 16340. Either they redesigned the tailcap or planned on using a low profile button on the driver, then replaced it with a big stiff spring. Unusable without modding. Just insert a 18350, push down as hard as you can - it still sits over the battery tube, and therefore the tailcap cannot be tightened enough to make contact.

So basically if you don’t have the 18650 extension tube you can’t use the light? :person_facepalming:

Take off the driver spring and solder blob it or the battery, should solve it (i hope).

with all the solder boob jobs I’m doing for the Q8 and now for the S42(Cometa)
I may just move to Hollywood and set up practice :wink:

Yep, just did that, posted here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/45615/94, but it's not enough. Battery still getting crushed - very tight.

Hmmm… :frowning:

Do you have a pic of the tailcap spring?
Is it on a PCB? (probably not)

Ask and you shall receive :

It's a chunky one, but just sitting in that machined out spot. Seen this many times before. It's gotta collapse maybe 1-2 mm above the bottom for the cell to fit w/solder boob.

Thanks. :+1:
So with a shorter tail spring it will be okay?

This is my temp solution. Banggood should still make good this faulty designed flashlight and send us the proper tube.

Remove the tail spring and fit 3 magnets to the -ve end of the 18350. Tail spring can be easily pulled out of the cap, and no soldering required. It then fit quite nicely, provided you happens to have the magnets.




Nice! With the solder job I did, the S41 tail works great with it. The S41 tail spring is real soft, plus it's got more clearance.

Battery tubes are identical between the S41 and S42, though the S41 feels slightly heavier.

A shorter or softer tail spring would probably work well, but dunno what options you'd have. Can't just solder in a replacement. Maybe can cut down the stock one, then solder a softer one to the remaining bottom ring of the stock spring.