Sofirn SF36 $10.88 on Amazon. NW Tint.

chops728 · 2018-04-06T10:50:13.000Z

I recieved my $11 sf36 Wednsday —- Very nice light—esp for the money—-output is very good ( use any cell) with fairly good mode spacing—tint is awesome—I usually hate stock tints—this one is around 4700k/ 3C—not really a thrower—compares favorably to a P60/OP reflector driven @ 4.4amps—the switch is a little weird —kind of delayed reaction when switching modes

MikeyConti · 2018-04-06T11:02:14.000Z

chops728:

I recieved my $11 sf36 Wednsday —- Very nice light—esp for the money—-output is very good ( use any cell) with fairly good mode spacing—tint is awesome—I usually hate stock tints—this one is around 4700k/ 3C—not really a thrower—compares favorably to a P60/OP reflector driven @ 4.4amps—the switch is a little weird —kind of delayed reaction when switching modes

Does the SF36 require protected 18650’s or does is hava a built in saftey?

joechina · 2018-04-06T11:10:28.000Z

Ok, what is the Aqua Net trick?
Hairspray?
The forum search isn’t helpful.

Muto · 2018-04-06T12:23:41.000Z

joechina:

Ok, what is the Aqua Net trick?
Hairspray?
The forum search isn’t helpful.

All Right here you go.
He calls it stippling.
A nice video from our beloved late Old Lumens R.I.P.

Video - How I Stipple a Reflector Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts

I figured I would show how I coat a reflector "Stipple". [Stippling a flashlight reflector]

Enjoy!
Keith

MikeyConti · 2018-04-06T12:52:55.000Z

MikeyConti:

chops728:

I recieved my $11 sf36 Wednsday —- Very nice light—esp for the money—-output is very good ( use any cell) with fairly good mode spacing—tint is awesome—I usually hate stock tints—this one is around 4700k/ 3C—not really a thrower—compares favorably to a P60/OP reflector driven @ 4.4amps—the switch is a little weird —kind of delayed reaction when switching modes

Does the SF36 require protected 18650’s or does is hava a built in saftey?

Did some more reading on my question.

Looks like it has Low Voltage Cutoff built in so I can go ahead and use some of the many unprotected 18650’s I have for Vaping. Some HG LG2 or Sony VTC5A/6’s should work great in the SF36.

pennzy · 2018-04-06T14:30:09.000Z

I got one last week. I am very pleased with it. Somewhere between a S2+ and a C8 type beam . For $10 and change , can’t beat it.

Blackbeard · 2018-04-07T03:58:44.000Z

Very hard to resist these $10 1000 lumen lights, tried to ignore it for the past week, but finally caved in and ordered.

toddcshoe · 2018-04-07T04:41:26.000Z

Blackbeard:

Very hard to resist these $10 1000 lumen lights, tried to ignore it for the past week, but finally caved in and ordered.

I think you will enjoy it. Hard to beat for the money. Nice and bright, good to keep in the car or something. I keep mine on top the fridge near the back door so I can grab it on the way out. Lights up my 1 acre yard and the woods behind the house. It will do you good I bet.

Blackbeard · 2018-04-07T05:13:04.000Z

toddcshoe:

Blackbeard:

Very hard to resist these $10 1000 lumen lights, tried to ignore it for the past week, but finally caved in and ordered.

I think you will enjoy it. Hard to beat for the money. Nice and bright, good to keep in the car or something. I keep mine on top the fridge near the back door so I can grab it on the way out. Lights up my 1 acre yard and the woods behind the house. It will do you good I bet.

Yeah, hard to imagine how some of these deals are even possible or we have been overpaying for the big name lights all this time. A few months ago Sofirn had the SP13 + free SD02 1000 lumen diving light(Not sure it’s even available anymore, but its built like a tank) for about $13, both are excellent lights.

toddcshoe · 2018-04-07T06:34:51.000Z

Blackbeard:

Yeah, hard to imagine how some of these deals are even possible or we have been overpaying for the big name lights all this time. A few months ago Sofirn had the SP13 + free SD02 1000 lumen diving light(Not sure it’s even available anymore, but its built like a tank) for about $13, both are excellent lights.

I know they still sell the SD02 for about $24 on their Ali site. Don’t have that one. I have about 8 or 9 Sofirn lights I guess. I like them all for the most part. I got that SP31 I think it was that they had on sale last week for super cheap with battery and charger. Besides the horrible beam it’s not too bad. Light when I need it is better than no light at all. Started picking up a few Thorfire’s too. They seem right up on par with Sofirn. I even see Sofirn’s name on a few of their drivers. I use to think Streamlight and Surefire where the only names for quality bright lights. These overseas manufacturers have come in and made some changes. Now I feel like an idiot for paying hundreds of dollars for a 200 lumen name.

Muto · 2018-04-07T11:42:22.000Z

I compared the Sofirn SP36 against the Thorfire VG10 last night.
Throw and brightness is pretty much dead nuts even but Man is the tint better on the Sofirn.
I have a white van and the Thorfire looks a ever so slight shade of Blue compared to the Pure White on the Sofirn when shone on the van.
Also the colors in the grass are more vibrant on the SP36.

I know it’s a tint lottery sometimes but I have several of the newer Sofirns and the NW really is neutral.
Heck of a buy at 10.88

Later,
Keith

kyfishguy · 2018-04-07T19:23:20.000Z

These low cost sofirn lights are awesome and the neutral white tints they offer as standard equipment make them almost good enough in stock form. For those of us never satisfied with stock output, a simple bridge of the sense resistor and bypass of driver/tail springs gives nearly five amps to the emitter. Pretty sure the MCPCB isn’t DTP but the emitter seems happy enough at that current.

Brian

pennzy · 2018-04-07T19:54:56.000Z

kyfishguy:

These low cost sofirn lights are awesome and the neutral white tints they offer as standard equipment make them almost good enough in stock form. For those of us never satisfied with stock output, a simple bridge of the sense resistor and bypass of driver/tail springs gives nearly five amps to the emitter. Pretty sure the MCPCB isn’t DTP but the emitter seems happy enough at that current.

Brian

How do I identify the sense resistor?

kyfishguy · 2018-04-07T21:20:39.000Z

It’s the big one marked R091.

pennzy · 2018-04-07T23:20:27.000Z

Thanks . Does this eliminate regulation and mode change?

kyfishguy · 2018-04-07T23:28:11.000Z

Modes work fine, don’t know about regulation.

pennzy · 2018-04-07T23:41:13.000Z

Sounds like an easy upgrade. Pardon my skepticism but what’s the catch ? That resistor is in series with the load? Is all that is needed is a blob of solder?

kyfishguy · 2018-04-07T23:53:51.000Z

Eliminating or reducing resistance of the sense resistor is a fairly common driver mod to increase output. I’m not one of those people gifted with knowing why or how it works.

pennzy · 2018-04-07T23:58:30.000Z

Thanks. I have heard mention of it but don’t know the details . As long as it works without frying anything , I may give it a try .

pennzy · 2018-04-08T01:36:15.000Z

One more question if you don’t mind . Do you you have to remove the driver to access the back of it or are the leads long enough to just pull it out?