[Disassembly review] Sofirn SF36 18650 XP-L2

I was offered this light for review by Tracy at Sofirn.
This host was shipped little later that others that have been reviewed here before and have small difference.

Packaging:
Looks downgrade in comparation with previous reviews.

Pretty box from three-layer corrugated cardboard and foam inside was changed to thin paper box with plastic mould for light. Bad solution, such boxes shipped from GB or fasttech or even banggood always arrive crumpled.

Complete set:

In difference with others, I didnt receive complete set with battery and charger.

User manual:

It is two-sided manual. English side is not as bad as usual, but German looks not good due font problems.

First look:
Looks like usual P60-size flashlight. Dont feels so solid like good (first) VG10.

Tube threads are similar but their length is different, so you cant reverse tube to change clip position.

Inside:

Single spring from both sides. With 65mm cell they allow around 5mm extra cell length, tube internal diameter is 19mm so most protected cells should fit well.

Right hand retaining ring in the tail.
Switch PCB with regular 17mm size, tail cap, plastic spacer.
Last one seems strange - in previous reviews there was flat aluminium ring, now this one. It looks not very good, firstly I supposed that it was printed with plastic, but now I think that it was slightly overheated and melted when machining.

Driver retaining ring is left hand threaded (and this is good - head is full anodized at the bottom and retaining ring is the onlu contact surface for the tube end).
Driver is 19mm FET-based (FDS9926A).

Head dissasembly. Had to apply some force to unscrew bezel.
SS bezel with place for thin glass, this reflector shape, similar host finish…have seen it somewhere…
Head is deep (again), pcb is far, far away. Unsoldering wires to change pcb might be a problem.

PCB is copper, non-DTP, 17mm diameter. Do you see this screw that should fix pcb from rotation?

Another downgrade. In previous reviews it was different. Now some short pretty SS screw was changed with long black self-screw. But hole in the head is similar to screw diameter, so in fact it dont “screws”, it just rotates inside round hole (and can easy go out). I couldnt take good photo, but it goes deep into driver cavity.

This item was reviewed many times, so I see no reason in adding usual things like ui, modes, dimentions and etc.

Conclusion: Im not sure that this light was developed to be “better” version of well-known form-factor with new led. There is no “epic fail” problems, but it feels strange, like Scoda cars - it consists from components are used in other different models. “As is” it is not bad, but except of led this is three- or five-year old model. Buck driver? Moonlight? Lightened tailcap? Double springs? No, never heard.
In same size, you (both potential buyers and actual manufacture/developer) should look at two models:

- Convoy M2 as well-made good balanced flashlight/host

  • KDIY KF8 as flashlight with modern 100% regulated driver

Thanks for the tear down, I have a SF30A in the mail from China hope the quality is ok.