C8 drop in

almax1800 · 2019-09-16T23:04:16.000Z

Hello BLF. Long time reader but first post. Looking for info on installing a drop in for a C8. There were a very old few posts but not at the dumb level that I currently occupy - mostly talking about the technical qualities of the thing but I just don’t know how to get it into the host. Guy at lightmalls said all you need is tweezers. Sucker sale. C8 host has a solid shelf. So evidently this host is not compatible with drop-ins? Anyone have any info on what compatible C8 host might be available and how to get the drop in into it?

Henk4U2 · 2019-09-16T23:14:28.000Z

Can you give us a link to the website/item where you bought this drop in?

almax1800 · 2019-09-16T23:56:10.000Z

Sure thanks it’s
https://www.lightmalls.com/cree-xpl-hi-v2-led-drop-in-for-ultrafire-c8-c2-flashlight-5927

here’s the host
http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=845&search=Convoy+C8+Flashlight+Host+-Clear+Anodized

Was told by lightmalls the drop in would be good with the Convoy even though it’s marketed for Ultrafire C8.

SIGShooter · 2019-09-17T00:28:10.000Z

almax1800:

Sure thanks it’s
https://www.lightmalls.com/cree-xpl-hi-v2-led-drop-in-for-ultrafire-c8-c2-flashlight-5927

here’s the host
http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=845&search=Convoy+C8+Flashlight+Host+-Clear+Anodized

Was told by lightmalls the drop in would be good with the Convoy even though it’s marketed for Ultrafire C8.

As the MlnElectronics page says you need a 20mm MCPCB with LED, a 17mm driver, some thermal paste, and then solder the wires from the driver to the MCPCB. The original Convoy C8’s didn’t have the integrated shelf and the Ultrafire drop-in might or might not have dropped in depending on how compatible the threads were.

You might be able to use the driver/MCPCB from the drop-in if you can unsolder the driver from the pill and of course the wires to the MCPCB. The driver is soldered to the pill but the Convoy comes with a retaining ring so you don’t have to solder it to the host.

Lightbringer · 2019-09-17T00:30:18.000Z

Type I C8s used a brass pill, but type II C8s later used the integrated shelf.

I got a few old C8s with pills, and some pills from Fasttech that go-with.

Pretty sure these are the ones, as these are the ones I bought waaaaaaaaaaaay back.

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1208600

almax1800 · 2019-09-17T01:06:08.000Z

Thanks SIG, I saw that - and wasn’t sure what they were talking about

almax1800 · 2019-09-17T01:08:26.000Z

Well thanks for the lead to fasttech, didn’t know about them. If I don’t get too frustrated they might end up soaking up some of my change.

Lightbringer · 2019-09-17T01:22:38.000Z

almax1800:

Well thanks for the lead to fasttech, didn’t know about them. If I don’t get too frustrated they might end up soaking up some of my change.

Yeah, they will.

Drop-ins for C8s are a hoot.

You want red or green, IR or UV, WW/NW/CW, whatever, you can buy an assload of pills and drivers to go-with, and then go crazy just doing the pills and not having to buy 13 separate hosts.

One of my favorite toys back when was a ~4300K XP-E2 with a plain ol’ 1-mode driver. Tight tight tight hotspot with the E2, didn’t need to be pushed all that hard, and could outthrow most XM-L C8s that I had (at the time). And a great CT/tint, too.

Nice thing about ’em is that even with the garbage hosts that came later (plastic(!) reflectors and front “glass”, crappy switches, etc.), you could throw in a low-stress pill out of solid beefy brass to replace the crappy featherweight Al pill that came-with. Half the height and a third the weight of the brass pills, yeah, I’m definitely replacing it.

Then came a spate of really nice C8s like the Convoys, XinTDs, and so on. Crappy C8s weren’t worth the bother anymore.

Still, you want a cheap and almost disposable C8 in anything non-standard (red/green/IR/etc.), it’s easy to do on a pill nice and conveniently, vs trying to solder wires on/in/through an integrated shelf where you need near-surgical skills.

SIGShooter · 2019-09-17T02:06:42.000Z

almax1800:

Well thanks for the lead to fasttech, didn’t know about them. If I don’t get too frustrated they might end up soaking up some of my change.

The Fasttech pill isn’t usable with your C8 host since it has an integrated shelf. It might, or might not, fit the original Convoy C8 depending on the threads but since you don’t have that one (and afaik no longer sold) it’s immaterial. Unless you can return the Ultrafire that you bought why not take it apart and put it into your host? That presupposes that you have a soldering iron of course. You might also need a spacer adapter if the Convoy has a 7mm reflector opening.

BTW you won’t get 1600 lumens from that driver since it only puts out 2500mAh.

Lightbringer · 2019-09-17T02:24:15.000Z

I must’ve read the OP wrong, as I thought he had an older host that took drop-ins. Naw, the type Is and IIs aren’t compatible at all. The Is you use pills and screw them in. The IIs you perform surgery right in the head to connect up everything.

If anyone wants some older C8 hosts (well, complete lights, just garbage components that I was stripping out and using the carcasses as hosts) that take those FT pills, just to screw around with, let me know.