Andúril 2 coming to Sofirn - The general Sofirn development thread

@Barry
Would customized UI (programmed before shipping) be possible in all new lights or just in the 2*AA side-by-side light (still in development)?

Hi Barry,

In terms of a summarized feedback on Sofirn's C8G I have some suggestions for a C8G V2.0:

  • Please increase the current from 1.7A to 2.2A to drive the XHP35 HI to its sweet spot. You should easily reach actual 2,000 OTF lumens.
  • Please reinstate the C8F user interface, i.e. standby functionality by side switch.
  • Please increase the thermal threshold for stepdown to 60-65°C as 50°C is way too low to ensure proper usage of turbo mode. Or even better: Please think about implementing a user defined threshold like HaikeLite did with the SC26 (please click here to see more details: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/54158/1011).
  • Please improve the ramping mode as it does not appear linear to the human eye when ramping up.

The sample I received from Sofirn has also some factory faults like an offcentered LED and a fogged up glas lens (inner side affected). I know this is not the usual case with Sofirn's good quality but in terms of quality assurance I wanted to let you know about it anyway.

Sofirn SP40.
To me, the master replaced the emitter with an LH351D 4000K 90CRI and, instead of a reflector, installed the optics ll01zz-exxxl06-u2_cree xp-e (60 degrees), for which I am very grateful to him. To install the optics you need to cut it. I like this light a lot more and I would like to see this option in the Sofirn store.
High mode (~ 450 Lm) heating test , ambient temperature 27°C: 51°C 10 minutes later.

It still needs a moonlight mode - long press from off. :frowning:

Sofirn SP36S is now released on Amazon (DE/US at least)

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07TXHXKW8

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TXDV1ND

Basically, SP36S is the SP36 BLF Andúril Edition but with a less complex, simpler and proprietary UI.

  • It comes with 2 mode groups (group #1 provides 5 stepped modes, group #2 provides ramping).
  • It comes with Sofirn's ATR regulation, i.e. after 2min on Turbo mode or if the temperature exceeds 55°C the flashlight will adjust the brightness level automatically to prevent overheating.
  • It can now also be charged with 9V @2A for faster charging.

Manuals in German and English language can be downloaded on my sharepoint. Please click ► here ◄.

Why do they still take a brightness stepdown on the timer in the presence of thermal control? What for?!

Di_Joker,

Barry said that the engineers told him it is a safety redundancy in the event of thermal sensor failure.

It would be nice if they just made it a setting for the user to choose how it regulates temperature (w/ adjustable temperature setpoint)…
Option 1) Use both thermal sensor & stepdown timer
Option 2) Use thermal sensor only
Option 3) Use stepdown timer only

I asked myself that question over and over again but finally gave up looking for the reason behind.

I have asked Barry to reconsider this overcautious thermal regulation and implement a more reasonable and more efficient thermal regulation with configurable thresholds for individual needs.

See here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/54158/1011

and here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/54158/1029

and here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/57353/13

and here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/57353/28

This is what Barry replied to a similar objection:

So, with Barry's answer in mind I think there's enough room for discussion and persuasion for a separate thread.

I strongly encourage Sofirn to reconsider their engineer's opinion for this decision will waste quite some potential their lights could use with a better, less strict thermal regulation respectively without timer-triggered regulation. Personally, I doubt that a thermal sensor will start to fail more often than a timer-triggered circuit. I have presented a solution that should satisfy both the unexperienced "standard" customer and the flashoholics/enthusiasts.

Eventually, it's Sofirn who has the last word on that and they will know best what their target group (in terms of customers) is and what specifications are crucial. We can only offer suggestions how to make a good product great or just better. Until now, Sofirn has been great in listening to the "voice of the customer" and has brought up a great variety of powerful flashlights. But I'm worried to see more and more flashlights with timer-triggered stepdowns like SP36S and SD05 to give some examples.

A BLF edition with a glued driver, a proprietary UI, a timed turbo and a max temp set pretty low…AH AH !
“BLF edition” used for marketing. :person_facepalming:

…yeah. The exact opposite of what BLFers want! PERFECT! :partying_face:

I totally agree with you guys.

Bottom line: The SP36S is not meant for BLFers. :-D

Look closer. Notice that the newer SP36S no longer says anything about BLF. Unless I’m mistaken, they did the proper thing as far as the naming goes.

That’s right. SP36S is not branded with any reference to BLF. I just wanted to explain that in terms of hardware (host, LEDs) this new version is quite similar to the BLF Andúril version.

However, Sofirn uses another driver or at least a different firmware flashed to the MCU.

Barry, should you be reading this thread regularly, please pay attention to the thread below. Maybe Sofirn should address these issues to DLG or whatever the manufacturer of this cell was.

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/57457

While Sofirn makes good quality flashlights for reasonable prices I must admit I start to distrust those batteries that come with these lights.

That is a crap answer without merit. A thermal regulator not responding after ‘x’ years is not a responsibility of Sofirn’s liability. That is a defective flashlight and if anything, thermal device should be designed to open circuit and fall back to 50ºC (default lower value). Besides, I don’t cater to that probable cause, hearsay of over prudence.

Wow! The long-awaited happened!
Sofirn SP40 - a choice of LED color temperature (CCT) has appeared. I hope this will spread to the entire range of flashlights!

That’s nice but I already changed led on mine. If they add proper moonlight and better driver (like sp32A) i’d probably buy again. If they put anduril and add color choices BLF might go crazy.

I have a C8F on the way to me today as I could not pass up the Prime Day $25 deal. My question is, I really prefer 4000k tint. I’ve never swapped an LED before, but how hard would it be to swap in, say XP-L HI 5Ds? I know I’ve read before that people just buy a brand new MCPCB w/the LEDs pre-soldered, is that something I can do? I hope this is the right place to ask.

You can get new MCPCBs directly from Sofirn. That way you know they will fit. I don’t think you will find any already populated. Or at least I don’t know if a random populated triple board will fit the C8F reflectors. There is a good tutorial on reflowing emitters done by Vestureofblood that shows you how easy it is to do them. Many other instructions on BLF if you search around. After watching Matt’s tutorial I reflowed a C8F board and it worked the first time. You need access to a hot plate (Matt uses an electric frying pan) and some solder paste but that is about it. And you have to know how to solder in the board when you are done. Probably better to practice on a single board first with some emitter you don’t care about, but it really is one of the easiest mods. Then you will get exactly what you want. And BLF is all about learning modding.

Edit: Here is the reflow tutorial