Sofirn SC21 mini

Is the driver compatible with sc31pro host?

I think there is significant drain while 4click lock. Some readings recently, torch not used apart from checking it’s 4click locked.

Locked
11:11 26-Oct-21
SC21 3.973
09:40 28-Oct-21
SC21 3.808
15:14 30-Oct-21
SC21 3.665

Unlocked
10:24 01-Nov-21
SC21 3.666

Locked
15:06 03-Nov-21
SC21 3.602

Recharging to test again.

After reading your report, I decided to try measuring the idle drain on my Sofirn SC21:
(maybe someone else can also try confirm testing, as my meter and measuring may not be that precise)

while Off (not Locked-out): 0.07mA
while Off and in Lock-out mode: 2.8mA (this seems fairly high parasitic drain)

It seems Lockout mode does consume a fairly high amount of power

(Side comment: I can think of the Skilhunt M150 which also had a similar issue:
while Off, the idle drain is OK, but when in Lock-out mode, it also had high parasitic drain

(Skilhunt M150 also uses around 4mA when in Lockout mode, but when not Locked out, it has very load idle current)

I never use lockout modes myself, but that seems significant and a cause for concern.

Hopefully Barry or someone else from Sofirn can comment and/or look into it?

Kinda like The Cave Man (EA8). Normal “off” is actually standby mode (blinky button-switch), and will eat through those alkaleaks in a hurry, often just days. Proper off is extremely low drain, lasts a looooong time.

Just easier to pull the cells entirely to not screw up the modes, and I’d never leave alkaleaks in a pricey light at all anyway, so…

I have two SC21s and have experienced the high drain while using electronic lockout with both. From fully charged batteries to will not even come on in about two weeks. Put the batteries in my charger and sure enough, voltage has dropped to the point where they show zero of four bars. This is not an intermittent problem, but happens consistently. I have commented on this earlier. Then there is the concern with the protruding (and easily activated) power button, An otherwise nicely priced and good performing light is held back by these issues.

anyone have this in the 2700k tint ? seems like a good deal getting below 3000k tint in this kind of light. Shame about the high drain issues that shouldnt happen.

I had the same problem. It’s kept me from using the light since I can’t trust that it won’t just kill batteries for fun.

Just tested my SC21 using a benchtop power supply set to 4.20VDC and a Tektronix TX3 DMM wired inline.
Light off= 41uA.
Light in lockout= 60uA.
I watched it for a while and the current stayed steady, no pulses or change in current.
I’m topping up the battery now and I will leave it in lock out for a week to see what happens.

I got one a little while ago and I really like it. It’s quite small and fits perfectly into a small gear pouch like it was made for it. Yeah, the battery life isn’t quite the same compared to a 18350, but it’s easy to charge with one of the zillion charging cables I’ve got laying around these days. I just think it hits above its weight class for a very easy to carry light with quality construction.

Anyone tried to open the SC21 up? mine just stopped working and its not from the battery side. The led and copper plate seems fine. Must be driver/ charging are. Does not want to be unscrewed. starting to wonder if they have glued it in place…

I opened one a while back. There was a huge amount of red loctite. I had to sandwich it between two pieces of wood at the flat part of the cooling fins, and then use locking pliers with leather on the bezel.

The top is opened, but i have problems with taking out the driver, the PCB that meets the batterie’s positive end. I believe after some research that they glue them in place… Pure ultra violence in small scale will commence!

That sounds familiar, too.

Yours has low idle/quiescent current… I wonder if yours may be from a different batch?
(my SC21 were ordered around last week of September from Sofirn/AliExpress, and they arrived around last week of October).

I have the SC21 with 5000k, 4000k, 2700k and all of them have high parasitic drain when in Lock-out mode.

how is the 2700k tint ? dta ?

My favourite, but i’m kind of a sucker for the old incadescent bulb-light kind of thing.

1)

Left:Sofirn SC21 (LH351D 2700k)

Right: Sofirn SC21 (LH351D 4000k)

(at the end part of the video, the 5000k is also shown)

(pardon my old digicam doesn't seem to focus warm color temperature and relatively low brightness that well, so there are parts of the video that gets defocused)

2) (just very recently, someone was able to order for me from Amazon the Lee green filter, which I have been wanting to try for some years now, this is my first attempt to try it on the flashlight)

Left: Sofirn SC21 (LH351D 5000k, with minus 1/4 green Lee filter)

Right: Sofirn SC21 (LH351D 5000k, stock)

(comment: there is a noticeable slight drop in brightness when using the minus 1/4 green Lee filter, probably something like 10% or so drop in brightness

BUT, the beam now looks much nicer)

great videos thanks.

2 week electronic lockout battery drain test-
Nov 14 battery voltage (freshy charged) 4.145V
Nov 28 battery voltage 4.097V.
My light is not draining the battery when in electronic lockout.