The BLF GT70 "Giggle Monster" is here! 7,500lumens, 1,500m throw! Group buy Closed!

[JasonWW]

@Texas_Ace

@KawiBoy1428

Yep… looks like a sleeve/liner in all of mine. Your packaging looks a bit different though…

There is a U.S. patent number on mine, and the warning is in English?

Strange indeed, his might indeed be fakes.

Although I would recommend trying at least one of them out first. While the fitment is a big part of it, I wrapped my old china tips with copper foil to give them a snug fit and while the solder station did read that the temperature increased faster it only soldered slightly better. The insides of the tip are simply not very good.

Even with a looser fit with my hakko tip compared to the foil wrapped china tip, the Hakko tip is night and day better.

I found wrappers just like mine, so that is no issue.

The reason cheap tips will never heat up well is because copper foil will only tighten the gap between the heater and sleeve. The problem is the air gap between the inner sleeve and the tip. I did a video on it here.

Why These Cheap Soldering Tips Will Never Get Hot Part 1

Why These Cheap Soldering Tips Will Never Get Hot Part 1

Searching online I found that Hakko heating elements should be 4.86-4.88 in diameter. I also read that they should not have a snug fit so as to allow for expansion. I don’t know if that is true or not.

I decided to go ahead and try one of the tips on the very light that the cheap tip could not melt. The big 30mm copper dtp xhp70.2 mcpcb in the ODF30. Maxed at 480°C the cheap tip (largest size) just could not melt it. It heated the head instead.

With this new Amazon Hakko tip I set the temperature to 450°C and it had no problems liquefying it (using a medium sized tip on top of all that). I was able to wick away all the original solder and put some fresh lead-free in and then reassemble the light. I was also able to do some spring bypasses at either 330° or 360°C (I forget). So even though the fit between the tip and the element is not snug, it seems to be working a whole lot better than those cheap tips I had.

Next time I have it out I’ll switch to the biggest tip and do some solder blobs on my 26650 cells and see how it does. The old tips took a good 5 seconds to melt the blob, when it should be more like 2 seconds.

So for now, I’m satisfied. :+1:

[KawiBoy1428]

I get 3.99-4.0 on all tips and 3.86-3.88 on the element. None of my sleeves pull out…checked my brand new spare back up Hakko iron the heating element is the same diameter. Bought all this about 4 years ago… Checked with another member and his is the same.

[shogan]

While I find the discussion about soldering tips interesting, could we move the off-topic discussion to it’s own thread?

[flashycali]

Any word if they managed to ship out the NW orders before shutting down for the week?

This waiting has been brutal :disappointed:

[Texas_Ace]

@flashycali

Any word if they managed to ship out the NW orders before shutting down for the week?

This waiting has been brutal :disappointed:

Nothing yet, I might here from them this weekend, I might not. It is always iffy on the weekends getting in contact with them.

[flashycali]

@Texas_Ace

@flashycali

Any word if they managed to ship out the NW orders before shutting down for the week?

This waiting has been brutal :disappointed:

Nothing yet, I might here from them this weekend, I might not. It is always iffy on the weekends getting in contact with them.

Thanks for staying on top on this and all that you have done for the us

[Texas_Ace]

Ok, just got the final word before the holiday.

The good news is that almost all of the NW GT70’s were shipped out!

Leo stayed late and did a lot of the work getting these out the door all by himself to get as many as possible shipped before the holiday.

The delayed news is that the conversion kits were not able to be shipped before the holiday. They will ship out after they return.

So expect arrivals to start happening over the coming 1-2 weeks assuming they make it out of china before it completely shuts down.

Leo said he is going to try to get the tracking numbers sent out if he gets them before the holiday.

[flashycali]

@Texas_Ace

Ok, just got the final word before the holiday.

The good news is that almost all of the NW GT70’s were shipped out!

Leo stayed late and did a lot of the work getting these out the door all by himself to get as many as possible shipped before the holiday.

The delayed news is that the conversion kits were not able to be shipped before the holiday. They will ship out after they return.

So expect arrivals to start happening over the coming 1-2 weeks assuming they make it out of china before it completely shuts down.

Leo said he is going to try to get the tracking numbers sent out if he gets them before the holiday.

Thanks for the bit of good news with shipping, fingers crossed that the shipping forwarders work on weekends……especially during a weekend before a holiday Monday, I know I would have been gone on the Friday before, I’m lazy like that

[Newlumen]

@Texas_Ace

Ok, just got the final word before the holiday.

The good news is that almost all of the NW GT70’s were shipped out!

Leo stayed late and did a lot of the work getting these out the door all by himself to get as many as possible shipped before the holiday.

The delayed news is that the conversion kits were not able to be shipped before the holiday. They will ship out after they return.

So expect arrivals to start happening over the coming 1-2 weeks assuming they make it out of china before it completely shuts down.

Leo said he is going to try to get the tracking numbers sent out if he gets them before the holiday.

Thanks for the update. China national holiday starts oct 1 - oct 7… so we might see shipping notice in 2 days.

[teacher]

Thanks for the update TA. :+1:

And a big ’Thank You’ to Leo for going above & beyond!!!

No problem about the Conversion Kits either. It is what it is… we’ll get them soon enough.

[teacher]

@flashycali

@Texas_Ace

Ok, just got the final word before the holiday.

The good news is that almost all of the NW GT70’s were shipped out!

Leo stayed late and did a lot of the work getting these out the door all by himself to get as many as possible shipped before the holiday.

Leo said he is going to try to get the tracking numbers sent out if he gets them before the holiday.

Thanks for the bit of good news with shipping, fingers crossed that the shipping forwarders work on weekends……especially during a weekend before a holiday Monday, I know I would have been gone on the Friday before, I’m lazy like that

Kudos to Leo!!! . :+1:

I will be very amazed if the “shipping forwarders” have the same dedication.

We shall see……

I’m with you flashycali, I’d be out of there! . . . :+1:

[flashycali]

@teacher

@flashycali

@Texas_Ace

Ok, just got the final word before the holiday.

The good news is that almost all of the NW GT70’s were shipped out!

Leo stayed late and did a lot of the work getting these out the door all by himself to get as many as possible shipped before the holiday.

Leo said he is going to try to get the tracking numbers sent out if he gets them before the holiday.

Thanks for the bit of good news with shipping, fingers crossed that the shipping forwarders work on weekends……especially during a weekend before a holiday Monday, I know I would have been gone on the Friday before, I’m lazy like that

Kudos to Leo!!! . :+1:

I will be very amazed if the “shipping forwarders” have the same dedication.

We shall see……

I’m with you flashycali, I’d be out of there! . . . :+1:

[liteupmynite]

The bad news for me is that my NW GT70 hasn't shipped out yet, as of 9/29/18 @ 6:00AM PST. This is according to the Lumintop website.

And when will they (Lumintop) return from their holiday before they resume preparing shipments?

@Texas_Ace

Ok, just got the final word before the holiday. The good news is that almost all of the NW GT70’s were shipped out! Leo stayed late and did a lot of the work getting these out the door all by himself to get as many as possible shipped before the holiday. The delayed news is that the conversion kits were not able to be shipped before the holiday. They will ship out after they return. So expect arrivals to start happening over the coming 1-2 weeks assuming they make it out of china before it completely shuts down. Leo said he is going to try to get the tracking numbers sent out if he gets them before the holiday.

[Texas_Ace]

@liteupmynite

The bad news for me is that my NW GT70 hasn’t shipped out yet, as of 9/29/18 @ 6:00AM PST. This is according to the Lumintop website.

And when will they (Lumintop) return from their holiday before they resume preparing shipments?

@Texas_Ace

Ok, just got the final word before the holiday. The good news is that almost all of the NW GT70’s were shipped out! Leo stayed late and did a lot of the work getting these out the door all by himself to get as many as possible shipped before the holiday. The delayed news is that the conversion kits were not able to be shipped before the holiday. They will ship out after they return. So expect arrivals to start happening over the coming 1-2 weeks assuming they make it out of china before it completely shuts down. Leo said he is going to try to get the tracking numbers sent out if he gets them before the holiday.

No one has tracking numbers nor has the website been updated for any orders (that will happen at the same time the tracking numbers are uploaded).

This is how all the past GT shipments have worked as well, they ship them but the tracking numbers then have to trickle back through a bunch of hands before lumintop has them and can send them out. It is quite common for the DHL shipments to be delivered before the tracking numbers are uploaded due to this.

Leo said he is trying to rush things to get the tracking numbers before the holiday but I am not holding my breath, it is simply out of his hands until the package forwarder sends him the numbers.

[Mr.Scott]

@Texas_Ace

No one has tracking numbers nor has the website been updated for any orders (that will happen at the same time the tracking numbers are uploaded).

This is how all the past GT shipments have worked as well, they ship them but the tracking numbers then have to trickle back through a bunch of hands before lumintop has them and can send them out. It is quite common for the DHL shipments to be delivered before the tracking numbers are uploaded due to this.

Well then, if it shows up in early October it will be a pleasant surprise! :partying_face:

[Coyotehawk]

@Texas_Ace

Ok, just got the final word before the holiday.

The good news is that almost all of the NW GT70’s were shipped out!

Leo stayed late and did a lot of the work getting these out the door all by himself to get as many as possible shipped before the holiday.

The delayed news is that the conversion kits were not able to be shipped before the holiday. They will ship out after they return.

So expect arrivals to start happening over the coming 1-2 weeks assuming they make it out of china before it completely shuts down.

Leo said he is going to try to get the tracking numbers sent out if he gets them before the holiday.

Has there been any indication on when the GB is going to end? I am going to make a purchase but my family is moving come November 1 so I have been holding off as long as possible so as to not take a chance of it being shipped to the wrong address depending on how long or quick it takes to ship. If I can hold off another two weeks maybe I figure that would be about a perfect guarantee to be able to ship it to the new address.

[DavidEF]

@Coyotehawk

@Texas_Ace

Ok, just got the final word before the holiday.

The good news is that almost all of the NW GT70’s were shipped out!

Leo stayed late and did a lot of the work getting these out the door all by himself to get as many as possible shipped before the holiday.

The delayed news is that the conversion kits were not able to be shipped before the holiday. They will ship out after they return.

So expect arrivals to start happening over the coming 1-2 weeks assuming they make it out of china before it completely shuts down.

Leo said he is going to try to get the tracking numbers sent out if he gets them before the holiday.

Has there been any indication on when the GB is going to end? I am going to make a purchase but my family is moving come November 1 so I have been holding off as long as possible so as to not take a chance of it being shipped to the wrong address depending on how long or quick it takes to ship. If I can hold off another two weeks maybe I figure that would be about a perfect guarantee to be able to ship it to the new address.

I too would like to know.

[Texas_Ace]

There has not been any word as of yet but I don’t expect much if any communication this coming week due to the China Holiday, so I think it is a safe bet to say it will be open for at least another week.

My guess is that when they catch up on orders and have a chance to think they will realize it is still open and tell me to close it. This has been the trend in the past. I try to give people a weeks notice of when it will end whenever possible.

[Newlumen]

It is 11:05 am sunday in china… i am not sure lumintop stuff works on sunday… maybe they will shipped out today or already shipped out. I dont know.

[Texas_Ace]

The lights were already given to the forwarder yesterday, the real question is if they will get them out of China before things shut down.

I doubt the tracking numbers will be back through the chain until after the holiday even if the packages make it out though.