Luminus SFT40 test

[Tom_E]

I still see it here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003246180028.html?spm=a2g0s.12269583.0.0.1922f481t1weW1

My order not cancelled... yet

[JaredM]

Previous post updated. Mobile site issue

[JaredM]

djozz, I just noticed that you have yet to add this test to your directory thread linked in your signature. Thanks again for all these years of work, BLF wouldn’t be the same without you!

[Scallywag]

@ArtieT59

@Tom E

Ok - wasn’t as difficult as I thought with the right tool:

Now it’s about a perfect 5050 centering piece, better than the stock one was for a 3535. I had 3 XHP35-HI’s I swapped out, and 2 of the 3 centering pieces had holes right between 5050 and 3535 - real sloppy for the XHP35-HI’s. Might be because they were from the early, early batch.

I don’t know about going from xhp35 HI to sft40, but xpl-hi to sft40 and even more so CULPM1 to sft40, i notice that the sft40 is larger (especially than other 4040 footprint emitters), and that the centering rings need to be adjusted / made larger to fit the sft40. Sounds like that fact worked out perfectly in this case :laughing:

SFT40 is 5050

@Tom E

@fogofwar

BAK batteries are very good for the price and usually have more than the rated capacity. I pass by their factory on the way to the beach.

The 3350 mAh 10A look good for $4, but sold out.

Too bad I can’t get a 9-10 amp regulated driver to fit this thing that can run A2.

Sadly, out of stock.
I’ll be using TA FET+1+15 for my GT->90, which works because I don’t need 9A regulated. Suppose you could stack 7135s…

[djozz]

@JaredM

djozz, I just noticed that you have yet to add this test to your directory thread linked in your signature. Thanks again for all these years of work, BLF wouldn’t be the same without you!

Thanks
And added.

[luminarium_iaculator]

@djozz

@JaredM

djozz, I just noticed that you have yet to add this test to your directory thread linked in your signature. Thanks again for all these years of work, BLF wouldn’t be the same without you!

Thanks
And added.

Djozz I also love you man You are BLF…

[Agro]

@luminarium iaculator

@djozz

@JaredM

djozz, I just noticed that you have yet to add this test to your directory thread linked in your signature. Thanks again for all these years of work, BLF wouldn’t be the same without you!

Thanks
And added.

Djozz I also love you man You are BLF…

Indeed.

[Tom_E]

+1 !!

[djozz]

[1stein]

Does Anybody know what is going on with the availability of this led? it seems to be rather disappearing then getting common.
Can it be such a huge demand on the market so everybody has sold out?

[Tom_E]

It was there, now it's gone. Dunno why but seen this before with new LED's. First batch goes quick, no 2nd batch for a while.

I only knew of one place to buy them - Convoy. Don't think KD got them at all, and Cutter doesn't carry the Luminus line of LED's, and Hank just doesn't list many LED's he will sell to us.

[luminarium_iaculator]

This is the most interesting emitter lately so I don’t doubt that Hank or Simon will stock it soon.

I seen from the thread that plenty of guys have those Black Dots Of Death or BDOD… That will led to emitter destruction, and not to mention you can’t sell that kind of flashlight to anyone(if you are seller).

So what happens here? Hot flux particles mixed with some solder particles explode into silicone protective layer of led emitter(situation when you flux contact pads, and then you do final touch up with rosin core flux solder wire). Certain flux(fluid, pen, paste) “explode” more or less and permanently bonds with silicone and even worse if it penetrates enough into phosphor… GAME OVER.

I got one flux pen from premium brand and that is the worse one I have. It literary explodes each time i touch it with solder wire. I guess this happens when incompatible flux like rosin core flux in solder wire and lets say generic liquid flux meet each other on solder tab. So proper flux combination needs to be used or to not use flux at all(i always prefer flux).

The key is in protecting emitter from hot FLUX splash. I use some kind of small lens over emitter for that purpose but you can be creative and think your own way of protecting emitter. Some kind of protective barrier. While isopropyl alcohol can help if it did not penetrated deep enough it is better to not let anything happen to emitter.

When you do whole process by yourself (reflowing and soldering) you have full control, all the time in a world and you can only blame yourself for fail. When factory makes light which workers are timed to make certain minimum order quantity per working day you can really expect problems.

[1stein]

Woow, thanks for explanation. Anyway I want them

Badly

[JaredM]

I’d recommend using the 5050 9mm gasket with tape covering the center while soldering and repeatedly cleaning with cotton swab and ipa before first turn on

[Tom_E]

Hhmm. Did a 3X21A triple SFT-40 mod, cranked up amps I suppose with FET+1 driver, 16 AWG LED wires. Smoked one LED badly (BSOD) and a 2nd one mildly. Mistake I made was trying 30T's, took under 5 seconds, saw the output drop and quickly shut it down - was too late.

Swapped my "good" 3 SFT-40 MCPCB into the bad one, now using P42A's and 50G's -- all good. User will be using 50E's so even weaker, so should be fine.

Maybe those did have contaminants on them.

[Haukkeli]

I gave one emitter 9,5A’s from LD-4A and it developed black dots. It worked fine with 8A. Dot’s came off with electronic cleaner that shouldn’t hurt plastics, but beam turned purple. I mean really purple. I had black dots in my vision after beaming white wall for a minute.

[djozz]

I guess that I was lucky with the test-led of the OP, going to 20A and back without black dots appearing?

[luminarium_iaculator]

Hmmm…. We have many BSOD reports since opening of this thread. I don’t remember we ever had so many reports in one thread before

[EasyB]

The silicone layer over the phosphor is relatively thin (like compared to the XPL HI), so maybe that makes it more sensitive to flux splatter or debris?

It is good practice to wipe the LED with isopropyl after any nearby soldering. That splatter gets everywhere.

[Tom_E]

Yea, but I did a few mods with these and the modded lights never had a problem: TK-35, BOSS1, FF SP03 triple, BLF GT.

Think you guys are right about something getting on the surface of them. They are actually difficult to get things off of - the dye surface is in a depression, the edges are higher.