S2+ clone from Utorch

toddcshoe · 2018-11-06T21:59:01.000Z

Kame Sennin:

toddcshoe:

The stock S2+ isn’t better and it’s more expensive. The 3/5 mode driver is just as bad with the flash on low and the XML2 U2 emitter is horrid looking. A $3 driver fixes the Utorch right up and it really doesn’t need a new emitter.

At least Convoy 3/5 modes are easy to reprogram ! Please send me your 3/5 if you don’t want them

I would but I got rid of them. I am not on the Convoy wagon anymore. Use to have a bunch of them. They were okay but really just mediocre at best. Guess they are okay for host to make into something more substantial but as is, not very impressive. I am speaking of only the S2+’s. I have a bunch of the new Utorch’s. Most have new drivers but the stock emitter. It’s a nice beam and tint for what I use them for. I have a few with A6 drivers in them, a few with Qlite drivers and Guppydrv firmware, and I think I have one with a Bistro driver that I found in a box of parts. Have a few stock ones laying around that I haven’t done anything with yet. $7 a piece for them make them a very good choice to make them the way you want them. All just personal preference of course. Everyone should buy, mod, and use whatever makes them smile. My favorite light of all is a $5 green laser that I use to mess with the flocks of birds that fly and land all over out here. That and any light with a beacon mode on it. I hide it under furniture or the bed or something. Drives the wife crazy trying to figure out where that blinking is coming from.

Kame_Sennin · 2018-11-06T23:07:26.000Z

I have some of these Utorch too and love that they are so cheap so i don't think twice before trying something on them :-)

Here is one that i paper-sanded to remove most of the anodization. I like the "old worn tool" look and the stock driver was changed for a convoy 3/5 reprogrammed with Biscotti :

I have an other one (no picture now as it's in my car) that was baked on the kitchen gas stove to a pretty gold-tan color (but have to find some driver as it still has the stock one)

s5610 · 2018-11-06T22:40:40.000Z

toddcshoe:

$7 a piece for them make them a very good choice to make them the way you want them.

7 and 99 cents ) S2+ is $9.99. Don’t see now, but it happens often.

Found another sign of cheap flashlight. White plastic spacer window is too narrow for XP-L case and hangs on it, so reflector probably puts too much pressure on diode itself, and not heatsink surface around, when you assemble flashlight back.

Not good, Utorch. CREE LEDs aren’t made of steel )

toddcshoe · 2018-11-06T22:43:28.000Z

Kame Sennin:

I have some of these Utorch too and love that they are so cheap so i don’t think twice before trying something on them

Here is one that i paper-sanded to remove most of the anodization. I like the “old worn tool” look and the stock driver was changed for a convoy 3/5 reprogrammed with Biscotti :

I have an other one (no picture now as it’s in my car) that was backed on the kitchen gas stove to a pretty gold-tan color (but have to find some driver as it still has the stock one)

I like that old worn out look too. I have one that I baked in the oven on 500f for about an hour. Came out looking good, kinda rootbeer colored. Maybe if I take some fine sand paper to it in some spots I can get that worn out rusted look to it. It’s cheap enough that if I mess it up too bad it won’t break my heart.

s5610 · 2018-11-06T22:52:15.000Z

Kame Sennin:

have to find some driver as it still has the stock one

I liked this one. Cheapest driver with customization I could find to replace Utorch’s nightmare. Not shipped yet for a week, still waiting…

toddcshoe · 2018-11-06T23:28:12.000Z

s5610:

Kame Sennin:

have to find some driver as it still has the stock one

I liked this one. Cheapest driver with customization I could find to replace Utorch’s nightmare. Not shipped yet for a week, still waiting…

I have a few of those with 8 7135’s. They work quite well. Definitely affordable.

Nachtfeuerzeug · 2018-11-07T00:54:51.000Z

I bought the Utorch for use with a battery tube & cap from a faulty Sofirn. This gets pretty close to, IMO, the ideal length for an EDC and no switch. The cap is just loose enough for pressing with a momentary operation. In this instance, it's a twisty but at the tail... with good knurling.

This picture contains lights with a preferred combination of UI, clip and/or form factor. I really like the deep carry clip from the Nitenumen with the UI, 1500 lm output of an SP32A.

d_t_a · 2018-11-07T01:06:38.000Z

Kame Sennin:

I have some of these Utorch too and love that they are so cheap so i don’t think twice before trying something on them

Here is one that i paper-sanded to remove most of the anodization. I like the “old worn tool” look and the stock driver was changed for a convoy 3/5 reprogrammed with Biscotti :

I have an other one (no picture now as it’s in my car) that was baked on the kitchen gas stove to a pretty gold-tan color (but have to find some driver as it still has the stock one)

The stock 5/3-mode Convoy driver can be reprogrammed to Biscotti? Or you changed the driver?

toddcshoe · 2018-11-07T03:29:13.000Z

BROODMASTER:

I bought the Utorch for use with a battery tube & cap from a faulty Sofirn. This gets pretty close to, IMO, the ideal length for an EDC and no switch.

That is a great idea. I have a Sofirn tube and tail that I thought would work perfectly. Unfortunately I stole the tail spring off of it for something. I can’t remember what for. I will find a new one around here someplace I’m sure. I have some similar pocket clips as well. That will make a great EDC. Thanks for mentioning this.

Kame_Sennin · 2018-11-07T08:06:29.000Z

d_t_a:

The stock 5/3-mode Convoy driver can be reprogrammed to Biscotti? Or you changed the driver?

The 3/5 modes with Convoy written on the spring side can be reprogrammed to Biscotti but :

For programming to work one has to cut the connection from pin 5 to ground on the pcb (easy job with any small sharp cutting tool).
All 7135 are not equal, some don't want to work at very low light level (short On time). Off the 3 3/5 modes drivers i modified recently 1 didn't work at 0.1% (no light at all) but everthing else was seemingly ok, solved by replacing the 4x7135 on that one.

Lightbringer · 2018-11-07T17:03:38.000Z

Kame Sennin:

All 7135 are not equal, some don’t want to work at very low light level (short On time). Off the 3 3/5 modes drivers i modified recently 1 didn’t work at 0.1% (no light at all) but everthing else was seemingly ok, solved by replacing the 4x7135 on that one.

Yeah, you probably had the “crappy sailboat” 7135s, vs the “raptor claw” ones.

Hang on…

Ha! Found it… Shorten your 7135s for space-constrained mods!

Go crazy…

Jerommel · 2018-11-08T07:28:38.000Z

Hahaha Yeah, the crappy sailboat vs. raptor claw controversy…

Kame_Sennin · 2018-11-08T09:50:09.000Z

"crappy sailboat vs. raptor claw" : Pretty eye catching headline ;-)

I don't remember seeing any logo on the 7135s neither good nor ugly but will try to look for that this evening.

IIRC the drivers with the good ones came from AE Convoy store while the ugly ones where from BG

PiercingTheDarkness · 2018-11-14T02:39:44.000Z

Whatever you do don’t buy the stepless version it’s horrible. Different pill so can’t be changed like the non stepless version.

First mode is for setting the stepless brightness, second mode 70 lumens, third mode 740 lumens. There is nothing in between.

Would have never purchased if the description accurately described the modes. The manual also is wrong about the modes. Hopefully I can at least get a partial refund for the 10 I got….stupid flash sale prices lol.

Nachtfeuerzeug · 2018-11-14T03:00:17.000Z

Now we know. Thank you for your sacrifice!

d_t_a · 2018-11-14T09:29:29.000Z

Funtastic:

Whatever you do don’t buy the stepless version it’s horrible. Different pill so can’t be changed like the non stepless version.

First mode is for setting the stepless brightness, second mode 70 lumens, third mode 740 lumens. There is nothing in between.

Would have never purchased if the description accurately described the modes. The manual also is wrong about the modes. Hopefully I can at least get a partial refund for the 10 I got….stupid flash sale prices lol.

Appreciate sharing that information. Can you take a picture of that model and post it here? (if you have both the dimming and regular, kindly post side by side too)

korkfoto · 2018-11-14T10:00:49.000Z

Funtastic:

First mode is for setting the stepless brightness, second mode 70 lumens, third mode 740 lumens. There is nothing in between.

Correct me if I am wrong: the light has a tail button and a ring.

So:
first click - entering the steplees dimming- in this one you are rotate the ring to set the intensity.
second click - 70 lmn
third click - 740 lmn

Is this correct?
Maybe some pictures would help.
Thank you.

PiercingTheDarkness · 2018-11-14T10:46:13.000Z

There is no ring for stepless dimming, it’s unscrewing the head a half turn starts the ramping from low - high or high - low. Tighten the head to lock in the brightness setting

It’s not actually too bad after playing around with it tonight.

You can ramp from any mode except Strobe & SOS.

Modes:

1. memorized ramp brightness
2. low 8%
3. high 100%

Realized I could select low, rotate the head to ramp up to increase brightness or select high and ramp down if/when needed.

Ramping lumen range - 20 up to 740

You’ll never need to cycle through SOS & Strobe as rotating the head resets it back to the first mode setting. Tapping the switch then cycles back through Low & High.

I’ll upload pictures tomorrow

Had a another look and another driver could be fitted but soldering to the pill is required

Nachtfeuerzeug · 2018-11-29T20:30:48.000Z

I had an S2+ and 18350 tube just waiting to be used. I also had a P60 host with a Nichia 219C D240 not getting much use. So, voila, I swapped emitters:

And the Nitecore head strap wasn't getting much use either.

Edit: the XP-L MCPCB was coupled to the Utorch pill with a thermal adhesive. I actually bent it a little getting it off but flattened it w/o problem.

Once the Nichia was installed, I took some amp readings and got 2.8A with a LIttokala 18650 and 1.5A with an Efest IMR 16340. And no blue-lit dimming at 2.8A due to overdriving the 219c.

This isn't some awesome mod but it's a little feel good project on a sick day. I guess you could say I have two types of fever, today.

Ps.: I'm glad I didn't buy the Folomov 18650s.

djozz · 2018-11-29T20:10:51.000Z

I was kind of enthousiastic about the Utorch version with ramping by loosening the head, a nice new concept, so I ordered one.

But I wished that someone who already had one had mentioned the elephant in the room: 112 Hz PWM! No one can not notice that immediately.

Now I’m stuck with a light with useless driver, and nowhere as easy to mod as the other version