Probably a bad reflow.
ouch thats just bad, sounds like a faulty batch if so many… but that should go under warranty if they arrived like that, hope they can solve this quick.
Oh absolutely, no worries about getting it fixed.
Since the last 2pcs I’ve only sold approx 5 units so it’s been quite a high failure rate.
I’ll try reflowing it but I’ll get a replacement led and mcpcb anyway, maybe I’ll ask for a couple
Turns out the shelf isn’t flat, the mcpcb wobbles side to side.
Wiped the thermal paste off mcpcb and reinstalled it, this is how much contact its truly making.
I’m getting a bit annoyed at Sofirn’s lack of QC. Recently made a post about 10pcs SP40 and 2pcs SP70 with ano issues which they tried covering up. I received $30 compensation so that’s sorted but still….
As a dealer, at least they will take care of you. 
An unevenly milled shelf for THAT LIGHT is a pretty bad miss though 
I was going to say that emitters that I’ve burned out usually failed starting at one side like yours did, and it was due to overpowering (overheating) them OR my bad solder job mounting them. The failed cooling with an uneven shelf explains the problem now in hindsight.
I have never received a bad light from Sofirn out of about 40 or so I’ve bought over the last three years. Of course, some of that stock I still have new in the box! So I’m now hoping it’s all in good shape when I get to it.
Still, for the value they give us… I’d guess they might have some QC slips occasionally like any company doing what they do. I am glad to know they will at least step up and take care of the problems when they do arise.
They’ll definitely sort it out but hope they’ll send a new unit and not just a replacement head since this is one of the units with the ano issue. I’d like to fix this unit but I don’t have the tools to level it
I was out making a demo video and was thinking “this jump from High to Turbo is tiny”, couple seconds later it starts flickering and half of it dies. I really hope the others I have in stock are okay.
Just switched on a second unit for a turbo run to test and it starts flickering…….bad batch of lights, damn it
I noticed that exactly after 3min my SP70 steps down from turbo mode to low mode, not high mode.
If it’s reaching 50°C it’ll step down lower than High. If it’s just on 3 min and it’s not hot then maybe there’s an issue. Are you in ramping or stepped mode. maybe it reduces to the last ramp level? Who knows, I haven’t had that issue
It occurs in stepped modes on turbo and in ramping when set to maximum. If ramped down only a little bit the stepdown will not be triggered. It does not matter what level I used before, always forcing the flashlight down to low mode.
No idea, if it bugs you then perhaps email Sofirn.
i hope this doesnt mean sofirns quality has got lower now….
Just letting everyone know that Sofirn are sending me 2x SP70 replacements without any trouble at all. Took a couple emails to explain the issue but that’s to be expected.
So many companies would have asked for it to be shipped back for repair at this price point.
I haven’t yet been let down by Sofirn’s customer service.
UPDATE
All Sofirn SP70’s have an uneven shelf. They’re covering this issue by applying way too much thermal paste to make it look like it’s making good contact but it’s not. There’s enough paste for 3-4 SP70’s on one unit.
Received 3x more SP70’s to find 1pc wasn’t making contact. Decided to wipe off the other units thermal paste and check, they too had the same problem
I’m going to make a video applying my own paste to make it clear to them, this is terrible quality control.
Is it just the SP70 that has the problem?
From what I’ve seen, yes. In total I’ve had 5pcs out of 12 where the led died. Now I know why it’s happening,
My video I sent to Sofirn just now. Ignore my left hand tremors, also no audio.
Anyone out there that can check theirs?
How new are these? I have an SP70 from the first batch and the shelf is flat - I recently modded it and redid the thermal paste with mx4
The units I have in stock are within the last 8 months, the one in the video was ordered end of last month. Checked all units and same issue, some only half make contact and others it’s next to nothing. 3 burnt out leds from the older stock
Ok, I think what's goin on is from the machining it left a bump up in the middle - is that correct? This is quite common, unfortunately, least in lights I usually mod (the lower end, budget level). You will never find that in some brand lights I'm sure - probably true for MaxToch.
You can usually spot them easy - sit the MCPCB in there and see if it wobbles or not. If not, there could still be a depression in the middle, so still have to check for that. If there's a good grease under the MCPCB, the MCPCB should be suctioned to the shelf surface so you have to pry it off. If there's no suction, there's probably a contaminate in the way or something is not flat.
Not surprising at the prices Sofirn charges, also it's been so common in China for initial batches to be superior quality, then later batches drop in quality - just how they do business unless you really stay on top of them.
Brass P60 pills for example are known for this. With those I would take a large nailset or punch and give it a couple taps of the hammer and could flatten them out every time. Easy way to check is a metal flat edge, like the end of a small SS ruler - I use one often to check for flatness. For these SP70's, I wouldn't hammer. Most alum shelfs I'll sand it out, starting with maybe 200-300 GRIT paper. Lot of times you can see that middle point go down and down, constantly checking with the flat edge.
It's just something I always do when modding. Got to take out that MCPCB and discover what's underneath - many times there's surprises like a fragment of solder stuck - they don't check, they don't care. Do you think Convoy's are made and assembled by Simon or Emisar's made and assembled by Hank? Nope, so do those workers care as much as Simon or Hank? Nope.
PM'ing with Richard at MtnE in the past, wow, nightmare's of entire Convoy batches messed up. People wondered why he didn't stock this or that, and many times the lights and parts came in but had to be rejected - he would not sell them in that condition.
I feel for you. I toy'd with the idea of goin retail or modding at a more serious level many times (even had a job offer to mod!!), but having to deal with the mystery of what you'll get to resell is scary, plus the time/work to make it right -- I'm too much of a perfectionist to make money at this.
I thought the SP70's were aggressively priced more recently. They could do the shelf right but I'm sure it takes more time/labor and these workers are under great pressure to produce.