Dissapointed with Sofirn IF25A - need advice

Maybe you can help me understand what’s going on with my IF25a. This is my first time playing with Anduril but I’m confident that I understand how to configure it.

I set the thermal limit as low as possible because I want to be more comfortable pocketing it without putting it in lockout or muggle mode most of the time. I set the ambient temperature as accurately as I can with a digital thermometer. After the two blinks I click just once so I believe it should be limited at 31C. When I put it in turbo, It doesn’t seem to ramp down aggressively even though I set an aggressive limit. The light allowed it self to 57C which is hot enough that I’m uncomfortable holding it and struggle to click the button to turn it off. I sat it on a desk in front of me and just let turbo ride as I found this thread and made this post which is taking maybe 5 minutes. I just checked and it was clearly ramping down and measured at 41C. I wish the limiter could be more aggressive and keep my light out of the fire zone without resorting to lockout or muggle mode.

You could set a higher temp for the first setting and see how it behaves

After several attempts to set a ramp ceiling on my IF25a that didn’t cook my hand…

I settled on 40 clicks DOWN from max in the ramp configuration (in smooth ramping). So the first blinks in the configuration are for the LOW end limit of the ramp. I clicked once for the “moon” (lowest) it will go. Then the next blinks come up running through the cycle, and are for the upper limit. I tried 20, 30 and finally 40 clicks where I left it for the test tonight.

I went out just 30 minutes ago, and waked around about 3 minutes on this upper ramp setting. It got pretty warm with the head of the light touchable, but pretty hot. The body was plenty warm by then too. Just at the edge of comfortable to me in the bare hand.

The IF25a was JUST bright enough at that setting tonight (40 clicks down) that I felt it was usable for your basic walk around the garden (looking for armadillos to “remove” from digging up the whole place lately- I have another light on my 22 rifle when needed there) :wink: I also confirmed a double-click DID go to up from the ramping range “high” level- instantly to turbo.

I LOVE this little monster and it’s ability to really render a nice, even 4k beam. Still… I’d grab my Sofirn SF-33 (rev #2) for anything more than a few minutes out on a summer night. It has a nice wide beam too (but the IF25a is wider) and it runs on a good 5500mAh 26650 battery and gets out there pretty good throw wise too. Of course, it doesn’t fit as nicely into my lanky gym shorts pocket as the IF25a does, but it fits the hand nicely and it’s a trade-off for weight Vs heat.

I also love our stash of about five Sofirn SP-10s which I keep 10500 batteries in (instead of NmHs or Alkaleaks). That battery really drives those little lights nicely and they are great for walks. They are more blue (as the SF-33 also is), but not so bad you can tell much when outside trying to see around in the pitch black. If I had a true EDC light, it would probably be the SP-10 or something that size as it fits ANYWHERE but on a keychain.

I asked my same question on Reddit and toykeeper responding saying that Sofirn is basically using an old old demo version of anduril designed for the SP36 on all of their lights. The thermal config has been re-written several times since then. So basically they only sell lights with old buggy firmware and ignore the new updates. I wonder if it’s possible to update the SP36 and IF25A because they are my first two lights and I like them but I thought they’d be the last I would need. I’m unhappy with this temperature limit bug.

Temp limit bug? Trick the sensor into thinking it’s colder and it’ll be fine.

Yep, set it and forget it (once you find the right spot).

With this light being such a “hot little number”… my hand is the most accurate “thermal regulator” anyway. I found that limiting the ramping ceiling (right below “too hot” for my bare hand) is the easiest way to stay out of thermal hell :smiling_imp:

Can you please send a link to this posting on Reddit?

https://reddit.com/r/flashlight/comments/hnsnex/got_my_first_flashlights_yesterday_sofirn_i25a/fxe3khz

The version of Anduril on my SP36 and Q8 behave slightly different in a few ways, so I do not believe that Sofirn is using the same version of Anduril on all of their lights.

The Anduril version on my Q8 includes the "15 Clicks from OFF" version query and returns a version date of 2019-09-28. My SP36 does not respond to this version query.

After at least 15 clicks from OFF the version query will blink out the version date in the format of "YYYY MM DD" (Year Month Date) on some lights which use the Anduril user interface. The "zeros" blink out as a very short blink to differentiate them from a normal length blink which would be a "one".

Below is a 2 minute video showing the version query on an Emisar D4v2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrAM7HylEA8

I can confirm the IF25A does not respond to 15 clicks from off. Nother happens except the aux light turns off for a second. Same thing as my SP36.

Edit I HAVE THE 4000K VERSION

Thank you RB2021. :+1:

Despite the version, the light is working VERY well after tweaking. I ran a test today (after configuring the thermal sensor a few days ago), and the temperature check was DEAD ON.

Details are here at another posting… see post #27.

IF25a temp test…

ok guys !

I just received my IF25A from sofirn international website.
It is a bit slow from china to France (4weeks) but i finally get it

The flashlight is DOA !
I have the exact same behavior described in this post. I mean the FET driver is dead. The only output i have is from the 7135s…
I tried to set the thermal sensor but not working better after the temp calibration.

If i click on the side switch i enter the ramping mode, i can ramp up and down but i have a very low max ceiling (i also tried to conf the moon and ceiling but nothing better)
If i enter the strobe modes i can see that side switch green led blick but nothing from the front leds when max output is needed (bike strobes, party strobes, tactical strobes…) the candle and storms mode are ok because of the small output i think. I compare it with my F3WA and i can confirm that max output is not working

i just contacted Sofirn about this faulty unit.
i did a video to see the problem :
(waiting for upload right now)

It's disappointing to read these reports of defective drivers and apparently Sofirn is clueless to recognize it.

I just received a IF25A today - it's all apparently working ok but does have the ancient Anduril version.

Any updates with Sofirn support? I'll try to pass along a link to this thread to whomever I can reach from Sofirn.

I usually find Sofirn’s support slow compared to my other suppliers, sometimes up to a week. Convoy, Mateminco, Skilhunt are amazing, especially Skilhunt with responses within 30 minutes.

Before I had my store, if I had a faulty unit I would unsolder a wire and send a video of it entirely not working. Sometimes it’s too hard to show/explain a fault in a video and it’s the best method. This was usually my approach to issues with banggood’s support team.

This thread went silent a while back so don't know if mizou51 or trmgkl ever got a resolution, but I pm'ed Barry to see if he can help. Of course bad timing with the holiday right now.

Hello

Sorry for the delay!
i contacted the sofirn support about the faulty driver and within a week the support team asked me some pictures of the driver.
i also took a video of the abnormal behavior for turbo

they came back within another week and sent me an entire unit without the battery to get it quickly (battery don”t ship to france with plane shipping packages)

So overall it is a very good management of the faulty unit ! i’m pleased with the sofirn support team.

Florian

:+1: :+1: :+1:

That’s a worry, I have one on order