Problem with new Zebralight SC600 MKII L2. Won't turn on in low sometimes.

[GTRmiami]

Having a strange problem with my new ZL SC600. Sometimes it refuses to turn on in low. I press the button and nothing happens and will only turn on in medium after I hold it for about 1.5 seconds, which is how long it would take to cycle from low to medium if I were to turn it on by cycling through low first. Low just doesn't come on. And other times it will work just fine. I'd say most of the time it doesn't work right.

Is this a common problem with Zebralights? Is it something I'll just have to live with or will ZL fix or replace the light? It's really annoying especially late at night when I don't want to have to cycle through medium and high before getting to low.

 

[AbbyY]

I have 2 Zebralight: SC600 MkII L2 and SC600w MkII L2. I have no problem with SC600 at all low modes but SC600w has the same problem as yours, at the lowest mode (0.01 lumens). Sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. I think it's about a driver problem. It can't manage such a low voltage. Anyway, I don't use the lowest level so I am not concerned.

BTW, I use Panasonic NCR18650B unprotected.

 

[GTRmiami]

I have 2 Zebralight: SC600 MkII L2 and SC600w MkII L2. I have no problem with SC600 at all low modes but SC600w has the same problem as yours, at the lowest mode (0.01 lumens). Sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. I think it's about a driver problem. It can't manage such a low voltage. Anyway, I don't use the lowest level so I am not concerned.

BTW, I use Panasonic NCR18650B unprotected.

Doesn't matter what mode I have low set to. Still happens.

 

[marinemaster]

You need to contact ZL first before posting here.

 

[GTRmiami]

You need to contact ZL first before posting here.

I did. They told me I could send it to them for repair and it would take approx 6 weeks. The light is less than 3 weeks old. This morning I sent an email to the place I bought it from to see if they have any kind of exchange policy so I don't have to wait that long. It has been doing this almost since I got it. I was just not familiar with the ZL interface so it took me a little while to figure out that the problem was the light itself and not me.

I also made a short vid showing the problem.

BTW, the battery I'm using is a Nitecore.

 

[NutSAK]

Mine does the same thing. However, only when I'm "playing" with the light. In normal use I never have the problem, because I'm not switching it on/off so much.

Observed behavior on my SC600 MkII L2 (using any battery: AW, laptop pulls, etc.):

If you let the light sit "off" for 10 seconds or so, low always works.
The problem only exists with "L1" (the preset low)
If you leave the light in any of the programmable "L2" modes, low always works.
When L1 doesn't turn on after long press, if you double-click to L2 then double-click back to L1, it will work

 

[Sean]

Well great, I just ordered one. Hopefully it doesn't have the same problem.
Hope your gets replaced.

 

[GTRmiami]

Mine does the same thing. However, only when I'm "playing" with the light. In normal use I never have the problem, because I'm not switching it on/off so much.

Observed behavior on my SC600 MkII L2 (using any battery: AW, laptop pulls, etc.):

If you let the light sit "off" for 10 seconds or so, low always works.
The problem only exists with "L1" (the preset low)
If you leave the light in any of the programmable "L2" modes, low always works.
When L1 doesn't turn on after long press, if you double-click to L2 then double-click back to L1, it will work

The bolded part is not accurate, at least not with mine. It has been sitting for over an hour and I just tried it and it still won't turn on in L1.

But I have noticed that if I set low to L2 as the default, it works fine.

I'd say that if all of them do this, then it's a defect in the design or engineering.

For my needs I do tend to turn the light on and off and change modes almost constantly. My daily usage is for dog walking at night and early in the morning and where I walk them there are varying levels of light. I'll walk from a brightly lit area to a very dark area, then an area with just a little light, etc..etc... so I'm constantly changing modes and sometimes turning it off in the more well lit areas. Before getting the light I wasn't sure I'd like the ZL's interface but it has worked out pretty well for me so far. The inability to turn on in L1 is kind of a pain though. A light this expensive shouldn't have this problem.

 

[NutSAK]

The bolded part is not accurate, at least not with mine.

It is accurate as it applies to my light.

These issues with L1 appear to be widespread with this model, so I don't know if I would expect Zebralight to fix it if it were returned. In the very few instances that the problem arises in my normal use, I just double-click to L2 then back to L1 and it works. If my normal use was more like yours, I would be more frustrated by the issue.

 

[GTRmiami]

It is accurate as it applies to my light.

These issues with L1 appear to be widespread with this model, so I don't know if I would expect Zebralight to fix it if it were returned. In the very few instances that the problem arises in my normal use, I just double-click to L2 then back to L1 and it works. If my normal use was more like yours, I would be more frustrated by the issue.

Thanks. I've contacted ZL and asked them if they can tell me whether this is something that can be fixed or not before I take the time to send it in.

 

[carl]

And I was just thinking about buying one myself...a cosmic conspiracy no doubt lol.

But if i understand the problem correctly, if programmed to a slightly higher LOW mode, the problem disappears. I can live with that since i would never use 0.01 lumens anyway - too low for me.

Also, this problem seems to affect only a small percentage of total units sold (this is the first time I'm hearing about this problem since the MkII L2 first came on the market a while back), a solution for the Zebralight factory would be to simply test a replacement unit quickly before sending it to you, unless the problem tends to show up after days or weeks of use.

If that were the case, plan B would be to assign one employee (with a decent thumb) to sit at a desk with a big batch of units, clicking them on and off all day long, to weed out the bad apples. If his thumb gets tired, they can rotate everyone into this task, including management, as a memorable lesson on quality control lol. I actually wouldn't mind doing it for a day or so myself.

 

[RIX TUX]

If you pay that much for a light it should work right, the dealer you bought it from might not help you because of the time frame but ZL should, but it will take time. That is why you should have numerous lights to play with when your favorite one is away.

 

[127.0.0.1]

If you pay that much for a light it should work right, the dealer you bought it from might not help you because of the time frame but ZL should, but it will take time. That is why you should have numerous lights to play with when your favorite one is away.

^this

that 'L1 won't work but L2 will'...means your light is bunk. I have 3 ZL's and all function fine no matter
how hot they or the battery gets or how much I 'screw' around with it. it always operates like the manual states

I did have an H52 that failed on me, and when it did, it started to get funky with the button operations somewhat like
described here...after time (few months), the light finally fried itself and stopped working for good.

source: my own H600w, H600wMKII, H602w with eagtac 3100 or zebralight 3400's work perfectly all the time every time

 

[GTRmiami]

And I was just thinking about buying one myself...a cosmic conspiracy no doubt lol.

But if i understand the problem correctly, if programmed to a slightly higher LOW mode, the problem disappears. I can live with that since i would never use 0.01 lumens anyway - too low for me.

Also, this problem seems to affect only a small percentage of total units sold (this is the first time I'm hearing about this problem since the MkII L2 first came on the market a while back), a solution for the Zebralight factory would be to simply test a replacement unit quickly before sending it to you, unless the problem tends to show up after days or weeks of use.

If that were the case, plan B would be to assign one employee (with a decent thumb) to sit at a desk with a big batch of units, clicking them on and off all day long, to weed out the bad apples. If his thumb gets tired, they can rotate everyone into this task, including management, as a memorable lesson on quality control lol. I actually wouldn't mind doing it for a day or so myself.

I think you have it backwards. If the default low mode is set to one of the lowest settings, it seems to work fine, but if it's set to L1, which is the brightest low setting, that's when it has problems. Anyway, ZL replied to me and they didn't actually say they could fix it but did ask me to send the light to them.

 

[reppans]

I did have an H52 that failed on me, and when it did, it started to get funky with the button operations somewhat like
described here...after time (few months), the light finally fried itself and stopped working for good.

The H52 hasn't been out that long - did you send it in for warranty repair?

 

[GTRmiami]

^this

that 'L1 won't work but L2 will'...means your light is bunk. I have 3 ZL's and all function fine no matter
how hot they or the battery gets or how much I 'screw' around with it. it always operates like the manual states

I did have an H52 that failed on me, and when it did, it started to get funky with the button operations somewhat like
described here...after time (few months), the light finally fried itself and stopped working for good.

source: my own H600w, H600wMKII, H602w with eagtac 3100 or zebralight 3400's work perfectly all the time every time

Yep, just boxed it up and will send it to ZL during lunch. I have plenty of other lights in the meantime. It's just a bit annoying to have to send in a brand new light for repairs and be without it for 6 weeks.

 

[Sean]

Just got mine today and it seems to work properly.

 

[RCLumens]

Chiming in and backing Terry - he and I shared the same light - I believe it must the new switch that ZL went with... Terry, does the light eventually work in all low levels, or do some not work? I found that if left alone for like 10 sec. it would work in low no matter which low I had it set to... Doesn't sound like it's the case for GTR..IMO still great and brightest 18650 light...! I needed something with tail clicky and went even smaller with the Eagletac D25C Clicky - Awesome light btw... Wish it was as bright as the zebra though.

Cheers
RC

 

[NutSAK]

Chiming in and backing Terry - he and I shared the same light - I believe it must the new switch that ZL went with... Terry, does the light eventually work in all low levels, or do some not work? I found that if left alone for like 10 sec. it would work in low no matter which low I had it set to... Doesn't sound like it's the case for GTR..IMO still great and brightest 18650 light...! I needed something with tail clicky and went even smaller with the Eagletac D25C Clicky - Awesome light btw... Wish it was as bright as the zebra though.

Cheers
RC

Yes, that's a good summary RC. I've concluded the same thing you did--it's not really an issue with my light in normal use, as the issue "resets" after 10 seconds or so of being off. However, it seems that's not the case with GTR's light. I would have done the same and returned it if I were him.

I don't believe this is due to the switch. Microswitches all work the same for the most part--either they work or they don't. They simply command the operation of the software/firmware. I suspect that there's a firmware revision with a bug, or a variation in a circuit component that is slightly out-of-spec that is causing this issue in some of the lights. When L1 doesn't come on, the firmware registers the switch press, but there is no output from the emitter. This is evident in the fact that a double-click will switch it to L2 at that point, or if you continue to hold the switch, it will move to medium. Had the switch been at fault and the firmware had not registered the switch to L1, neither would be the case.

BTW, still loving the light RC. Thanks!

 

[mykhal]

I have had the same random problem with my older SC600 MkII. I've got new SC600w MkII L2 as well, the problem seems to occur even more often. It also seems that the failure is less likely to happen, when the light is turned on after having been turned off for longer time.

I don't think that the problem is caused by the switch, like NutSAK, as well. When the light fails, it "thinks" that it's turned on - subsequent short press does nothing as well, instead of turning on in H mode and the double-click switches it to L2/L1 mode, instead if switching to H -> M modes (this in fact can be used to quickly "fix" the problem).

Cleaning the contacts does not seem to have any influence on the problem.

I wonder if there is anybody who has been playing heavily with the SC600w L2 flashlight, and this problem never occured to him..