UPDATE! "REVIEW" & Mods: Sofirn SP32A [It is now a TRIPLE :D ] (Pic Heavy)

OMG you are right! I just took a look at their Aliexpress webpage and realize itā€™s supposed to have a button in the tail cap. The one they sent me didnā€™t have a tail cap button. No wonder I canā€™t turn it off! I bought mine from Amazon.com

Well, this was the light from where I took the TIR lens :wink:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Stainless-Shell-300Lm-CREE-Q5-LED-Torch-Light-LED-Flashlight-For-Sporting-Camping-Hiking-free-shipping/1387052485.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.BChkAl

It is a Stainless Steel (3xAAA / 18650) light, and I modded it with a brass pill, biscotti driver and a Convoy S2+ reflector and lens. I had to dismantle it later but will put it to work again soon!

About the TIR, please check this thread, as I experimented XML2 LED with TIR lenses and that was the first one: Essays with TIR lenses on Convoy S2+: XML2 + XPL-HI [Update] .
I also tried it with XPL-HI here: Essays with TIR lenses on Convoy S2+: XML2 + XPL-HI [Update] - #15 by MascaratumB . Also the first one.

Hope this helps in some way :wink:

My SP32A didnā€™t have any green but was too cool white for me. It had a tiny bit of blue. However, having the super efficient XP-L2 V6 bin emitter is impressive for a low cost light and it is very bright. It also has the best one button UI besides the Emisar D4 that I have used. I think the only thing missing from the D4 is the hold from off to go to moon light. If they have a more neutral/warm tint option, I will buy another one.

Edit: I contacted Sofirn through Amazon and they let me know that I accidentally swapped the the SP31 tailcap with the button onto the SP32A. Oops my bad =( ā€¦ā€¦ But it actually worked great on the SP32A, which already had one of the best single button UI. The SP31 with the right tail cap is actually an extremely user friendly two switch flashlight. Sofirn was also very nice to ship me a replacement tail cap eventhough it was my mistake.

Yes this really helps, thanks for the link to the TIR thread, thatā€™s an interesting thread, that optic from the SS light measures like the ones for S2+, guess Iā€™ll have to just try some different ones too.

And thanks for the link to the SS light,Yupard has a lot of interesting budget lights.

Hi. MascaratumB,
I have now modded mine with a TIR under the glass and an extra O-Ring.
Did a Great Job of blending the awful colours, and diffusing the Hot Spot.
Thanks for the Hints and Tips, we all learn something new from each other on BLF.
Ordered 2 more as on special at Ali Xp.
Cheers,
S-L :slight_smile:

Hi Splott-Light :wink:
Glad these experiences helped you on your mod as well :wink: Indeed, the stock ā€œbeamā€ is kind of :confounded: but the TIR allows it to get better! If I didnā€™t have the idea of the triple mod, I would have stayed with the TIR instead of the reflector.
It was too much ā€œgreenishā€!!

If I may ask, what TIR did you use? I used one from another light and it fit perfectly (without the gasket). Did you use TIR + gasket?

If you can tell or show what you used that would be great as other members may benefit from that as well :wink:

Thanks again :sunglasses:

I would also like to know this. The reflector height is 15mm, the TIRā€™s I have are around 11.7mm-12.6mm so theyā€™re too short. Couldnā€™t find any the right size that were made for XP-L2

Thanks for the review, off to buy one :slight_smile:

Thanks mate :wink:
And I hope you enjoy it :sunglasses:

Hi Mascaratum B,

Re. TIR Lens.

Got several packs a few years ago in 45 degrees, plus 25 and 10 from FastTech:

https://www.fasttech.com/p/1574904

also Simon Maoā€™s Convoy Store on Ali Xpress.

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/LED-lens-for-CREE-XML-XML2-LED-60degree/330416_1577614278.html

I had to strip off the outer white shell as I had problems with the width and didnā€™t have the Patience to Dremel it!.

Used an extra ā€œOā€ ring and it fitted under the Glass!

Cheers,
S-L :slight_smile:

Edit as found source of purchase at nearly 1 a.m. I Must be Mad!

Hi Splott-Light! Thanks for posting the links for the TIRs!
Hum, those seem to be like the Convoy S2+ TIRs, with the white gasket! Funny, I didnā€™t experimented those before I tried the one I used for a whileā€¦ :person_facepalming:

Well, but if they fit well (even with the mods youā€™ve done) thatā€™s nice :wink:
I guess that someday I will try to open the SP32 (not the SP32A) and stick a TIR there as well, to smoothen the beam :wink:

Thanks for taking the time to write :wink:
And if you are Madā€¦welcome to the club :smiling_imp: :face_with_monocle: :sunglasses:

Ehehe!

Received my SP32A earlier this week and really liked it. :+1:

I have the same optics from Fasttech, in 10, 15, 30 and 60 degrees, also from a few years ago.
So I tried to put a 15 degree in and accidentally dedomed the LED :person_facepalming:

The centering gasket was stuck (glued?) to the bottom of the reflector and I didnā€™t put any in, I was trying to measure how thick of an o-ring I needed and the sharp legs of the optic dedomed it. It took away some phosphorus so now I have a sick purple beam that looks something like UV. :expressionless:

So soon I will order an XP-L2 V5 4000k to replace it. The 5350-5700K was a bit too cool for me anyhow. Iā€™ve read the XP-L2 5000K is a bit cold compared to others and the 4000k has less tint shift.

A few thing differ from the review:

1. Ramping time: about 3 seconds from lowest to highest (and visa-versa) :+1:

2. MCPCB has a smaller silver screw instead of the black one, and the head is smaller than the opening in the board, so the screw wasnā€™t doing anything! Also the threaded shaft of the screw is too thin so itā€™s loose in itā€™s hole!

I may not use a screw with the new MCPCB if the reflector holds it down, otherwise Iā€™ll need to drill a hole in the new board for it and get a larger screw.

Xpl2 4000k would be sweet. Let us know how it goes and pics if possible.

Yep, Iā€™ll post the outcome here.

Hi. BeamO,

Sorry to hear of your Modding disaster, I feel for your loss as I quite often ā€œFixā€ something to death!

Iā€™m running at about a 1 to 2 ratio of killed to fixed.

2 out of 3 ā€™aint Bad, as Meatloaf sang!

I think Martin (MadMax) has a ā€œWhat did you kill todayā€ thread for us newer Modders.

Hope your new LED is the tint you like.

Shame the SP31ā€™s canā€™t be as easily opened for modding.

Sofirn also seem to have Modified any of their lights that had suspect heat sinking in a fairly quick time too (beginning in March).

I am loving their lights.

I think Sofirn could be a Force to be Reckoned with if they Play their cards right.

Cheers,
S-L :slight_smile:

Even if it wasnā€™t tight, the screw will keep the the MCPCB from rotating if the reflector rotates as you tighten it. Still, it would be good if there was no chance of it being shaken loose in the head.

Good point I never thought of that, is that the main function of the screw? Or was it mainly to hold the MCPCB down tight? (because the reflector should do that anyhow?)

So now Iā€™m considering an SST-40 (sliced dome) instead for my SP32A. The current on turbo would be perfect for that, 7.5-8A, what do you guys think?

In one of the SST40 emitter reviews the sliced dome would yield a tint of approx 5000 - 5500 K, and that was for the 7500K, Iā€™ll be using a 6500K so itā€™s could even be warmer (hopefully not too green though) A dedomed SST40 is said to have a better tint (more uniform) than 2nd generation Cree.

Although I might need to slightly widen the reflector opening as itā€™s a slightly larger footprint (3.45 x 3.45mm) vs (5.0 x 5.0mm)

SST40 emitter reviews:

Hey guys, Sofirn is working on both a new light in the style of the L6/S70s as well as a new UI.

If you have suggestions on the UI or want to voice your opinion on what is currently suggested, check out this thread.