Convoy S6 pill dis-assembly?

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

Thanks to this helpful community, I can now flash the micro-controller firmware on my Convoy flashlights to disable the annoying blinky modes. I’ve successfully done this to my M2 and S2.

Next up: S6. However, I can’t seem to figure out how to dis-assemble the pill to actually get at the uC. I initially had the same problem with my M2, but, again thanks to the community, realized it was trivial.

It appears to me that the S6 has a similar retaining ring, but I’ve tried really hard and can’t seem to get it to budge.

I can post a picture if need be (but hoping someone has maybe already “been there, done that”).

Thanks!

2

I've never seen a S6 pill with a ring, only press-fit/soldered driver. The pill does have the two square notches on the backside but that's for removing/installing the pill, nothing to do with the driver.

3

I bought 4 S6 hosts from RMM, 2 had rings, 2 didn't. Normal RH threads, maybe they're glued. Manufacturers seem to have a great fondness for glue.

4

Yeah, you’re right, should have caught that myself:

Since I can’t see any obvious solder (that I could undo), so I assume that means press-fit? And/or they cemented it in place with some kind of thermal adhesive?

In the first picture above, you can see the big scratch on the left: that was me sticking something in one of those little holes of the driver PCB and trying to turn it like it was a retaining ring… obviously I wasn’t successful (at least I managed to avoid stabbing myself!).

Does this mean I’m basically out of luck? More likely to ruin it before I get at the uC?

My assembly doesn’t seem to have any rings, so maybe the two you got are extraneous?

My next flashlight project is to build a DIY S6 (another one). Might just have to build two if I can’t flash the PCB of my current one. :slight_smile:

5

Put the pill in the head driver side down, poke a piece of coathanger wire through one of the wire holes, and tap the driver out the bottom.

6

That did it! Thank you!

Only Convoy left to “fix” is my M1. That one I can see needs to be un-soldered.

7

And that's why I prefer to buy them as empty hosts... no mystery assembly methods to reverse engineer.

8

Hm, I just got an S6 host from RMM that came with a retaining ring — the pill’s threaded on the driver side to take the ring.

But the drivers I’ve tried all have components close to the edge that interfere with the retaining ring and would get crushed if I used it.

Is this a general issue?

I’d welcome pointers to drivers that do provide enough space at the edge to use retaining rings, if those exist.

I’d thought I’d like having hosts with the retaining ring provided to get a sure, solid ground connection, as I’ve had trouble with those when I just force fit drivers and add a dab of solder — eventually the connection gets flaky from temperature swings, or dropping the light too many times ….