Post #442 here is what I did, using a wire.
Got my little monster the other day. The first impressions are very good.
Love the smaller size. The brighter button LEDs are fun, can use them for illumination as long as it’s sufficiently dark. Q8’s LED draws 4 mA, SP36’s 5 mA, but the latter is much brighter despite the black button cap (silly choice of material if you ask me).
The build quality, on the outside, seems as good as the Q8. The threads were lubricated much better than on the Q8 I bought a year ago.
The built-in charger is something I would rather save $5 on, but I won’t deny it’s convenient. Charged my 30Qs to 4.204 volts, darn good voltage calibration.
What I like better about Q8 compared to SP36:
- The steel bezel. Makes it feel sturdy, and you’re not afraid to smash the Q8 into other sturdy things.
- The chamfers on the body that make it unlikely to roll off a surface. SP36 is very round.
- The colder light. This is about as cold as I can still call neutral.
Sp36 gets hot way faster than Q8. At first I thought it’s because of the larger surface area and overall bulk of the larger light, but then I begun to think the difference is too large to be attributed to surface area. I think SP36 might have better thermal contact between the LEDs and the head tube. Perhaps, my Q8 is not well assembled, lacks thermal paste or something?
Given the same amount of heat from the LED’s, the smaller mass of the SP36 will heat up faster.
XP-L2's in the SP36 draw more amps than XP-L's in the Q8, have a lower Vf, so should get hotter. Your Q8 is probably fine. Yes, Q8 has a super thick shelf, bigger, more metal host - should handle the heat better, little longer.
Sure, but the difference seems to be too large to be attributed to that alone. Also, not only does it reach higher temps, it starts getting warmer much sooner after I turn it on than Q8. That tells me that thermal conductivity is better in SP36.
Still I’m sure it is not a worse heat path in the Q8, it is thermally one of the best lights around and the way it is built, even in assembly there is hardly a way to screw it up.
I think that you underestimate how much more metal is in the Q8, it has a higher heat capacity so it warms up (and cools down) more slowly.
You must be right then, my experience with flashlights is zero compared to yours. Still, it’s nice to see that SP36 has a good thermal path.
Again as evidence, my stock SP36 did 6800-6420 lumens - about 1000 lumens higher than any stock Q8 I've tested -- main reason: XP-L2's. The Q8 XP-L's are V6 and I assume the SP36 XP-L2's are also V6, if so, the SP36 must be pulling more amps.
Anyone found a nice diffuser for the sp36?
I can’t find one that fits and I think it would make a handy little lantern at times.
Thanks,
I was not able to detect a difference in lumens between my Q8 with 30Qs and SP36 with VTC6. Looks like buying VTC6 was a waste of money, 30Qs are just as good even for powerful flashlights.
I get consistently higher output #'s on VTC6's vs. 30Q's in many FET based lights. Not just 1 or 2, it's every light - factory FET based, or modded, I've tested - dozens. Whether you notice it, is something else. Comparing a Q8 and SP36 is different LED's, different tints, somewhat different beam patterns.
My TA calibrated lumen tube gets just above 6000 lumens at turn on and 5400 at 30sec using 30Q’s with the SP36.
What are you using to measure yours?
Would VTC6 cells give a 400 lumen improvement?
Not sure what "TA calibrated" means. I have one of the "original" PVC based measuring devices made by the brothers Rick and Rodney. Those #'s are my typical calibrated measurements I've been positing here on BLF for about 5 years or so. I re-calibrated it using the maukka calibration lights and figured the results are 12% lower than my previous calibrations based on manufacturer spec'd lights - 100's.
So just subtract 12% from my #'s and you got maukka ANSI calibration.
I meant one of the Texas Ace lumen tubes he sold and I calibrated it with maukka lights. My wording could have better.
I sell a lot of flashlights here in New Zealand so I’ll look into stocking some VTC6 cells instead of 30Q’s.
Driver popped right out of my SP36 I got today, glue didn’t stick/adhere too well to the ano even though it’s bathed in it.
LED’s and FET got to go! 
I’m looking forward to your mod! 
I made one from the clear plastic cap on a laundry detergent bottle. Sanded the inside to frost it and put white paper at the bottom (top?) to reflect light towards the table. Works pretty well at about 1,000 lumens.
Does anyone know of any good belt holsters that fit this, or if Sofirn plans to sell one for it?
I am a bit disappointed in sofirn, i bought an SP36 almost 2 weeks ago on their AE store and it showed as ‘in stock’
Next day i received a tracking number, but until today no result, so shot them a message, their reply was, sorry the item was not in stock, we will ship as soon as we have it on stock…
@kawiboy, Nice to read you got it open that easy! did you use that bended bodkin, or what tool is it?